diff --git a/hgext/mq.py b/hgext/mq.py
--- a/hgext/mq.py
+++ b/hgext/mq.py
@@ -1687,11 +1687,22 @@ class queue(object):
             if existing:
                 if filename == '-':
                     raise util.Abort(_('-e is incompatible with import from -'))
-                if not patchname:
-                    patchname = normname(filename)
-                self.check_reserved_name(patchname)
-                if not os.path.isfile(self.join(patchname)):
-                    raise util.Abort(_("patch %s does not exist") % patchname)
+                filename = normname(filename)
+                self.check_reserved_name(filename)
+                originpath = self.join(filename)
+                if not os.path.isfile(originpath):
+                    raise util.Abort(_("patch %s does not exist") % filename)
+
+                if patchname:
+                    self.check_reserved_name(patchname)
+                    checkfile(patchname)
+
+                    self.ui.write(_('renaming %s to %s\n')
+                                        % (filename, patchname))
+                    os.rename(originpath, self.join(patchname))
+                else:
+                    patchname = filename
+
             else:
                 try:
                     if filename == '-':
diff --git a/tests/test-mq-qimport b/tests/test-mq-qimport
--- a/tests/test-mq-qimport
+++ b/tests/test-mq-qimport
@@ -109,3 +109,12 @@ hg up -C
 hg qimport --push another.diff
 hg qfin -a
 hg qimport -rtip -P
+
+hg qpop -a
+hg qdel -k 2.diff
+echo % qimport -e
+hg qimport -e 2.diff
+hg qdel -k 2.diff
+echo % qimport -e --name newname oldexisitingpatch
+hg qimport -e --name this-name-is-better 2.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
@@ -52,3 +52,12 @@ applying another.diff
 now at: another.diff
 patch b.diff finalized without changeset message
 patch another.diff finalized without changeset message
+popping 2.diff
+patch queue now empty
+% qimport -e
+adding 2.diff to series file
+% qimport -e --name newname oldexisitingpatch
+renaming 2.diff to this-name-is-better
+adding this-name-is-better to series file
+this-name-is-better
+url.diff