diff --git a/include/admin/images.inc.php b/include/admin/images.inc.php
index a248f886..ef093f18 100644
--- a/include/admin/images.inc.php
+++ b/include/admin/images.inc.php
@@ -181,8 +181,10 @@ switch ($serendipity['GET']['adminAction']) {
         if (!serendipity_checkFormToken() || !serendipity_checkPermission('adminImagesDelete')) {
             return;
         }
-        if (!serendipity_renameFile($serendipity['GET']['fid'], $serendipity['GET']['newname'])) {
-          $data['messages'] = sprintf('<span class="msg_error"><span class="icon-attention-circled" aria-hidden="true"></span> ' . ERROR_FILE_EXISTS . "</span>\n", $serendipity['GET']['newname']);
+        $result = serendipity_renameFile($serendipity['GET']['fid'], $serendipity['GET']['newname']);
+        if (!empty($result) && $result !== TRUE) {
+          # serendipity_renameFile returned an error
+          $data['messages'] = $result;
         }
         break;
 
diff --git a/include/functions_images.inc.php b/include/functions_images.inc.php
index 32d555ba..0f459a22 100644
--- a/include/functions_images.inc.php
+++ b/include/functions_images.inc.php
@@ -2262,15 +2262,22 @@ function serendipity_renameFile($id, $newName, $path = null) {
     $newPath = "{$imgBase}{$path}{$newName}.{$file['extension']}";
 
     if (file_exists($newPath)) {
-        return false;
+        return sprintf('<span class="msg_error"><span class="icon-attention-circled" aria-hidden="true"></span> ' . ERROR_FILE_EXISTS . "</span>\n", $newName);
     }
     
-    rename("{$imgBase}{$file['path']}{$file['realname']}", $newPath);
+    if (rename("{$imgBase}{$file['path']}{$file['realname']}", $newPath)) {
+        # if renaming was successfull, rename thumbnails and update
+        # databases and entries
     
-    serendipity_renameThumbnails($id, "{$path}$newName");
+        serendipity_renameThumbnails($id, "{$path}$newName");
     
-    serendipity_updateImageInDatabase(array('name' => $newName, 'realname' => basename($newPath)), $id);
-    serendipity_updateImageInEntries($id, $file);
+        serendipity_updateImageInDatabase(array('name' => $newName, 'realname' => basename($newPath)), $id);
+        serendipity_updateImageInEntries($id, $file);
+    } else {
+        return '<span class="msg_error"><span class="icon-attention-circled" aria-hidden="true"></span> ' . MEDIA_RENAME_FAILED . "</span>\n";
+    }
+
+    return TRUE;
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/lang/UTF-8/serendipity_lang_de.inc.php b/lang/UTF-8/serendipity_lang_de.inc.php
index 8828ebd3..bc566c64 100644
--- a/lang/UTF-8/serendipity_lang_de.inc.php
+++ b/lang/UTF-8/serendipity_lang_de.inc.php
@@ -1132,3 +1132,4 @@
 @define('SOURCE', 'Quelle');
 @define('PLUGIN_SOURCE_BUNDLED', 'mitgeliefertes Plugin');
 @define('PLUGIN_SOURCE_LOCAL', 'lokal installiert');
+@define('MEDIA_RENAME_FAILED', 'Umbenennen fehlgeschlagen!');
diff --git a/lang/UTF-8/serendipity_lang_en.inc.php b/lang/UTF-8/serendipity_lang_en.inc.php
index d9f85b23..51ee3bb0 100644
--- a/lang/UTF-8/serendipity_lang_en.inc.php
+++ b/lang/UTF-8/serendipity_lang_en.inc.php
@@ -1134,3 +1134,4 @@
 @define('SOURCE', 'Source');
 @define('PLUGIN_SOURCE_BUNDLED', 'bundled core plugin');
 @define('PLUGIN_SOURCE_LOCAL', 'locally installed');
+@define('MEDIA_RENAME_FAILED', 'Renaming failed!');
diff --git a/lang/serendipity_lang_de.inc.php b/lang/serendipity_lang_de.inc.php
index decac11c..56a79742 100644
--- a/lang/serendipity_lang_de.inc.php
+++ b/lang/serendipity_lang_de.inc.php
@@ -1132,3 +1132,4 @@
 @define('SOURCE', 'Quelle');
 @define('PLUGIN_SOURCE_BUNDLED', 'mitgeliefertes Plugin');
 @define('PLUGIN_SOURCE_LOCAL', 'lokal installiert');
+@define('MEDIA_RENAME_FAILED', 'Umbenennen fehlgeschlagen!');
diff --git a/lang/serendipity_lang_en.inc.php b/lang/serendipity_lang_en.inc.php
index 16817e79..836e4b2e 100644
--- a/lang/serendipity_lang_en.inc.php
+++ b/lang/serendipity_lang_en.inc.php
@@ -1134,3 +1134,4 @@
 @define('SOURCE', 'Source');
 @define('PLUGIN_SOURCE_BUNDLED', 'bundled core plugin');
 @define('PLUGIN_SOURCE_LOCAL', 'locally installed');
+@define('MEDIA_RENAME_FAILED', 'Renaming failed!');