diff --git a/packages/cli/src/config/keyBindings.ts b/packages/cli/src/config/keyBindings.ts
index b261d7aac..dc53448d4 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/config/keyBindings.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/config/keyBindings.ts
@@ -122,9 +122,10 @@ export const defaultKeyBindings: KeyBindingConfig = {
 
   // Auto-completion
   [Command.ACCEPT_SUGGESTION]: [{ key: 'tab' }, { key: 'return', ctrl: false }],
-  // Completion navigation (arrow or Ctrl+P/N)
-  [Command.COMPLETION_UP]: [{ key: 'up' }, { key: 'p', ctrl: true }],
-  [Command.COMPLETION_DOWN]: [{ key: 'down' }, { key: 'n', ctrl: true }],
+  // Completion navigation uses only arrow keys
+  // Ctrl+P/N are reserved for history navigation (HISTORY_UP/DOWN)
+  [Command.COMPLETION_UP]: [{ key: 'up' }],
+  [Command.COMPLETION_DOWN]: [{ key: 'down' }],
 
   // Text input
   // Must also exclude shift to allow shift+enter for newline
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/ui/components/InputPrompt.test.tsx b/packages/cli/src/ui/components/InputPrompt.test.tsx
index cf8b9685c..aefc6b413 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/ui/components/InputPrompt.test.tsx
+++ b/packages/cli/src/ui/components/InputPrompt.test.tsx
@@ -278,7 +278,7 @@ describe('InputPrompt', () => {
     unmount();
   });
 
-  it('should call completion.navigateUp for both up arrow and Ctrl+P when suggestions are showing', async () => {
+  it('should call completion.navigateUp for up arrow when suggestions are showing', async () => {
     mockedUseCommandCompletion.mockReturnValue({
       ...mockCommandCompletion,
       showSuggestions: true,
@@ -293,19 +293,22 @@ describe('InputPrompt', () => {
     const { stdin, unmount } = renderWithProviders(<InputPrompt {...props} />);
     await wait();
 
-    // Test up arrow
+    // Test up arrow for completion navigation
     stdin.write('\u001B[A'); // Up arrow
     await wait();
+    expect(mockCommandCompletion.navigateUp).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+    expect(mockCommandCompletion.navigateDown).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
 
+    // Ctrl+P should navigate history, not completion
     stdin.write('\u0010'); // Ctrl+P
     await wait();
-    expect(mockCommandCompletion.navigateUp).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2);
-    expect(mockCommandCompletion.navigateDown).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(mockCommandCompletion.navigateUp).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+    expect(mockInputHistory.navigateUp).toHaveBeenCalled();
 
     unmount();
   });
 
-  it('should call completion.navigateDown for both down arrow and Ctrl+N when suggestions are showing', async () => {
+  it('should call completion.navigateDown for down arrow when suggestions are showing', async () => {
     mockedUseCommandCompletion.mockReturnValue({
       ...mockCommandCompletion,
       showSuggestions: true,
@@ -319,14 +322,17 @@ describe('InputPrompt', () => {
     const { stdin, unmount } = renderWithProviders(<InputPrompt {...props} />);
     await wait();
 
-    // Test down arrow
+    // Test down arrow for completion navigation
     stdin.write('\u001B[B'); // Down arrow
     await wait();
+    expect(mockCommandCompletion.navigateDown).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+    expect(mockCommandCompletion.navigateUp).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
 
+    // Ctrl+N should navigate history, not completion
     stdin.write('\u000E'); // Ctrl+N
     await wait();
-    expect(mockCommandCompletion.navigateDown).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2);
-    expect(mockCommandCompletion.navigateUp).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(mockCommandCompletion.navigateDown).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+    expect(mockInputHistory.navigateDown).toHaveBeenCalled();
 
     unmount();
   });
@@ -764,6 +770,8 @@ describe('InputPrompt', () => {
         mockCommandContext,
         false,
         expect.any(Object),
+        // active parameter: completion enabled when not just navigated history
+        true,
       );
 
