diff --git a/hgext/rebase.py b/hgext/rebase.py
--- a/hgext/rebase.py
+++ b/hgext/rebase.py
@@ -184,7 +184,8 @@ def rebase(ui, repo, **opts):
                 rebaseset = repo.revs(
                     '(children(ancestor(%ld, %d)) and ::(%ld))::',
                     base, dest, base)
-
+            # temporary top level filtering of extinct revisions
+            rebaseset = repo.revs('%ld - hidden()', rebaseset)
             if rebaseset:
                 root = min(rebaseset)
             else:
@@ -193,7 +194,7 @@ def rebase(ui, repo, **opts):
             if not rebaseset:
                 repo.ui.debug('base is ancestor of destination\n')
                 result = None
-            elif not keepf and repo.revs('first(children(%ld) - %ld)',
+            elif not keepf and repo.revs('first(children(%ld) - %ld)-hidden()',
                                          rebaseset, rebaseset):
                 raise util.Abort(
                     _("can't remove original changesets with"
diff --git a/tests/test-rebase-obsolete.t b/tests/test-rebase-obsolete.t
--- a/tests/test-rebase-obsolete.t
+++ b/tests/test-rebase-obsolete.t
@@ -222,3 +222,61 @@ collapse rebase
 
   $ cd ..
 
+Rebase set has hidden descendants
+---------------------------------
+
+We rebase a changeset which has a hidden changeset. The hidden changeset must
+not be rebased.
+
+  $ hg clone base hidden
+  updating to branch default
+  3 files updated, 0 files merged, 0 files removed, 0 files unresolved
+  $ cd hidden
+  $ hg rebase -s 5fddd98957c8 -d eea13746799a
+  $ hg rebase -s 42ccdea3bb16 -d 02de42196ebe
+  $ hg log -G
+  @  10:7c6027df6a99 B
+  |
+  | o  9:cf44d2f5a9f4 D
+  | |
+  | o  8:e273c5e7d2d2 C
+  | |
+  o |  7:02de42196ebe H
+  | |
+  | o  6:eea13746799a G
+  |/|
+  o |  5:24b6387c8c8c F
+  | |
+  | o  4:9520eea781bc E
+  |/
+  o  0:cd010b8cd998 A
+  
+  $ hg log --hidden -G
+  @  10:7c6027df6a99 B
+  |
+  | o  9:cf44d2f5a9f4 D
+  | |
+  | o  8:e273c5e7d2d2 C
+  | |
+  o |  7:02de42196ebe H
+  | |
+  | o  6:eea13746799a G
+  |/|
+  o |  5:24b6387c8c8c F
+  | |
+  | o  4:9520eea781bc E
+  |/
+  | x  3:32af7686d403 D
+  | |
+  | x  2:5fddd98957c8 C
+  | |
+  | x  1:42ccdea3bb16 B
+  |/
+  o  0:cd010b8cd998 A
+  
+  $ hg debugobsolete
+  5fddd98957c8a54a4d436dfe1da9d87f21a1b97b e273c5e7d2d29df783dce9f9eaa3ac4adc69c15d 0 {'date': '*', 'user': 'test'} (glob)
+  32af7686d403cf45b5d95f2d70cebea587ac806a cf44d2f5a9f4297a62be94cbdd3dff7c7dc54258 0 {'date': '*', 'user': 'test'} (glob)
+  42ccdea3bb16d28e1848c95fe2e44c000f3f21b1 7c6027df6a99d93f461868e5433f63bde20b6dfb 0 {'date': '*', 'user': 'test'} (glob)
+
+  $ cd ..