diff --git a/hgext/mq.py b/hgext/mq.py
--- a/hgext/mq.py
+++ b/hgext/mq.py
@@ -1051,12 +1051,16 @@ class queue(object):
                 self.check_localchanges(repo)
 
             if move:
-                try:
-                    index = self.series.index(patch, start)
-                    fullpatch = self.full_series[index]
-                    del self.full_series[index]
-                except ValueError:
-                    raise util.Abort(_("patch '%s' not found") % patch)
+                if not patch:
+                    raise  util.Abort(_("please specify the patch to move"))
+                for i, rpn in enumerate(self.full_series[start:]):
+                    # strip markers for patch guards
+                    if self.guard_re.split(rpn, 1)[0] == patch:
+                        break
+                index = start + i
+                assert index < len(self.full_series)
+                fullpatch = self.full_series[index]
+                del self.full_series[index]
                 self.full_series.insert(start, fullpatch)
                 self.parse_series()
                 self.series_dirty = 1
diff --git a/tests/test-mq b/tests/test-mq
--- a/tests/test-mq
+++ b/tests/test-mq
@@ -107,6 +107,11 @@ cd a
 
 hg qnew -m 'foo bar' test.patch
 
+echo '# comment' > .hg/patches/series.tmp
+echo >> .hg/patches/series.tmp # empty line
+cat .hg/patches/series >> .hg/patches/series.tmp
+mv .hg/patches/series.tmp .hg/patches/series
+
 echo % qrefresh
 
 echo a >> a
@@ -228,17 +233,29 @@ hg qpush test1b.patch+1
 
 echo % qpush --move
 hg qpop -a
+hg qguard test1b.patch -- -negguard
+hg qguard test2.patch -- +posguard
+hg qpush --move test2.patch # can't move guarded patch
+hg qselect posguard
 hg qpush --move test2.patch # move to front
-hg qpush --move test1b.patch
+hg qpush --move test1b.patch # negative guard unselected
 hg qpush --move test.patch # noop move
 hg qseries -v
 hg qpop -a
-hg qpush --move test.patch # cleaning up
+# cleaning up
+hg qselect --none
+hg qguard --none test1b.patch
+hg qguard --none test2.patch
+hg qpush --move test.patch
 hg qpush --move test1b.patch
 hg qpush --move bogus # nonexistent patch
+hg qpush --move # no patch
 hg qpush --move test.patch # already applied
 hg qpush
 
+echo % series after move
+cat `hg root`/.hg/patches/series
+
 echo % pop, qapplied, qunapplied
 hg qseries -v
 echo % qapplied -1 test.patch
diff --git a/tests/test-mq.out b/tests/test-mq.out
--- a/tests/test-mq.out
+++ b/tests/test-mq.out
@@ -209,6 +209,8 @@ popping test2.patch
 popping test1b.patch
 popping test.patch
 patch queue now empty
+cannot push 'test2.patch' - guarded by ['+posguard']
+number of unguarded, unapplied patches has changed from 2 to 3
 applying test2.patch
 now at: test2.patch
 applying test1b.patch
@@ -222,14 +224,23 @@ popping test.patch
 popping test1b.patch
 popping test2.patch
 patch queue now empty
+guards deactivated
+number of unguarded, unapplied patches has changed from 3 to 2
 applying test.patch
 now at: test.patch
 applying test1b.patch
 now at: test1b.patch
 abort: patch bogus not in series
+abort: please specify the patch to move
 abort: cannot push to a previous patch: test.patch
 applying test2.patch
 now at: test2.patch
+% series after move
+test.patch
+test1b.patch
+test2.patch
+# comment
+
 % pop, qapplied, qunapplied
 0 A test.patch
 1 A test1b.patch