diff --git a/docs/index.html b/docs/index.html
index 220ef3911..0d2f8884a 100644
--- a/docs/index.html
+++ b/docs/index.html
@@ -461,6 +461,7 @@ but excludes all &quot;*.gif&quot; files from the copy.</p>
   <li><a href="#keysubst">KeySubst</a></li>
   <li><a href="#mkdir">Mkdir</a></li>
   <li><a href="#property">Property</a></li>
+  <li><a href="#rename">Rename</a></li>
   <li><a href="#replace">Replace</a></li>
   <li><a href="#rmic">Rmic</a></li>
   <li><a href="#tar">Tar</a></li>
@@ -1772,6 +1773,38 @@ This also holds for properties loaded from a property file.</p>
 <pre>  &lt;property resource=&quot;foo.properties&quot; /&gt;</pre>
 <p>reads a set of properties from a resource called &quot;foo.properties&quot;.</p>
 <hr>
+<h2><a name="rename">Rename</a></h2>
+<h3>Description</h3>
+<p>Renames a given file.</p>
+<h3>Parameters</h3>
+<table border="1" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0">
+  <tr>
+    <td valign="top"><b>Attribute</b></td>
+    <td valign="top"><b>Description</b></td>
+    <td align="center" valign="top"><b>Required</b></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td valign="top">src</td>
+    <td valign="top">file to rename.</td>
+    <td valign="top" align="center">Yes</td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td valign="top">dest</td>
+    <td valign="top">new name of the file.</td>
+    <td valign="top" align="center">Yes</td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td valign="top">replace</td>
+    <td valign="top">Enable replacing of existing file (default: on).</td>
+    <td valign="top" align="center">No</td>
+  </tr>
+</table>
+<h3>Examples</h3>
+<pre>  &lt;rename src=&quot;foo.jar&quot; dest=&quot;${name}-${version}.jar&quot; /&gt;</pre> 
+<p>Renames the file <code>foo.jar</code> to <code>${name}-${version}.jar</code> (assuming <code>name</code>
+ and <code>version</code> being predefined properties). If a file named <code>${name}-${version}.jar</code>
+ already exists, it will be removed prior to renameing <code>foo.jar</code>.</p>
+<hr>
 <h2><a name="replace">Replace</a></h2>
 <h3>Description</h3>
 <p>Replaces the occurrence of a given string with another string in a file.</p>
diff --git a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/Rename.java b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/Rename.java
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..22ac4d5e9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/Rename.java
@@ -0,0 +1,116 @@
+/*
+ * The Apache Software License, Version 1.1
+ *
+ * Copyright (c) 1999 The Apache Software Foundation.  All rights
+ * reserved.
+ *
+ * Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
+ * modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions
+ * are met:
+ *
+ * 1. Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright
+ *    notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
+ *
+ * 2. Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright
+ *    notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer in
+ *    the documentation and/or other materials provided with the
+ *    distribution.
+ *
+ * 3. The end-user documentation included with the redistribution, if
+ *    any, must include the following acknowlegement:
+ *       "This product includes software developed by the
+ *        Apache Software Foundation (http://www.apache.org/)."
+ *    Alternately, this acknowlegement may appear in the software itself,
+ *    if and wherever such third-party acknowlegements normally appear.
+ *
+ * 4. The names "The Jakarta Project", "Tomcat", and "Apache Software
+ *    Foundation" must not be used to endorse or promote products derived
+ *    from this software without prior written permission. For written
+ *    permission, please contact apache@apache.org.
+ *
+ * 5. Products derived from this software may not be called "Apache"
+ *    nor may "Apache" appear in their names without prior written
+ *    permission of the Apache Group.
+ *
+ * THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED ``AS IS'' AND ANY EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED
+ * WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES
+ * OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE
+ * DISCLAIMED.  IN NO EVENT SHALL THE APACHE SOFTWARE FOUNDATION OR
+ * ITS CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL,
+ * SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT
+ * LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF
+ * USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND
+ * ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY,
+ * OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT
+ * OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF
+ * SUCH DAMAGE.
+ * ====================================================================
+ *
+ * This software consists of voluntary contributions made by many
+ * individuals on behalf of the Apache Software Foundation.  For more
+ * information on the Apache Software Foundation, please see
+ * <http://www.apache.org/>.
+ */
+
+package org.apache.tools.ant.taskdefs;
+
+import org.apache.tools.ant.BuildException;
+import org.apache.tools.ant.Task;
+
+import java.io.File;
+
+/**
+ * Renames a file.
+ *
+ * @author haas@softwired.ch
+ */
+public class Rename extends Task {
+
+    private File src;
+    private File dest;
+    private boolean replace = true;
+
+
+    /**
+     * Sets the file to be renamed.
+     * @param src the file to rename
+     */
+    public void setSrc(String src) {
+        this.src = project.resolveFile(src);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Sets the new name of the file.
+     * @param dest the new name of the file.
+     */
+    public void setDest(String dest) {
+        this.dest = project.resolveFile(dest);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Sets wheter an existing file should be replaced.
+     * @param replace <code>on</code>, if an existing file should be replaced.
+     */
+    public void setReplace(String replace) {
+        this.replace = project.toBoolean(replace);
+    }
+
+
+    /**
+     * Renames the file <code>src</code> to <code>dest</code>
+     * @exception org.apache.tools.ant.BuildException The exception is
+     * thrown, if the rename operation fails.
+     */
+    public void execute() throws BuildException {
+        if (replace && dest.exists()) {
+            if (!dest.delete()) {
+                throw new BuildException("Unable to remove existing file " +
+                      dest);
+            }
+       }
+        if (!src.renameTo(dest)) {
+            throw new BuildException("Unable to rename " + src + " to " +
+                  dest);
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/defaults.properties b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/defaults.properties
index a3d262cc2..b2f436a8e 100644
--- a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/defaults.properties
+++ b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/defaults.properties
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ tar=org.apache.tools.ant.taskdefs.Tar
 available=org.apache.tools.ant.taskdefs.Available
 filter=org.apache.tools.ant.taskdefs.Filter
 fixcrlf=org.apache.tools.ant.taskdefs.FixCRLF
+rename=org.apache.tools.ant.taskdefs.Rename
 
 # optional tasks
 script=org.apache.tools.ant.taskdefs.optional.Script