diff --git a/kernel/rtlil.cc b/kernel/rtlil.cc
index 7cd2dd4bb..cc7b1a7b8 100644
--- a/kernel/rtlil.cc
+++ b/kernel/rtlil.cc
@@ -444,6 +444,13 @@ void RTLIL::Design::remove(RTLIL::Module *module)
 	delete module;
 }
 
+void RTLIL::Design::rename(RTLIL::Module *module, RTLIL::IdString new_name)
+{
+	modules_.erase(module->name);
+	module->name = new_name;
+	add(module);
+}
+
 void RTLIL::Design::sort()
 {
 	scratchpad.sort();
diff --git a/kernel/rtlil.h b/kernel/rtlil.h
index b6248c4c0..854ec1303 100644
--- a/kernel/rtlil.h
+++ b/kernel/rtlil.h
@@ -809,6 +809,7 @@ struct RTLIL::Design
 	void add(RTLIL::Module *module);
 	RTLIL::Module *addModule(RTLIL::IdString name);
 	void remove(RTLIL::Module *module);
+	void rename(RTLIL::Module *module, RTLIL::IdString new_name);
 
 	void scratchpad_unset(std::string varname);
 
diff --git a/passes/cmds/rename.cc b/passes/cmds/rename.cc
index d16713175..81e532590 100644
--- a/passes/cmds/rename.cc
+++ b/passes/cmds/rename.cc
@@ -193,9 +193,7 @@ struct RenamePass : public Pass {
 				log_cmd_error("No top module found!\n");
 
 			log("Renaming module %s to %s.\n", log_id(module), log_id(new_name));
-			design->modules_.erase(module->name);
-			module->name = new_name;
-			design->modules_[module->name] = module;
+			design->rename(module, new_name);
 		}
 		else
 		{