diff --git a/doc/xschem_man/developer_info.html b/doc/xschem_man/developer_info.html
index f6696ac0..5eca47f1 100644
--- a/doc/xschem_man/developer_info.html
+++ b/doc/xschem_man/developer_info.html
@@ -1331,6 +1331,7 @@ C {verilog_timescale.sym} 1050 -100 0 0 {name=s1 timestep="1ns" precision="1ns"
    transparent_svg 0
    undo_type disk
    unzoom_nodrift 0
+   use_tclreadline 1 ;# use the tclreadline package for command prompt. default: 1
    USER_CONF_DIR
    verilog_2001 1
    verilog_bitblast 0
diff --git a/src/xinit.c b/src/xinit.c
index 1ba32d58..40aea877 100644
--- a/src/xinit.c
+++ b/src/xinit.c
@@ -2595,7 +2595,7 @@ int Tcl_AppInit(Tcl_Interp *inter)
  /* */
 
 
- if(!detach && !cli_opt_no_readline) {
+ if(tclgetboolvar("use_tclreadline") && !detach && !cli_opt_no_readline) {
    tcleval( "if {![catch {package require tclreadline}]} "
      "{::tclreadline::readline builtincompleter 0;"
       "::tclreadline::readline customcompleter completer;"
diff --git a/src/xschem.tcl b/src/xschem.tcl
index 46626e21..5fc42a92 100644
--- a/src/xschem.tcl
+++ b/src/xschem.tcl
@@ -5345,7 +5345,7 @@ set tctx::global_list {
   simconf_default_geometry simconf_vpos simulate_bg spiceprefix split_files svg_colors
   svg_font_name sym_txt symbol symbol_width tclcmd_txt tclstop text_line_default_geometry
   textwindow_fileid textwindow_filename textwindow_w tmp_bus_char toolbar_horiz toolbar_list
-  toolbar_visible transparent_svg undo_type use_lab_wire use_label_prefix
+  toolbar_visible transparent_svg undo_type use_lab_wire use_label_prefix use_tclreadline
   user_wants_copy_cell verilog_2001 verilog_bitblast viewdata_fileid viewdata_filename viewdata_w
   vsize xschem_libs xschem_listen_port zoom_full_center
 }
@@ -6435,6 +6435,7 @@ set_ne initial_geometry {900x600}
 set_ne edit_symbol_prop_new_sel {}
 set_ne launcher_default_program {xdg-open}
 set_ne auto_hilight 0
+set_ne use_tclreadline 1
 set_ne en_hilight_conn_inst 0
 ## xpm to png conversion
 set_ne to_png {gm convert} 
diff --git a/src/xschemrc b/src/xschemrc
index 97dd11e0..7af5afb5 100644
--- a/src/xschemrc
+++ b/src/xschemrc
@@ -176,6 +176,9 @@
 #### default: unset (tk uses its default) > 1.0 ==> bigger 
 # set tk_scaling 1.7
 
+#### use the tclreadline package if available , Default: 1 (enabled).
+# set use_tclreadline 1
+
 #### disable some symbol layers. Default: none, all layers are visible.
 # set enable_layer(5) 0 ;# example to disable pin red boxes