       unmount();
@@ -791,6 +799,8 @@ describe('InputPrompt', () => {
         mockCommandContext,
         false,
         expect.any(Object),
+        // active parameter: completion enabled when not just navigated history
+        true,
       );
 
       unmount();
@@ -818,6 +828,8 @@ describe('InputPrompt', () => {
         mockCommandContext,
         false,
         expect.any(Object),
+        // active parameter: completion enabled when not just navigated history
+        true,
       );
 
       unmount();
@@ -845,6 +857,8 @@ describe('InputPrompt', () => {
         mockCommandContext,
         false,
         expect.any(Object),
+        // active parameter: completion enabled when not just navigated history
+        true,
       );
 
       unmount();
@@ -872,6 +886,8 @@ describe('InputPrompt', () => {
         mockCommandContext,
         false,
         expect.any(Object),
+        // active parameter: completion enabled when not just navigated history
+        true,
       );
 
       unmount();
@@ -900,6 +916,8 @@ describe('InputPrompt', () => {
         mockCommandContext,
         false,
         expect.any(Object),
+        // active parameter: completion enabled when not just navigated history
+        true,
       );
 
       unmount();
@@ -927,6 +945,8 @@ describe('InputPrompt', () => {
         mockCommandContext,
         false,
         expect.any(Object),
+        // active parameter: completion enabled when not just navigated history
+        true,
       );
 
       unmount();
@@ -955,6 +975,8 @@ describe('InputPrompt', () => {
         mockCommandContext,
         false,
         expect.any(Object),
+        // active parameter: completion enabled when not just navigated history
+        true,
       );
 
       unmount();
@@ -983,6 +1005,8 @@ describe('InputPrompt', () => {
         mockCommandContext,
         false,
         expect.any(Object),
+        // active parameter: completion enabled when not just navigated history
+        true,
       );
 
       unmount();
@@ -1011,6 +1035,8 @@ describe('InputPrompt', () => {
         mockCommandContext,
         false,
         expect.any(Object),
+        // active parameter: completion enabled when not just navigated history
+        true,
       );
 
       unmount();
@@ -1039,6 +1065,8 @@ describe('InputPrompt', () => {
         mockCommandContext,
         false,
         expect.any(Object),
+        // active parameter: completion enabled when not just navigated history
+        true,
       );
 
       unmount();
@@ -1069,6 +1097,8 @@ describe('InputPrompt', () => {
         mockCommandContext,
         false,
         expect.any(Object),
+        // active parameter: completion enabled when not just navigated history
+        true,
       );
 
       unmount();
@@ -1097,6 +1127,8 @@ describe('InputPrompt', () => {
         mockCommandContext,
         false,
         expect.any(Object),
+        // active parameter: completion enabled when not just navigated history
+        true,
       );
 
       unmount();
@@ -1127,6 +1159,8 @@ describe('InputPrompt', () => {
         mockCommandContext,
         false,
         expect.any(Object),
+        // active parameter: completion enabled when not just navigated history
+        true,
       );
 
       unmount();
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/ui/components/InputPrompt.tsx b/packages/cli/src/ui/components/InputPrompt.tsx
index 7d1742505..1370ecdc7 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/ui/components/InputPrompt.tsx
+++ b/packages/cli/src/ui/components/InputPrompt.tsx
@@ -135,6 +135,8 @@ export const InputPrompt: React.FC<InputPromptProps> = ({
     commandContext,
     reverseSearchActive,
     config,
+    // Suppress completion when history navigation just occurred
+    !justNavigatedHistory,
   );
 
