diff --git a/mercurial/cmdutil.py b/mercurial/cmdutil.py
--- a/mercurial/cmdutil.py
+++ b/mercurial/cmdutil.py
@@ -286,13 +286,12 @@ def addremove(repo, pats=[], opts={}, dr
             if not dry_run:
                 repo.copy(old, new)
 
-def copy(ui, repo, pats, opts):
+def copy(ui, repo, pats, opts, rename=False):
     # called with the repo lock held
     #
     # hgsep => pathname that uses "/" to separate directories
     # ossep => pathname that uses os.sep to separate directories
     cwd = repo.getcwd()
-    copied = []
     targets = {}
     after = opts.get("after")
     dryrun = opts.get("dry_run")
@@ -359,7 +358,8 @@ def copy(ui, repo, pats, opts):
                     return True # report a failure
 
         if ui.verbose or not exact:
-            ui.status(_('copying %s to %s\n') % (relsrc, reltarget))
+            action = rename and "moving" or "copying"
+            ui.status(_('%s %s to %s\n') % (action, relsrc, reltarget))
 
         targets[abstarget] = abssrc
 
@@ -378,7 +378,9 @@ def copy(ui, repo, pats, opts):
                     repo.add([abstarget])
             elif not dryrun:
                 repo.copy(origsrc, abstarget)
-        copied.append((abssrc, relsrc, exact))
+
+        if rename and not dryrun:
+            repo.remove([abssrc], True)
 
     # pat: ossep
     # dest ossep
@@ -482,7 +484,7 @@ def copy(ui, repo, pats, opts):
     if errors:
         ui.warn(_('(consider using --after)\n'))
 
-    return errors, copied
+    return errors
 
 def service(opts, parentfn=None, initfn=None, runfn=None):
     '''Run a command as a service.'''
diff --git a/mercurial/commands.py b/mercurial/commands.py
--- a/mercurial/commands.py
+++ b/mercurial/commands.py
@@ -454,10 +454,9 @@ def copy(ui, repo, *pats, **opts):
     """
     wlock = repo.wlock(False)
     try:
-        errs, copied = cmdutil.copy(ui, repo, pats, opts)
+        return cmdutil.copy(ui, repo, pats, opts)
     finally:
         del wlock
-    return errs
 
 def debugancestor(ui, index, rev1, rev2):
     """find the ancestor revision of two revisions in a given index"""
@@ -2062,15 +2061,7 @@ def rename(ui, repo, *pats, **opts):
     """
     wlock = repo.wlock(False)
     try:
-        errs, copied = cmdutil.copy(ui, repo, pats, opts)
-        names = []
-        for abs, rel, exact in copied:
-            if ui.verbose or not exact:
-                ui.status(_('removing %s\n') % rel)
-            names.append(abs)
-        if not opts.get('dry_run'):
-            repo.remove(names, True)
-        return errs
+        return cmdutil.copy(ui, repo, pats, opts, rename=True)
     finally:
         del wlock
 
