diff --git a/modules/completion/vertico/autoload/vertico.el b/modules/completion/vertico/autoload/vertico.el
index 0222134bf..3d68d0cb9 100644
--- a/modules/completion/vertico/autoload/vertico.el
+++ b/modules/completion/vertico/autoload/vertico.el
@@ -13,6 +13,12 @@ orderless."
         (completion-styles +vertico-company-completion-styles))
     (apply fn args)))
 
+;;;###autoload
+(defadvice! +vertico--consult-recent-file-a (&rest _args)
+  "`consult-recent-file' needs to have `recentf-mode' on to work correctly"
+  :before #'consult-recent-file
+  (recentf-mode +1))
+
 ;;;###autoload
 (cl-defun +vertico-file-search (&key query in all-files (recursive t) prompt args)
   "Conduct a file search using ripgrep.
diff --git a/modules/completion/vertico/config.el b/modules/completion/vertico/config.el
index d2a77b35c..75818ea27 100644
--- a/modules/completion/vertico/config.el
+++ b/modules/completion/vertico/config.el
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ overrides `completion-styles' during company completion sessions.")
     [remap locate]                        #'consult-locate
     [remap load-theme]                    #'consult-theme
     [remap man]                           #'consult-man
-    [remap recentf-open-files]            (cmd! (recentf-mode +1) (consult-recent-file))
+    [remap recentf-open-files]            #'consult-recent-file
     [remap switch-to-buffer]              #'consult-buffer
     [remap switch-to-buffer-other-window] #'consult-buffer-other-window
     [remap switch-to-buffer-other-frame]  #'consult-buffer-other-frame