diff --git a/src/panels/history/ha-panel-history.ts b/src/panels/history/ha-panel-history.ts
index fbed2990a9..56f8aeb77a 100644
--- a/src/panels/history/ha-panel-history.ts
+++ b/src/panels/history/ha-panel-history.ts
@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@ import { SubscribeMixin } from "../../mixins/subscribe-mixin";
 import { haStyle } from "../../resources/styles";
 import { HomeAssistant } from "../../types";
 import { fileDownload } from "../../util/file_download";
+import { showAlertDialog } from "../../dialogs/generic/show-dialog-box";
 
 class HaPanelHistory extends SubscribeMixin(LitElement) {
   @property({ attribute: false }) hass!: HomeAssistant;
@@ -176,7 +177,7 @@ class HaPanelHistory extends SubscribeMixin(LitElement) {
         <ha-icon-button
           slot="actionItems"
           @click=${this._downloadHistory}
-          .disabled=${this._isLoading || !this._targetPickerValue}
+          .disabled=${this._isLoading}
           .path=${mdiDownload}
           .label=${this.hass.localize("ui.panel.history.download_data")}
         ></ha-icon-button>
@@ -371,14 +372,12 @@ class HaPanelHistory extends SubscribeMixin(LitElement) {
   }
 
   private async _getStats() {
-    const entityIds = this._getEntityIds();
-    if (!entityIds) {
+    const statisticIds = this._getEntityIds();
+    if (!statisticIds) {
+      this._statisticsHistory = undefined;
       return;
     }
-    this._getStatistics(entityIds);
-  }
 
-  private async _getStatistics(statisticIds: string[]): Promise<void> {
     try {
       const statistics = await fetchStatistics(
         this.hass!,
@@ -433,23 +432,14 @@ class HaPanelHistory extends SubscribeMixin(LitElement) {
   }
 
   private async _getHistory() {
-    if (!this._targetPickerValue) {
-      return;
-    }
-    this._isLoading = true;
     const entityIds = this._getEntityIds();
 
-    if (entityIds === undefined) {
-      this._isLoading = false;
+    if (!entityIds) {
       this._stateHistory = undefined;
       return;
     }
 
-    if (entityIds.length === 0) {
-      this._isLoading = false;
-      this._stateHistory = { line: [], timeline: [] };
-      return;
-    }
+    this._isLoading = true;
 
     if (this._subscribed) {
       this._unsubscribeHistory();
@@ -639,10 +629,20 @@ class HaPanelHistory extends SubscribeMixin(LitElement) {
   }
 
   private _downloadHistory() {
+    const entities = this._getEntityIds();
+    if (!entities || !this._mungedStateHistory) {
+      showAlertDialog(this, {
+        title: this.hass.localize("ui.panel.history.download_data_error"),
+        text: this.hass.localize("ui.panel.history.error_no_data"),
+        warning: true,
+      });
+      return;
+    }
+
     const csv: string[] = ["entity_id,state,last_changed\n"];
     const formatDate = (number) => new Date(number).toISOString();
 
-    for (const line of this._mungedStateHistory!.line) {
+    for (const line of this._mungedStateHistory.line) {
       for (const entity of line.data) {
         const entityId = entity.entity_id;
         for (const data of [entity.states, entity.statistics]) {
@@ -655,7 +655,7 @@ class HaPanelHistory extends SubscribeMixin(LitElement) {
         }
       }
     }
-    for (const timeline of this._mungedStateHistory!.timeline) {
+    for (const timeline of this._mungedStateHistory.timeline) {
       const entityId = timeline.entity_id;
       for (const s of timeline.data) {
         csv.push(`${entityId},${s.state},${formatDate(s.last_changed)}\n`);
diff --git a/src/translations/en.json b/src/translations/en.json
index 5a887448f7..7cd85fb275 100644
--- a/src/translations/en.json
+++ b/src/translations/en.json
@@ -6505,7 +6505,9 @@
         "start_search": "Start by selecting an area, device or entity above",
         "add_all": "Add all entities",
         "remove_all": "Remove all selections",
-        "download_data": "Download data"
+        "download_data": "Download data",
+        "download_data_error": "Unable to download data",
+        "error_no_data": "You need to select data first."
       }
     },
     "tips": {