diff --git a/Command/Export.hs b/Command/Export.hs
index bca9c9ffed..d0604aa8e1 100644
--- a/Command/Export.hs
+++ b/Command/Export.hs
@@ -406,9 +406,10 @@ startRecoverIncomplete r db sha oldf
 	oldloc = mkExportLocation $ getTopFilePath oldf
 
 startMoveToTempName :: Remote -> ExportHandle -> TopFilePath -> Key -> CommandStart
-startMoveToTempName r db f ek = 
-	starting ("rename " ++ name r) ai si $
+startMoveToTempName r db f ek = case renameExport (exportActions r) of
+	Just _ -> starting ("rename " ++ name r) ai si $
 		performRename r db ek loc tmploc
+	Nothing -> stop
   where
 	loc = mkExportLocation f'
 	f' = getTopFilePath f
@@ -418,27 +419,29 @@ startMoveToTempName r db f ek =
 	si = SeekInput []
 
 startMoveFromTempName :: Remote -> ExportHandle -> Key -> TopFilePath -> CommandStart
-startMoveFromTempName r db ek f = do
-	let tmploc = exportTempName ek
-	let ai = ActionItemOther $ Just $
-		QuotedPath (fromExportLocation tmploc) <> " -> " <> QuotedPath f'
-	stopUnless (liftIO $ elem tmploc <$> getExportedLocation db ek) $
+startMoveFromTempName r db ek f = case renameExport (exportActions r) of
+	Just _ -> stopUnless (liftIO $ elem tmploc <$> getExportedLocation db ek) $
 		starting ("rename " ++ name r) ai si $
 			performRename r db ek tmploc loc
+	Nothing -> stop
   where
 	loc = mkExportLocation f'
 	f' = getTopFilePath f
+	tmploc = exportTempName ek
+	ai = ActionItemOther $ Just $
+		QuotedPath (fromExportLocation tmploc) <> " -> " <> QuotedPath f'
 	si = SeekInput []
 
 performRename :: Remote -> ExportHandle -> Key -> ExportLocation -> ExportLocation -> CommandPerform
-performRename r db ek src dest =
-	tryNonAsync (renameExport (exportActions r) ek src dest) >>= \case
+performRename r db ek src dest = case renameExport (exportActions r) of
+	Just renameaction -> tryNonAsync (renameaction ek src dest) >>= \case
 		Right (Just ()) -> next $ cleanupRename r db ek src dest
 		Left err -> do
 			warning $ UnquotedString $ "rename failed (" ++ show err ++ "); deleting instead"
 			fallbackdelete
-		-- remote does not support renaming
 		Right Nothing -> fallbackdelete
+	-- remote does not support renaming
+	Nothing -> fallbackdelete
   where
 	fallbackdelete = performUnexport r db [ek] src
 
diff --git a/Remote/Adb.hs b/Remote/Adb.hs
index 214733080c..9848833147 100644
--- a/Remote/Adb.hs
+++ b/Remote/Adb.hs
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ gen r u rc gc rs = do
 			, versionedExport = False
 			, checkPresentExport = checkPresentExportM serial adir
 			, removeExportDirectory = Just $ removeExportDirectoryM serial adir
-			, renameExport = renameExportM serial adir
+			, renameExport = Just $ renameExportM serial adir
 			}
 		, importActions = ImportActions
 			{ listImportableContents = listImportableContentsM serial adir c
diff --git a/Remote/Directory.hs b/Remote/Directory.hs
index c83064ad78..82b7f114f0 100644
--- a/Remote/Directory.hs
+++ b/Remote/Directory.hs
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ gen r u rc gc rs = do
 				-- Not needed because removeExportLocation
 				-- auto-removes empty directories.
 				, removeExportDirectory = Nothing
-				, renameExport = renameExportM dir
+				, renameExport = Just $ renameExportM dir
 				}
 			, importActions = ImportActions
 				{ listImportableContents = listImportableContentsM ii dir
diff --git a/Remote/External.hs b/Remote/External.hs
index d75c3ebb45..9b9961c7d1 100644
--- a/Remote/External.hs
+++ b/Remote/External.hs
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ gen r u rc gc rs
 				, versionedExport = False
 				, checkPresentExport = checkPresentExportM external
 				, removeExportDirectory = Just $ removeExportDirectoryM external
-				, renameExport = renameExportM external
+				, renameExport = Just $ renameExportM external
 				}
 			else exportUnsupported
 		-- Cheap exportSupported that replaces the expensive
diff --git a/Remote/Helper/ExportImport.hs b/Remote/Helper/ExportImport.hs
index 377c4a7274..6d95ad1cf2 100644
--- a/Remote/Helper/ExportImport.hs
+++ b/Remote/Helper/ExportImport.hs
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ instance HasExportUnsupported (ExportActions Annex) where
 		, removeExport = nope
 		, versionedExport = False
 		, removeExportDirectory = nope
-		, renameExport = \_ _ _ -> return Nothing
+		, renameExport = Nothing
 		}
 	 where
 	 	nope = giveup "export not supported"
@@ -257,7 +257,7 @@ adjustExportImport' isexport isimport r rs = do
 		-- renameExport is optional, and the remote's
 		-- implementation may lose modifications to the file
 		-- (by eg copying and then deleting) so don't use it
-		, renameExport = \_ _ _ -> return Nothing
+		, renameExport = Nothing
 		, checkPresentExport = checkPresentImport ciddbv
 		}
 	