   const reverseSearchCompletion = useReverseSearchCompletion(
@@ -219,9 +221,9 @@ export const InputPrompt: React.FC<InputPromptProps> = ({
   const inputHistory = useInputHistory({
     userMessages,
     onSubmit: handleSubmitAndClear,
-    isActive:
-      (!completion.showSuggestions || completion.suggestions.length === 1) &&
-      !shellModeActive,
+    // History navigation (Ctrl+P/N) now always works since completion navigation
+    // only uses arrow keys. Only disable in shell mode.
+    isActive: !shellModeActive,
     currentQuery: buffer.text,
     onChange: customSetTextAndResetCompletionSignal,
   });
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/ui/hooks/useCommandCompletion.tsx b/packages/cli/src/ui/hooks/useCommandCompletion.tsx
index 3deaa8a53..cb5d9f276 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/ui/hooks/useCommandCompletion.tsx
+++ b/packages/cli/src/ui/hooks/useCommandCompletion.tsx
@@ -45,6 +45,8 @@ export function useCommandCompletion(
   commandContext: CommandContext,
   reverseSearchActive: boolean = false,
   config?: Config,
+  // When false, suppresses showing suggestions (e.g., after history navigation)
+  active: boolean = true,
 ): UseCommandCompletionReturn {
   const {
     suggestions,
@@ -152,7 +154,11 @@ export function useCommandCompletion(
   }, [suggestions, setActiveSuggestionIndex, setVisibleStartIndex]);
 
   useEffect(() => {
-    if (completionMode === CompletionMode.IDLE || reverseSearchActive) {
+    if (
+      completionMode === CompletionMode.IDLE ||
+      reverseSearchActive ||
+      !active
+    ) {
       resetCompletionState();
       return;
     }
@@ -163,6 +169,7 @@ export function useCommandCompletion(
     suggestions.length,
     isLoadingSuggestions,
     reverseSearchActive,
+    active,
     resetCompletionState,
     setShowSuggestions,
   ]);
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/ui/keyMatchers.test.ts b/packages/cli/src/ui/keyMatchers.test.ts
index 690a5cee4..a0a9b8279 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/ui/keyMatchers.test.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/ui/keyMatchers.test.ts
@@ -38,10 +38,10 @@ describe('keyMatchers', () => {
     [Command.NAVIGATION_DOWN]: (key: Key) => key.name === 'down',
     [Command.ACCEPT_SUGGESTION]: (key: Key) =>
       key.name === 'tab' || (key.name === 'return' && !key.ctrl),
-    [Command.COMPLETION_UP]: (key: Key) =>
-      key.name === 'up' || (key.ctrl && key.name === 'p'),
-    [Command.COMPLETION_DOWN]: (key: Key) =>
-      key.name === 'down' || (key.ctrl && key.name === 'n'),
+    // Completion navigation only uses arrow keys (not Ctrl+P/N)
+    // to allow Ctrl+P/N to always navigate history
+    [Command.COMPLETION_UP]: (key: Key) => key.name === 'up',
+    [Command.COMPLETION_DOWN]: (key: Key) => key.name === 'down',
     [Command.ESCAPE]: (key: Key) => key.name === 'escape',
     [Command.SUBMIT]: (key: Key) =>
       key.name === 'return' && !key.ctrl && !key.meta && !key.paste,
@@ -164,14 +164,26 @@ describe('keyMatchers', () => {
       negative: [createKey('return', { ctrl: true }), createKey('space')],
     },
     {
+      // Completion navigation only uses arrow keys (not Ctrl+P/N)
+      // to allow Ctrl+P/N to always navigate history
       command: Command.COMPLETION_UP,
-      positive: [createKey('up'), createKey('p', { ctrl: true })],
-      negative: [createKey('p'), createKey('down')],
+      positive: [createKey('up')],
+      negative: [
+        createKey('p'),
+        createKey('down'),
+        createKey('p', { ctrl: true }),
+      ],
     },
     {
+      // Completion navigation only uses arrow keys (not Ctrl+P/N)
+      // to allow Ctrl+P/N to always navigate history
       command: Command.COMPLETION_DOWN,
-      positive: [createKey('down'), createKey('n', { ctrl: true })],
-      negative: [createKey('n'), createKey('up')],
+      positive: [createKey('down')],
+      negative: [
+        createKey('n'),
+        createKey('up'),
+        createKey('n', { ctrl: true }),
+      ],
     },
 
     // Text input