diff --git a/modules/programs/zsh/history.nix b/modules/programs/zsh/history.nix
index 19972c6aae..743bb192de 100644
--- a/modules/programs/zsh/history.nix
+++ b/modules/programs/zsh/history.nix
@@ -218,7 +218,7 @@ in
           cfg.history.ignorePatterns != [ ]
         ) "HISTORY_IGNORE=${lib.escapeShellArg "(${lib.concatStringsSep "|" cfg.history.ignorePatterns})"}"}
         HISTFILE="${mkShellVarPathStr cfg.history.path}"
-        mkdir -p "$(dirname "$HISTFILE")"
+        [[ -d ''${HISTFILE:h} ]] || mkdir -p "''${HISTFILE:h}"
       '')
 
       (lib.mkIf (cfg.historySubstringSearch.enable or false) (
diff --git a/tests/modules/programs/fabric-ai/zshrc b/tests/modules/programs/fabric-ai/zshrc
index d567f77ebc..68f7d74e8e 100644
--- a/tests/modules/programs/fabric-ai/zshrc
+++ b/tests/modules/programs/fabric-ai/zshrc
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ HISTSIZE="10000"
 SAVEHIST="10000"
 
 HISTFILE="/home/hm-user/.zsh_history"
-mkdir -p "$(dirname "$HISTFILE")"
+[[ -d ${HISTFILE:h} ]] || mkdir -p "${HISTFILE:h}"
 
 # Set shell options
 set_opts=(
diff --git a/tests/modules/programs/zsh/aliases.nix b/tests/modules/programs/zsh/aliases.nix
index b1456cf4fe..f7d9647e5e 100644
--- a/tests/modules/programs/zsh/aliases.nix
+++ b/tests/modules/programs/zsh/aliases.nix
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@
       SAVEHIST="10000"
 
       HISTFILE="/home/hm-user/.zsh_history"
-      mkdir -p "$(dirname "$HISTFILE")"
+      [[ -d ''${HISTFILE:h} ]] || mkdir -p "''${HISTFILE:h}"
 
       # Set shell options
       set_opts=(
diff --git a/tests/modules/programs/zsh/history-substring-search-expected.zshrc b/tests/modules/programs/zsh/history-substring-search-expected.zshrc
index 7b23401067..0692af4a07 100644
--- a/tests/modules/programs/zsh/history-substring-search-expected.zshrc
+++ b/tests/modules/programs/zsh/history-substring-search-expected.zshrc
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ HISTSIZE="10000"
 SAVEHIST="10000"
 
 HISTFILE="/home/hm-user/.zsh_history"
-mkdir -p "$(dirname "$HISTFILE")"
+[[ -d ${HISTFILE:h} ]] || mkdir -p "${HISTFILE:h}"
 
 # Set shell options
 set_opts=(
diff --git a/tests/modules/programs/zsh/smart-formatting-expected.zshrc b/tests/modules/programs/zsh/smart-formatting-expected.zshrc
index 931c685ffe..33540b7a89 100644
--- a/tests/modules/programs/zsh/smart-formatting-expected.zshrc
+++ b/tests/modules/programs/zsh/smart-formatting-expected.zshrc
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ HISTSIZE="50000"
 SAVEHIST="50000"
 
 HISTFILE="/home/hm-user/.zsh_history"
-mkdir -p "$(dirname "$HISTFILE")"
+[[ -d ${HISTFILE:h} ]] || mkdir -p "${HISTFILE:h}"
 
 # Set shell options
 set_opts=(
diff --git a/tests/modules/programs/zsh/zshrc-content-priorities.nix b/tests/modules/programs/zsh/zshrc-content-priorities.nix
index f160c77138..e92f5783f1 100644
--- a/tests/modules/programs/zsh/zshrc-content-priorities.nix
+++ b/tests/modules/programs/zsh/zshrc-content-priorities.nix
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@
           SAVEHIST="10000"
 
           HISTFILE="/home/hm-user/.zsh_history"
-          mkdir -p "$(dirname "$HISTFILE")"
+          [[ -d ''${HISTFILE:h} ]] || mkdir -p "''${HISTFILE:h}"
 
           # Set shell options
           set_opts=(