diff --git a/tests/test-issue612.out b/tests/test-issue612.out
--- a/tests/test-issue612.out
+++ b/tests/test-issue612.out
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 adding src/a.c
-copying src/a.c to source/a.c
-removing src/a.c
+moving src/a.c to source/a.c
 1 files updated, 0 files merged, 1 files removed, 0 files unresolved
 ? src/a.o
 merging src/a.c and source/a.c
diff --git a/tests/test-rename-dir-merge.out b/tests/test-rename-dir-merge.out
--- a/tests/test-rename-dir-merge.out
+++ b/tests/test-rename-dir-merge.out
@@ -1,10 +1,8 @@
 adding a/a
 adding a/b
 0 files updated, 0 files merged, 0 files removed, 0 files unresolved
-copying a/a to b/a
-copying a/b to b/b
-removing a/a
-removing a/b
+moving a/a to b/a
+moving a/b to b/b
 2 files updated, 0 files merged, 2 files removed, 0 files unresolved
 resolving manifests
  overwrite None partial False
diff --git a/tests/test-rename-dir-merge2.out b/tests/test-rename-dir-merge2.out
--- a/tests/test-rename-dir-merge2.out
+++ b/tests/test-rename-dir-merge2.out
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 adding a/f
 1 files updated, 0 files merged, 0 files removed, 0 files unresolved
-copying a/f to b/f
-removing a/f
+moving a/f to b/f
 adding a/aa/g
 pulling from ../r2
 searching for changes
diff --git a/tests/test-rename.out b/tests/test-rename.out
--- a/tests/test-rename.out
+++ b/tests/test-rename.out
@@ -29,14 +29,10 @@ A d1/d11/e
 R d2/b
 1 files updated, 0 files merged, 1 files removed, 0 files unresolved
 # rename directory d1 as d3
-copying d1/a to d3/a
-copying d1/b to d3/b
-copying d1/ba to d3/ba
-copying d1/d11/a1 to d3/d11/a1
-removing d1/a
-removing d1/b
-removing d1/ba
-removing d1/d11/a1
+moving d1/a to d3/a
+moving d1/b to d3/b
+moving d1/ba to d3/ba
+moving d1/d11/a1 to d3/d11/a1
 A d3/a
   d1/a
 A d3/b
@@ -51,14 +47,10 @@ R d1/ba
 R d1/d11/a1
 4 files updated, 0 files merged, 4 files removed, 0 files unresolved
 # rename --after directory d1 as d3
-copying d1/a to d3/a
-copying d1/b to d3/b
-copying d1/ba to d3/ba
-copying d1/d11/a1 to d3/d11/a1
-removing d1/a
-removing d1/b
-removing d1/ba
-removing d1/d11/a1
+moving d1/a to d3/a
+moving d1/b to d3/b
+moving d1/ba to d3/ba
+moving d1/d11/a1 to d3/d11/a1
 A d3/a
   d1/a
 A d3/b
@@ -73,37 +65,29 @@ R d1/ba
 R d1/d11/a1
 4 files updated, 0 files merged, 4 files removed, 0 files unresolved
 # move a directory using a relative path
-copying ../d1/d11/a1 to d3/d11/a1
-removing ../d1/d11/a1
+moving ../d1/d11/a1 to d3/d11/a1
 A d2/d3/d11/a1
   d1/d11/a1
 R d1/d11/a1
 1 files updated, 0 files merged, 1 files removed, 0 files unresolved
 # move --after a directory using a relative path
-copying ../d1/d11/a1 to d3/d11/a1
-removing ../d1/d11/a1
+moving ../d1/d11/a1 to d3/d11/a1
 A d2/d3/d11/a1
   d1/d11/a1
 R d1/d11/a1
 1 files updated, 0 files merged, 1 files removed, 0 files unresolved
 # move directory d1/d11 to an existing directory d2 (removes empty d1)
-copying d1/d11/a1 to d2/d11/a1
-removing d1/d11/a1
+moving d1/d11/a1 to d2/d11/a1
 A d2/d11/a1
   d1/d11/a1
 R d1/d11/a1
 1 files updated, 0 files merged, 1 files removed, 0 files unresolved
 # move directories d1 and d2 to a new directory d3
-copying d1/a to d3/d1/a
-copying d1/b to d3/d1/b
-copying d1/ba to d3/d1/ba
-copying d1/d11/a1 to d3/d1/d11/a1
-copying d2/b to d3/d2/b
-removing d1/a
-removing d1/b
-removing d1/ba
-removing d1/d11/a1
-removing d2/b
+moving d1/a to d3/d1/a
+moving d1/b to d3/d1/b
+moving d1/ba to d3/d1/ba
+moving d1/d11/a1 to d3/d1/d11/a1
+moving d2/b to d3/d2/b
 A d3/d1/a
   d1/a
 A d3/d1/b
@@ -121,16 +105,11 @@ R d1/d11/a1
 R d2/b
 5 files updated, 0 files merged, 5 files removed, 0 files unresolved
 # move --after directories d1 and d2 to a new directory d3
-copying d1/a to d3/d1/a
-copying d1/b to d3/d1/b
-copying d1/ba to d3/d1/ba
-copying d1/d11/a1 to d3/d1/d11/a1
