diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/__init__.py b/src/calibre/gui2/__init__.py
index a163f506d3..414209a142 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/__init__.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/__init__.py
@@ -1213,7 +1213,7 @@ def elided_text(text, font=None, width=300, pos='middle'):
     of the string with an ellipsis. Results in a string much closer to the
     limit than Qt's elidedText().'''
     from PyQt5.Qt import QFontMetrics, QApplication
-    fm = QApplication.fontMetrics() if font is None else QFontMetrics(font)
+    fm = QApplication.fontMetrics() if font is None else (font if isinstance(font, QFontMetrics) else QFontMetrics(font))
     delta = 4
     ellipsis = u'\u2026'
 
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/actions/view.py b/src/calibre/gui2/actions/view.py
index fff0d226bc..8da26ab055 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/actions/view.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/actions/view.py
@@ -12,7 +12,8 @@ from PyQt5.Qt import Qt, QAction, pyqtSignal
 
 from calibre.constants import isosx, iswindows
 from calibre.gui2 import (
-    error_dialog, Dispatcher, question_dialog, config, open_local_file, info_dialog)
+    error_dialog, Dispatcher, question_dialog, config, open_local_file,
+    info_dialog, elided_text)
 from calibre.gui2.dialogs.choose_format import ChooseFormatDialog
 from calibre.utils.config import prefs, tweaks
 from calibre.ptempfile import PersistentTemporaryFile
@@ -66,8 +67,9 @@ class ViewAction(InterfaceAction):
         if history:
             self.view_menu.insertAction(self.clear_sep2, self.clear_sep1)
             self.history_actions.append(self.clear_sep1)
+            fm = self.gui.fontMetrics()
             for id_, title in history:
-                ac = HistoryAction(id_, title, self.view_menu)
+                ac = HistoryAction(id_, elided_text(title, font=fm, pos='right'), self.view_menu)
                 self.view_menu.insertAction(self.clear_sep2, ac)
                 ac.view_historical.connect(self.view_historical)
                 self.history_actions.append(ac)