diff --git a/ipython-kernel.cabal b/ipython-kernel.cabal
--- a/ipython-kernel.cabal
+++ b/ipython-kernel.cabal
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 name:                ipython-kernel
-version:             0.9.0.0
+version:             0.9.0.1
 synopsis:            A library for creating kernels for IPython frontends
 
 description:         ipython-kernel is a library for communicating with frontends for the interactive IPython framework. It is used extensively in IHaskell, the interactive Haskell environment.
diff --git a/src/IHaskell/IPython/Message/Parser.hs b/src/IHaskell/IPython/Message/Parser.hs
--- a/src/IHaskell/IPython/Message/Parser.hs
+++ b/src/IHaskell/IPython/Message/Parser.hs
@@ -125,9 +125,10 @@
 executeRequestParser :: LByteString -> Message
 executeRequestParser content =
   let parser obj = do
+                     let getOrElse a k = (fromMaybe a) <$> obj .:? k
                      code <- obj .: "code"
-                     silent <- obj .: "silent"
-                     storeHistory <- obj .: "store_history"
+                     silent <- getOrElse False "silent"
+                     storeHistory <- getOrElse (not silent) "store_history"
                      allowStdin <- obj .: "allow_stdin"
 
                      return (code, silent, storeHistory, allowStdin)