diff --git a/atuin-client/config.toml b/atuin-client/config.toml
index d1c1081..19e8e30 100644
--- a/atuin-client/config.toml
+++ b/atuin-client/config.toml
@@ -123,3 +123,7 @@
 ## 4. Slack webhooks
 ## 5. Stripe live/test keys
 # secrets_filter = true
+
+## Defaults to true. If enabled, upon hitting enter Atuin will immediately execute the command. Press tab to return to the shell and edit.
+# This applies for new installs. Old installs will keep the old behaviour unless configured otherwise.
+enter_accept = true
diff --git a/atuin-client/src/settings.rs b/atuin-client/src/settings.rs
index 15aa9e0..fca7600 100644
--- a/atuin-client/src/settings.rs
+++ b/atuin-client/src/settings.rs
@@ -179,6 +179,7 @@ pub struct Settings {
 
     pub network_connect_timeout: u64,
     pub network_timeout: u64,
+    pub enter_accept: bool,
 
     // This is automatically loaded when settings is created. Do not set in
     // config! Keep secrets and settings apart.
@@ -378,6 +379,12 @@ impl Settings {
             .set_default("secrets_filter", true)?
             .set_default("network_connect_timeout", 5)?
             .set_default("network_timeout", 30)?
+            // enter_accept defaults to false here, but true in the default config file. The dissonance is
+            // intentional!
+            // Existing users will get the default "False", so we don't mess with any potential
+            // muscle memory.
+            // New users will get the new default, that is more similar to what they are used to.
+            .set_default("enter_accept", false)?
             .add_source(
                 Environment::with_prefix("atuin")
                     .prefix_separator("_")
@@ -391,6 +398,7 @@ impl Settings {
 
         create_dir_all(&config_dir)
             .wrap_err_with(|| format!("could not create dir {config_dir:?}"))?;
+
         create_dir_all(&data_dir).wrap_err_with(|| format!("could not create dir {data_dir:?}"))?;
 
         let mut config_file = if let Ok(p) = std::env::var("ATUIN_CONFIG_DIR") {
diff --git a/atuin-common/src/utils.rs b/atuin-common/src/utils.rs
index 7cf4e9d..cd2cd4d 100644
--- a/atuin-common/src/utils.rs
+++ b/atuin-common/src/utils.rs
@@ -113,6 +113,11 @@ pub fn get_current_dir() -> String {
     }
 }
 
+pub fn is_zsh() -> bool {
+    // only set on zsh
+    env::var("ZSH_VERSION").is_ok()
+}
+
 #[cfg(test)]
 mod tests {
     use time::Month;
diff --git a/atuin/src/command/client/search/interactive.rs b/atuin/src/command/client/search/interactive.rs
index bc93302..bfee81d 100644
--- a/atuin/src/command/client/search/interactive.rs
+++ b/atuin/src/command/client/search/interactive.rs
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ use std::{
     time::Duration,
 };
 
+use atuin_common::utils;
 use crossterm::{
     event::{
         self, DisableMouseCapture, EnableMouseCapture, Event, KeyCode, KeyEvent, KeyModifiers,
@@ -47,6 +48,7 @@ struct State {
     switched_search_mode: bool,
     search_mode: SearchMode,
     results_len: usize,
+    accept: bool,
 
     search: SearchState,
     engine: Box<dyn SearchEngine>,
@@ -130,7 +132,14 @@ impl State {
                     ExitMode::ReturnQuery => RETURN_QUERY,
                 })
             }
+            KeyCode::Tab => {
+                return Some(self.results_state.selected());
+            }
             KeyCode::Enter => {
+                if settings.enter_accept {
+                    self.accept = true;
+                }
+
                 return Some(self.results_state.selected());
             }
             KeyCode::Char('y') if ctrl => {
@@ -588,7 +597,7 @@ impl Write for Stdout {
 // this is a big blob of horrible! clean it up!
 // for now, it works. But it'd be great if it were more easily readable, and
 // modular. I'd like to add some more stats and stuff at some point
-#[allow(clippy::cast_possible_truncation)]
+#[allow(clippy::cast_possible_truncation, clippy::too_many_lines)]
 pub async fn history(
     query: &[String],
     settings: &Settings,
@@ -646,10 +655,12 @@ pub async fn history(
         },
         engine: engines::engine(search_mode),
         results_len: 0,
+        accept: false,
     };
 
     let mut results = app.query_results(&mut db).await?;
 
+    let accept;
     let index = 'render: loop {
         terminal.draw(|f| app.draw(f, &results, settings))?;
 
@@ -664,6 +675,7 @@ pub async fn history(
                 if event_ready?? {
                     loop {
                         if let Some(i) = app.handle_input(settings, &event::read()?, &mut std::io::stdout())? {
+                            accept = app.accept;
                             break 'render i;
                         }
                         if !event::poll(Duration::ZERO)? {
@@ -690,8 +702,12 @@ pub async fn history(
     }
 
     if index < results.len() {
+        let mut command = results.swap_remove(index).command;
+        if accept && utils::is_zsh() {
+            command = String::from("__atuin_accept__:") + &command;
+        }
         // index is in bounds so we return that entry
-        Ok(results.swap_remove(index).command)
+        Ok(command)
     } else if index == RETURN_ORIGINAL {
         Ok(String::new())
     } else if index == COPY_QUERY {
diff --git a/atuin/src/shell/atuin.zsh b/atuin/src/shell/atuin.zsh
index edea0c8..19941be 100644
--- a/atuin/src/shell/atuin.zsh
+++ b/atuin/src/shell/atuin.zsh
@@ -36,12 +36,18 @@ _atuin_search() {
     # shellcheck disable=SC2048
     output=$(ATUIN_LOG=error atuin search $* -i -- $BUFFER 3>&1 1>&2 2>&3)
 
+    zle reset-prompt
+
     if [[ -n $output ]]; then
         RBUFFER=""
         LBUFFER=$output
     fi
 
-    zle reset-prompt
+    if [[ $LBUFFER == __atuin_accept__:* ]]
+    then
+        LBUFFER=${LBUFFER#__atuin_accept__:}
+        zle accept-line
+    fi
 }
 
 _atuin_up_search() {
diff --git a/docs/docs/config/config.md b/docs/docs/config/config.md
index e0403d2..5cdbe92 100644
--- a/docs/docs/config/config.md
+++ b/docs/docs/config/config.md
@@ -305,3 +305,16 @@ Default: 5
 
 The max time (in seconds) we wait for a connection to become established with a
 remote sync server. Any longer than this and the request will fail.
+
+## enter_accept
+Default: false
+
+Only supported on Zsh.
+
+When set to true, Atuin will default to immediately executing a command rather
+than the user having to press enter twice. Pressing tab will return to the
+shell and give the user a chance to edit.
+
+This technically defaults to true for new users, but false for existing. We
+have set `enter_accept = true` in the default config file. This is likely to
+change to be the default for everyone in a later release.