diff --git a/doc_src/index.hdr.in b/doc_src/index.hdr.in
index ee8f1ae7e..a7da811ea 100644
--- a/doc_src/index.hdr.in
+++ b/doc_src/index.hdr.in
@@ -1001,6 +1001,10 @@ Some bindings are shared between emacs- and vi-mode because they aren't text edi
 
 - @key{Alt,w} prints a short description of the command under the cursor.
 
+- @key{Alt,e} edit the current command line in an external editor. The editor is chosen from the first available of the `$VISUAL` or `$EDITOR` variables.
+
+- @key{Alt,v} Same as @key{Alt,e}.
+
 \subsection emacs-mode Emacs mode commands
 
 - @key{Home} or @key{Control,A} moves the cursor to the beginning of the line.
diff --git a/share/functions/__fish_shared_key_bindings.fish b/share/functions/__fish_shared_key_bindings.fish
index f015fd851..b011a9241 100644
--- a/share/functions/__fish_shared_key_bindings.fish
+++ b/share/functions/__fish_shared_key_bindings.fish
@@ -96,4 +96,8 @@ function __fish_shared_key_bindings -d "Bindings shared between emacs and vi mod
     # Make it easy to turn an unexecuted command into a comment in the shell history. Also,
     # remove the commenting chars so the command can be further edited then executed.
     bind $argv \e\# __fish_toggle_comment_commandline
+
+    # The [meta-e] and [meta-v] keystrokes invoke an external editor on the command buffer.
+    bind \ee edit_command_buffer
+    bind \ev edit_command_buffer
 end
diff --git a/share/functions/edit_command_buffer.fish b/share/functions/edit_command_buffer.fish
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..afeff4d10
--- /dev/null
+++ b/share/functions/edit_command_buffer.fish
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+function edit_command_buffer --description 'Edit the command buffer in an external editor'
+    set -l f (mktemp)
+    if set -q f[1]
+        mv $f $f.fish
+        set f $f.fish
+    else
+        # We should never execute this block but better to be paranoid.
+        if set -q TMPDIR
+            set f $TMPDIR/fish.(echo %self).fish
+        else
+            set f /tmp/fish.(echo %self).fish
+        end
+        touch $f
+        or return 1
+    end
+
+    # Edit the command line with the users preferred editor or vim or emacs.
+    commandline -b >$f
+    if set -q VISUAL
+        eval $VISUAL $f
+    else if set -q EDITOR
+        eval $EDITOR $f
+    else
+        echo
+        echo (_ 'External editor requested but $VISUAL or $EDITOR not set.')
+        echo (_ 'Please set VISUAL or EDITOR to your preferred editor.')
+        commandline -f repaint
+        command rm $f
+        return 1
+    end
+
+    # Here we're checking the exit status of the editor.
+    if test $status -eq 0 -a -s $f
+        # Set the command to the output of the edited command and move the cursor to the
+        # end of the edited command.
+        commandline -r (cat $f)
+        commandline -C 999999
+    else
+        echo
+        echo (_ "Ignoring the output of your editor since its exit status was non-zero")
+        echo (_ "or the file was empty")
+    end
+    command rm $f
+end