@@ -309,6 +309,47 @@ def create(cls, repo, path, reference='HEAD', force=False ):
 			This does not alter the current HEAD, index or Working Tree
 		"""
 		return cls._create(repo, path, False, reference, force)
+	
+	def rename(self, new_path, force=False):
+		"""
+		Rename self to a new path
+		
+		``new_path``
+			Either a simple name or a full path, i.e. new_name or features/new_name.
+			The prefix refs/ is implied for references and will be set as needed.
+			In case this is a symbolic ref, there is no implied prefix
+			
+		``force``
+			If True, the rename will succeed even if a head with the target name
+			already exists. It will be overwritten in that case
+			
+		Returns
+			self
+			
+		Raises OSError:
+			In case a file at path with that name already exists
+		"""
+		new_path = self._to_full_path(self.repo, new_path)
+		if self.path == new_path:
+			return self
+		
+		new_abs_path = os.path.join(self.repo.git_dir, new_path)
+		if os.path.isfile(new_abs_path):
+			if not force:
+				raise OSError("File at path %r already exists" % new_abs_path)
+			os.remove(new_abs_path)
+		# END handle existing target file
+		
+		dirname = os.path.dirname(new_abs_path)
+		if not os.path.isdir(dirname):
+			os.makedirs(dirname)
+		# END create directory
+		
+		cur_abs_path = os.path.join(self.repo.git_dir, self.path)
+		os.rename(cur_abs_path, new_abs_path)
+		self.path = new_path
+		
+		return self
 
 
 class Reference(SymbolicReference, LazyMixin, Iterable):
@@ -330,7 +371,7 @@ def __init__(self, repo, path):
 			refs/heads/master
 			
 		"""
-		if not path.startswith(self._common_path_default):
+		if not path.startswith(self._common_path_default+'/'):
 			raise ValueError("Cannot instantiate %s from path %s" % ( self.__class__.__name__, path ))
 		super(Reference, self).__init__(repo, path)
 
@@ -472,6 +513,7 @@ def create(cls, repo, path, commit='HEAD', force=False ):
 		"""
 		return cls._create(repo, path, True, commit, force)
 
+		
 
 class HEAD(SymbolicReference):
 	"""
@@ -623,6 +665,9 @@ def rename(self, new_path, force=False):
 			
 		Returns
 			self
+			
+		Note
+			respects the ref log as git commands are used
 		"""
 		flag = "-m"
 		if force:
 
@@ -362,18 +362,4 @@ def iter_items(cls, repo, *args, **kwargs):
 		"""
 		raise NotImplementedError("To be implemented by Subclass")
 
-def needs_working_tree(func):
-	"""
-	Decorator assuring the wrapped method may only run if the repository has a
-	working tree, hence it is not bare.
-	"""
-	def check_default_index(self, *args, **kwargs):
-		if self.repo.working_tree_dir is None:
-			raise AssertionError( "Cannot call %r bare git repositories" % func.__name__ )
-		return func(self, *args, **kwargs)
-	# END wrpaper method
-	
-	check_default_index.__name__ = func.__name__
-	return check_default_index
-
 
@@ -255,6 +255,21 @@ def test_head_reset(self, rw_repo):
 		assert ref.path == full_ref
 		assert ref.object == rw_repo.head.commit.parents[0]
 
+		# rename it
+		orig_obj = ref.object
+		for name in ('refs/absname', 'rela_name', 'feature/rela_name'):
+			ref_new_name = ref.rename(name)
+			assert isinstance(ref_new_name, Reference)
+			assert name in ref_new_name.path
+			assert ref_new_name.object == orig_obj
+			assert ref_new_name == ref
+		# END for each name type
+		# exists, fail unless we force
+		ex_ref_path = far_away_head.path
+		self.failUnlessRaises(OSError, ref.rename, ex_ref_path)
+		assert ref.rename(ex_ref_path, force=True).path == ex_ref_path and ref.object == orig_obj
+		assert ref.rename(ref.path).path == ex_ref_path	# rename to same name
+		
 		# create symbolic refs
 		symref_path = "symrefs/sym"
 		symref = SymbolicReference.create(rw_repo, symref_path, cur_head.reference)
@@ -279,6 +294,15 @@ def test_head_reset(self, rw_repo):
 		assert os.path.isfile(symbol_ref_abspath)
 		assert symref.commit == new_head.commit
 
+		for name in ('absname','folder/rela_name'):
+			symref_new_name = symref.rename(name)
+			assert isinstance(symref_new_name, SymbolicReference)
+			assert name in symref_new_name.path
+			assert symref_new_name.reference == new_head
+			assert symref_new_name == symref
+			assert not symref.is_detached
+		# END for each ref
+		
 		# test ref listing - assure we have packed refs
 		rw_repo.git.pack_refs(all=True, prune=True)
 		heads = rw_repo.heads