diff --git a/xonsh/ptk/shell.py b/xonsh/ptk/shell.py
index 942d94cd1..1f47e81a8 100644
--- a/xonsh/ptk/shell.py
+++ b/xonsh/ptk/shell.py
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ class PromptToolkitShell(BaseShell):
                 'enable_auto_suggest_bindings': True,
                 'enable_search': True,
                 'enable_abort_and_exit_bindings': True,
-                'enable_open_in_editor': True
+                'enable_open_in_editor': True,
                 }
         major, minor = ptk_version_info()[:2]
         self.new_vi_mode_flag = (major, minor) >= (1, 0) \
diff --git a/xonsh/ptk/shortcuts.py b/xonsh/ptk/shortcuts.py
index c164f3bea..8c0eddfa2 100644
--- a/xonsh/ptk/shortcuts.py
+++ b/xonsh/ptk/shortcuts.py
@@ -80,8 +80,8 @@ class Prompter(object):
                     editing_mode = EditingMode.VI
                 else:
                     editing_mode = EditingMode.EMACS
-
                 kwargs['editing_mode'] = editing_mode
+                kwargs['vi_mode'] = builtins.__xonsh_env__.get('VI_MODE')
             cli = CommandLineInterface(
                 application=create_prompt_application(message, **kwargs),
                 eventloop=eventloop,