diff --git a/packages/scm-extra/src/browser/history/scm-history-widget.tsx b/packages/scm-extra/src/browser/history/scm-history-widget.tsx
index 9b8cd820bd804..3b96c26e409b9 100644
--- a/packages/scm-extra/src/browser/history/scm-history-widget.tsx
+++ b/packages/scm-extra/src/browser/history/scm-history-widget.tsx
@@ -220,20 +220,30 @@ export class ScmHistoryWidget extends ScmNavigableListWidget<ScmHistoryListNode>
             if (this.historySupport) {
                 try {
                     const currentCommits = this.status.state === 'ready' ? this.status.commits : [];
+                    const historyOptions = { ...options };
 
-                    let sourceHistory = await this.historySupport.getCommitHistory(options);
+                    // if we already have commits, get the latest one plus one more, we need at least one entry, otherwise an error is thrown
+                    // when fetching the log
+                    if (currentCommits.length > 1) {
+                        historyOptions.range = { fromRevision: currentCommits[1].commitDetails.id, toRevision: 'HEAD' };
+                    }
+
+                    const history = await this.historySupport.getCommitHistory(historyOptions);
                     if (token.isCancellationRequested || !this.hasMoreCommits) {
                         return;
                     }
 
-                    if (options && ((options.maxCount && sourceHistory.length < options.maxCount) || (!options.maxCount && currentCommits))) {
+                    if (options && ((options.maxCount && history.length < options.maxCount) || (!options.maxCount && currentCommits))) {
                         this.hasMoreCommits = false;
                     }
+
+                    // remove the extra commit
                     if (currentCommits.length > 0) {
-                        sourceHistory = sourceHistory.slice(1);
+                        history.pop();
                     }
+
                     const commits: ScmCommitNode[] = [];
-                    for (const commit of sourceHistory) {
+                    for (const commit of history) {
                         const fileChangeNodes: ScmFileChangeNode[] = [];
                         await Promise.all(commit.fileChanges.map(async fileChange => {
                             fileChangeNodes.push({
@@ -250,7 +260,7 @@ export class ScmHistoryWidget extends ScmNavigableListWidget<ScmHistoryListNode>
                             selected: false
                         });
                     }
-                    currentCommits.push(...commits);
+                    currentCommits.unshift(...commits);
                     this.status = { state: 'ready', commits: currentCommits };
                 } catch (error) {
                     if (options && options.uri && repository) {