diff --git a/hgext/mq.py b/hgext/mq.py
--- a/hgext/mq.py
+++ b/hgext/mq.py
@@ -1699,7 +1699,7 @@ class queue(object):
 
                     self.ui.write(_('renaming %s to %s\n')
                                         % (filename, patchname))
-                    os.rename(originpath, self.join(patchname))
+                    util.rename(originpath, self.join(patchname))
                 else:
                     patchname = filename
 
diff --git a/tests/test-mq-qimport b/tests/test-mq-qimport
--- a/tests/test-mq-qimport
+++ b/tests/test-mq-qimport
@@ -118,3 +118,10 @@ hg qdel -k 2.diff
 echo % qimport -e --name newname oldexisitingpatch
 hg qimport -e --name this-name-is-better 2.diff
 hg qser
+echo % qimport -e --name without --force
+cp .hg/patches/this-name-is-better .hg/patches/3.diff
+hg qimport -e --name this-name-is-better 3.diff
+hg qser
+echo % qimport -e --name with --force
+hg qimport --force -e --name this-name-is-better 3.diff
+hg qser
diff --git a/tests/test-mq-qimport.out b/tests/test-mq-qimport.out
--- a/tests/test-mq-qimport.out
+++ b/tests/test-mq-qimport.out
@@ -61,3 +61,12 @@ renaming 2.diff to this-name-is-better
 adding this-name-is-better to series file
 this-name-is-better
 url.diff
+% qimport -e --name without --force
+abort: patch "this-name-is-better" already exists
+this-name-is-better
+url.diff
+% qimport -e --name with --force
+renaming 3.diff to this-name-is-better
+adding this-name-is-better to series file
+this-name-is-better
+url.diff