diff --git a/frontend/readhistory.lua b/frontend/readhistory.lua
index 41c4c288b..31ce10280 100644
--- a/frontend/readhistory.lua
+++ b/frontend/readhistory.lua
@@ -200,7 +200,7 @@ function ReadHistory:clearMissing()
     assert(self ~= nil)
     for i = #self.hist, 1, -1 do
         if self.hist[i].file == nil or lfs.attributes(self.hist[i].file, "mode") ~= "file" then
-            table.remove(self.hist, i)
+            self:removeItem(self.hist[i], i)
         end
     end
     self:ensureLastFile()
@@ -237,11 +237,11 @@ function ReadHistory:updateItemByPath(old_path, new_path)
     self:ensureLastFile()
 end
 
-function ReadHistory:removeItem(item)
+function ReadHistory:removeItem(item, idx)
     assert(self ~= nil)
-    table.remove(self.hist, item.index)
+    table.remove(self.hist, item.index or idx)
     os.remove(DocSettings:getHistoryPath(item.file))
-    self:_indexing(item.index)
+    self:_indexing(item.index or idx)
     self:_flush()
     self:ensureLastFile()
 end
diff --git a/spec/unit/readhistory_spec.lua b/spec/unit/readhistory_spec.lua
index 1dedd6bab..e1a62c71b 100644
--- a/spec/unit/readhistory_spec.lua
+++ b/spec/unit/readhistory_spec.lua
@@ -37,13 +37,13 @@ describe("ReadHistory module", function()
     end
 
     local function assert_item_is(h, i, name, fileRemoved)
-        assert.is.same(h.hist[i].text, name)
-        assert.is.same(h.hist[i].index, i)
-        assert.is.same(h.hist[i].file, joinPath(realpath(test_data_dir()), name))
+        assert.is.same(name, h.hist[i].text)
+        assert.is.same(i, h.hist[i].index)
+        assert.is.same(joinPath(realpath(test_data_dir()), name), h.hist[i].file)
         if fileRemoved then
             assert.is_nil(realpath(test_file(name)))
         else
-            assert.is.same(h.hist[i].file, realpath(test_file(name)))
+            assert.is.same(realpath(test_file(name)), h.hist[i].file)
         end
     end