diff --git a/doc/please.txt b/doc/please.txt
index c6aecaa..9d51790 100644
--- a/doc/please.txt
+++ b/doc/please.txt
@@ -57,6 +57,12 @@ Input and selection prompts are provided by |vim.ui.input()| and
 appearance of them to your taste. See |vim.ui| and the fantastic
 https://github.com/stevearc/dressing.nvim for more information.
 
+==============================================================================
+SETUP                                                           *please-setup*
+
+please.nvim does not require any setup to be used. However, you can customise
+the behaviour of the plugin by calling |please.setup()|.
+
 ==============================================================================
 MAPPINGS                                                     *please-mappings*
 
@@ -83,6 +89,22 @@ command to get you started.
 ==============================================================================
 Lua module: please                                                    *please*
 
+setup({opts})                                                 *please.setup()*
+    Updates the configuration with the provided {opts}. Should only be called
+    if you want to change the defaults which are shown below.
+
+    Example: >lua
+        local please = require('please')
+        please.setup({
+          max_history_items = 20,
+        })
+<
+
+    Parameters: ~
+      • {opts}  (`table`) A table with the following fields:
+                • {max_history_items} (`integer?`) The maximum number of
+                  history items to store for each repository.
+
 build()                                                       *please.build()*
     If the current file is a `BUILD` file, builds the target which is under
     the cursor. Otherwise, builds the target which takes the current file as
diff --git a/lua/please.lua b/lua/please.lua
index f01b092..339715e 100644
--- a/lua/please.lua
+++ b/lua/please.lua
@@ -6,6 +6,37 @@ local debug = require('please.debug')
 
 local please = {}
 
+---@nodoc
+---@class please.Config
+---@field max_history_items integer The maximum number of history items to store for each repository.
+
+---@type please.Config
+local config = {
+  max_history_items = 20,
+}
+
+---@inlinedoc
+---@class please.Opts
+---@field max_history_items integer? The maximum number of history items to store for each repository.
+
+---Updates the configuration with the provided {opts}. Should only be called if you want to change the defaults which
+---are shown below.
+---
+---Example:
+---```lua
+---local please = require('please')
+---please.setup({
+---   max_history_items = 20,
+---})
+---```
+---@param opts please.Opts
+function please.setup(opts)
+  vim.validate({
+    max_history_items = { opts.max_history_items, 'number', true },
+  })
+  config = vim.tbl_deep_extend('force', config, opts)
+end
+
 local default_profile = os.getenv('PLZ_CONFIG_PROFILE')
 
 ---@type table<string, string?>
@@ -77,6 +108,7 @@ local function save_command(root, command)
       :filter(function(history_item)
         return history_item.description ~= command.description
       end)
+      :take(config.max_history_items-1)
       :totable()
   else
     history[root] = {}
diff --git a/tests/please_spec.lua b/tests/please_spec.lua
index b4d91e0..0d83fd0 100644
--- a/tests/please_spec.lua
+++ b/tests/please_spec.lua
@@ -866,7 +866,7 @@ describe('history', function()
     local root = create_temp_tree()
     local select_fake = SelectFake:new()
 
-    -- GIVEN we've yanked the label of three targets, one after the other
+    -- GIVEN we've built three targets, one after the other
     for _, filename in ipairs({ 'foo1.txt', 'foo2.txt', 'foo3.txt' }) do
       vim.cmd('edit ' .. root .. '/' .. filename)
       please.build()
@@ -895,6 +895,26 @@ describe('history', function()
     please.history()
     select_fake:assert_items({ 'plz build //:foo2', 'plz build //:foo3', 'plz build //:foo1' })
   end)
+
+  it('should display the n most recent items', function()
+    local root = create_temp_tree()
+    local select_fake = SelectFake:new()
+
+    -- GIVEN we've built three targets, one after the other
+    please.setup({ max_history_items = 2 })
+    for _, filename in ipairs({ 'foo1.txt', 'foo2.txt', 'foo3.txt' }) do
+      vim.cmd('edit ' .. root .. '/' .. filename)
+      print('TEST')
+      please.build()
+    end
+    please.setup({ max_history_items = 20 })
+    -- WHEN we call history
+    please.history()
+    -- THEN the commands to build the two most recently built target are ordered from most to least recent
+    select_fake:assert_items({ 'plz build //:foo3', 'plz build //:foo2' })
+
+    please.setup({ max_history_items = 20 })
+  end)
 end)
 
 describe('jump_to_target', function()