-copying d2/b to d3/d2/b
-removing d1/a
-removing d1/b
-removing d1/ba
-removing d1/d11/a1
-removing d2/b
+moving d1/a to d3/d1/a
+moving d1/b to d3/d1/b
+moving d1/ba to d3/d1/ba
+moving d1/d11/a1 to d3/d1/d11/a1
+moving d2/b to d3/d2/b
 A d3/d1/a
   d1/a
 A d3/d1/b
@@ -150,8 +129,7 @@ 5 files updated, 0 files merged, 5 files
 # move everything under directory d1 to existing directory d2, do not
 # overwrite existing files (d2/b)
 d2/b: not overwriting - file exists
-copying d1/d11/a1 to d2/d11/a1
-removing d1/d11/a1
+moving d1/d11/a1 to d2/d11/a1
 A d2/a
   d1/a
 A d2/ba
@@ -173,14 +151,10 @@ 0 files updated, 0 files merged, 0 files
 # directory
 abort: with multiple sources, destination must be an existing directory
 # move every file under d1 to d2/d21 (glob)
-copying d1/a to d2/d21/a
-copying d1/b to d2/d21/b
-copying d1/ba to d2/d21/ba
-copying d1/d11/a1 to d2/d21/a1
-removing d1/a
-removing d1/b
-removing d1/ba
-removing d1/d11/a1
+moving d1/a to d2/d21/a
+moving d1/b to d2/d21/b
+moving d1/ba to d2/d21/ba
+moving d1/d11/a1 to d2/d21/a1
 A d2/d21/a
   d1/a
 A d2/d21/a1
@@ -195,10 +169,8 @@ R d1/ba
 R d1/d11/a1
 4 files updated, 0 files merged, 4 files removed, 0 files unresolved
 # move --after some files under d1 to d2/d21 (glob)
-copying d1/a to d2/d21/a
-copying d1/d11/a1 to d2/d21/a1
-removing d1/a
-removing d1/d11/a1
+moving d1/a to d2/d21/a
+moving d1/d11/a1 to d2/d21/a1
 A d2/d21/a
   d1/a
 A d2/d21/a1
@@ -207,10 +179,8 @@ R d1/a
 R d1/d11/a1
 2 files updated, 0 files merged, 2 files removed, 0 files unresolved
 # move every file under d1 starting with an 'a' to d2/d21 (regexp)
-copying d1/a to d2/d21/a
-copying d1/d11/a1 to d2/d21/a1
-removing d1/a
-removing d1/d11/a1
+moving d1/a to d2/d21/a
+moving d1/d11/a1 to d2/d21/a1
 A d2/d21/a
   d1/a
 A d2/d21/a1
@@ -233,9 +203,8 @@ A d1/ca
 R d1/ba
 1 files updated, 0 files merged, 1 files removed, 0 files unresolved
 # do not copy more than one source file to the same destination file
-copying d1/d11/a1 to d3/d11/a1
+moving d1/d11/a1 to d3/d11/a1
 d3/b: not overwriting - d2/b collides with d1/b
-removing d1/d11/a1
 A d3/a
   d1/a
 A d3/b
@@ -250,14 +219,10 @@ R d1/ba
 R d1/d11/a1
 4 files updated, 0 files merged, 4 files removed, 0 files unresolved
 # move a whole subtree with "hg rename ."
-copying a to ../d3/d1/a
-copying b to ../d3/d1/b
-copying ba to ../d3/d1/ba
-copying d11/a1 to ../d3/d1/d11/a1
-removing a
-removing b
-removing ba
-removing d11/a1
+moving a to ../d3/d1/a
+moving b to ../d3/d1/b
+moving ba to ../d3/d1/ba
+moving d11/a1 to ../d3/d1/d11/a1
 A d3/d1/a
   d1/a
 A d3/d1/b
@@ -272,14 +237,10 @@ R d1/ba
 R d1/d11/a1
 4 files updated, 0 files merged, 4 files removed, 0 files unresolved
 # move a whole subtree with "hg rename --after ."
-copying a to ../d3/a
-copying b to ../d3/b
-copying ba to ../d3/ba
-copying d11/a1 to ../d3/d11/a1
-removing a
-removing b
-removing ba
-removing d11/a1
+moving a to ../d3/a
+moving b to ../d3/b
+moving ba to ../d3/ba
+moving d11/a1 to ../d3/d11/a1
 A d3/a
   d1/a
 A d3/b
@@ -294,14 +255,10 @@ R d1/ba
 R d1/d11/a1
 4 files updated, 0 files merged, 4 files removed, 0 files unresolved
 # move the parent tree with "hg rename .."
-copying ../a to ../../d3/a
-copying ../b to ../../d3/b
-copying ../ba to ../../d3/ba
-copying a1 to ../../d3/d11/a1
-removing ../a
-removing ../b
-removing ../ba
-removing a1
+moving ../a to ../../d3/a
+moving ../b to ../../d3/b
+moving ../ba to ../../d3/ba
+moving a1 to ../../d3/d11/a1
 A d3/a
   d1/a
 A d3/b
@@ -316,12 +273,9 @@ R d1/ba
 R d1/d11/a1
 4 files updated, 0 files merged, 4 files removed, 0 files unresolved
 # skip removed files
-copying d1/a to d3/a
-copying d1/ba to d3/ba
-copying d1/d11/a1 to d3/d11/a1
-removing d1/a
-removing d1/ba
-removing d1/d11/a1
+moving d1/a to d3/a
+moving d1/ba to d3/ba
+moving d1/d11/a1 to d3/d11/a1
 A d3/a
   d1/a
 A d3/ba