diff --git a/Remote/Helper/ReadOnly.hs b/Remote/Helper/ReadOnly.hs
index 71e31fdd0b..abce2fe2f4 100644
--- a/Remote/Helper/ReadOnly.hs
+++ b/Remote/Helper/ReadOnly.hs
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ adjustReadOnly r
 			{ storeExport = readonlyStoreExport
 			, removeExport = readonlyRemoveExport
 			, removeExportDirectory = Just readonlyRemoveExportDirectory
-			, renameExport = readonlyRenameExport
+			, renameExport = Nothing
 			}
 		, importActions = (importActions r)
 			{ storeExportWithContentIdentifier = readonlyStoreExportWithContentIdentifier
@@ -62,9 +62,6 @@ readonlyRemoveExport _ _ = readonlyFail
 readonlyRemoveExportDirectory :: ExportDirectory -> Annex ()
 readonlyRemoveExportDirectory _ = readonlyFail
 
-readonlyRenameExport :: Key -> ExportLocation -> ExportLocation -> Annex (Maybe ())
-readonlyRenameExport _ _ _ = return Nothing
-
 readonlyStoreExportWithContentIdentifier :: FilePath -> Key -> ExportLocation -> [ContentIdentifier] -> MeterUpdate -> Annex ContentIdentifier
 readonlyStoreExportWithContentIdentifier _ _ _ _ _ = readonlyFail
 
diff --git a/Remote/Rsync.hs b/Remote/Rsync.hs
index aaf0848b86..b225f8db14 100644
--- a/Remote/Rsync.hs
+++ b/Remote/Rsync.hs
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ gen r u rc gc rs = do
 				, versionedExport = False
 				, checkPresentExport = checkPresentExportM o
 				, removeExportDirectory = Just (removeExportDirectoryM o)
-				, renameExport = renameExportM o
+				, renameExport = Just $ renameExportM o
 				}
 			, importActions = importUnsupported
 			, whereisKey = Nothing
diff --git a/Remote/S3.hs b/Remote/S3.hs
index a2ab5a61ff..d2db401fe9 100644
--- a/Remote/S3.hs
+++ b/Remote/S3.hs
@@ -228,7 +228,7 @@ gen r u rc gc rs = do
 				, checkPresentExport = checkPresentExportS3 hdl this info
 				-- S3 does not have directories.
 				, removeExportDirectory = Nothing
-				, renameExport = renameExportS3 hdl this rs info
+				, renameExport = Just $ renameExportS3 hdl this rs info
 				}
 			, importActions = ImportActions
                                 { listImportableContents = listImportableContentsS3 hdl this info c
diff --git a/Remote/WebDAV.hs b/Remote/WebDAV.hs
index 08594dfba4..ab781c390e 100644
--- a/Remote/WebDAV.hs
+++ b/Remote/WebDAV.hs
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ gen r u rc gc rs = do
 				, versionedExport = False
 				, removeExportDirectory = Just $
 					removeExportDirectoryDav hdl
-				, renameExport = renameExportDav hdl
+				, renameExport = Just $ renameExportDav hdl
 				}
 			, importActions = importUnsupported
 			, whereisKey = Nothing
diff --git a/Types/Remote.hs b/Types/Remote.hs
index 971c4a87c6..e4575eb3cd 100644
--- a/Types/Remote.hs
+++ b/Types/Remote.hs
@@ -302,7 +302,7 @@ data ExportActions a = ExportActions
 	--
 	-- Throws an exception if the remote cannot be accessed, or
 	-- the file doesn't exist or cannot be renamed.
-	, renameExport :: Key -> ExportLocation -> ExportLocation -> a (Maybe ())
+	, renameExport :: Maybe (Key -> ExportLocation -> ExportLocation -> a (Maybe ()))
 	}
 
 data ImportActions a = ImportActions