diff --git a/Command/Export.hs b/Command/Export.hs
index d6514d92ae..c0bfe5d5f7 100644
--- a/Command/Export.hs
+++ b/Command/Export.hs
@@ -294,9 +294,8 @@ startExport r db cvar allfilledvar ti = do
 
 performExport :: Remote -> ExportHandle -> Key -> AssociatedFile -> Sha -> ExportLocation -> MVar AllFilled -> CommandPerform
 performExport r db ek af contentsha loc allfilledvar = do
-	let storer = storeExport (exportActions r)
 	sent <- tryNonAsync $ if not (isGitShaKey ek)
-		then ifM (inAnnex ek)
+		then tryrenameannexobject $ ifM (inAnnex ek)
 			( notifyTransfer Upload af $
 				-- alwaysUpload because the same key
 				-- could be used for more than one export
@@ -328,6 +327,24 @@ performExport r db ek af contentsha loc allfilledvar = do
 		Left err -> do
 			failedsend
 			throwM err
+  where
+	storer = storeExport (exportActions r)
+
+	tryrenameannexobject fallback
+		| annexObjects (Remote.config r) = do
+			case renameExport (exportActions r) of
+				Just renameaction -> do
+					locs <- loggedLocations ek
+					gc <- Annex.getGitConfig
+	  				let objloc = exportAnnexObjectLocation gc ek
+					if Remote.uuid r `elem` locs
+						then tryNonAsync (renameaction ek objloc loc) >>= \case
+							Right (Just ()) -> return True
+							Left _err -> fallback
+							Right Nothing -> fallback
+						else fallback
+				Nothing -> fallback
+		| otherwise = fallback
 
 cleanupExport :: Remote -> ExportHandle -> Key -> ExportLocation -> Bool -> CommandCleanup
 cleanupExport r db ek loc sent = do
diff --git a/doc/todo/git-annex_proxies.mdwn b/doc/todo/git-annex_proxies.mdwn
index 68ef14b9e8..93730e383c 100644
--- a/doc/todo/git-annex_proxies.mdwn
+++ b/doc/todo/git-annex_proxies.mdwn
@@ -33,21 +33,6 @@ Planned schedule of work:
 * Working on `exportreeplus` branch which is groundwork for proxying to
   exporttree=yes special remotes.
 
-* `git-annex export` when exporting a file should rename it from the
-  annexobjects location when it's present there. This will avoid redundant
-  uploads.
-
-  An example case where this is important: Proxying to a exporttree remote,
-  a file is uploaded to it but is not yet in an exported tree. When the
-  exported tree is pushed, the remote needs to be updated by exporting to
-  it. In this case, the proxy doesn't have a copy of the file, so it would
-  need to download it from annexobjects before uploading it to the final
-  location. With this optimisation, it can just rename it.
-
-  However: If a key is used twice in an exported tree, it seems a proxy
-  will need to download and reupload anyway. Unless a copy operation is
-  added to exporttree remotes..
-
 ## items deferred until later for p2p protocol over http
 
 * `git-annex p2phttp` should support serving several repositories at the same