diff --git a/lisp/simple.el b/lisp/simple.el
index ea3a495fbc..1b96bce773 100644
--- a/lisp/simple.el
+++ b/lisp/simple.el
@@ -2140,7 +2140,16 @@ previous-line-or-history-element
 			 (current-column)))))
     (condition-case nil
 	(with-no-warnings
-	  (previous-line arg))
+	  ;; If the history element consists of a single line longer
+	  ;; than window-width, move by logical lines to hit
+	  ;; beginning-of-buffer immediately and get the previous
+	  ;; history element.  Otherwise, move by visual lines.
+	  (if (and (save-excursion
+	  	     (end-of-line)
+	  	     (> (current-column) (window-width)))
+		   (= (line-number-at-pos) 1))
+	      (previous-logical-line arg)
+	    (previous-line arg)))
       (beginning-of-buffer
        ;; Restore old position since `line-move-visual' moves point to
        ;; the beginning of the line when it fails to go to the previous line.
@@ -2162,10 +2171,9 @@ previous-line-or-history-element
 	 ;; would move to the previous history element, not to a possible upper
 	 ;; visual line from the end of logical line in `line-move-visual' mode.
 	 (end-of-visual-line)
-	 ;; Since `end-of-visual-line' puts the cursor at the beginning
-	 ;; of the next visual line, move it one char back to the end
-	 ;; of the first visual line (bug#22544).
-	 (unless (eolp) (backward-char 1)))))))
+	 ;; If the line extends beyond window-width, go to its logical end,
+	 ;; since that is the natural target for editing history elements.
+	 (unless (eolp) (end-of-line)))))))
 
 (defun next-complete-history-element (n)
   "Get next history element which completes the minibuffer before the point.