diff --git a/src/db/db/dbLibrary.cc b/src/db/db/dbLibrary.cc
index d590fef3a..87befc7cf 100644
--- a/src/db/db/dbLibrary.cc
+++ b/src/db/db/dbLibrary.cc
@@ -149,12 +149,7 @@ void
 Library::rename (const std::string &name)
 {
   if (name != get_name () && db::LibraryManager::initialized ()) {
-
-    //  if the name changed, reregister the library under the new name
-    db::LibraryManager::instance ().unregister_lib (this);
-    set_name (name);
-    db::LibraryManager::instance ().register_lib (this);
-
+    db::LibraryManager::instance ().rename (get_id (), name);
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/db/db/dbLibraryManager.cc b/src/db/db/dbLibraryManager.cc
index 5ba169d65..24aa8b3f6 100644
--- a/src/db/db/dbLibraryManager.cc
+++ b/src/db/db/dbLibraryManager.cc
@@ -67,6 +67,39 @@ LibraryManager::~LibraryManager ()
   clear ();
 }
 
+void
+LibraryManager::rename (lib_id_type lib_id, const std::string &name)
+{
+  db::Library *lib = 0;
+
+  {
+    tl::MutexLocker locker (&m_lock);
+
+    lib = lib_internal (lib_id);
+    if (! lib) {
+      return;
+    }
+
+    std::string org_name = lib->get_name ();
+
+    for (auto it = m_lib_by_name.find (org_name);it != m_lib_by_name.end () && it->first == org_name; ++it) {
+      if (it->second == lib_id) {
+        m_lib_by_name.erase (it);
+        break;
+      }
+    }
+
+    m_lib_by_name.insert (std::make_pair (name, lib_id));
+    lib->set_name (name);
+  }
+
+  //  triggers a layout update
+  lib->remap_to (lib);
+
+  //  issue the change notification
+  changed_event ();
+}
+
 std::pair<bool, lib_id_type> 
 LibraryManager::lib_by_name (const std::string &name, const std::set<std::string> &for_technologies) const
 {
diff --git a/src/db/db/dbLibraryManager.h b/src/db/db/dbLibraryManager.h
index 849daede4..9dd8f6489 100644
--- a/src/db/db/dbLibraryManager.h
+++ b/src/db/db/dbLibraryManager.h
@@ -91,6 +91,11 @@ public:
     return m_lib_by_name.end ();
   }
 
+  /**
+   *  @brief Renames a library
+   */
+  void rename (lib_id_type lib_id, const std::string &name);
+
   /**
    *  @brief Get the library by name which is valid for all given technologies
    *
diff --git a/src/db/db/gsiDeclDbLibrary.cc b/src/db/db/gsiDeclDbLibrary.cc
index 40351109a..d06caba5f 100644
--- a/src/db/db/gsiDeclDbLibrary.cc
+++ b/src/db/db/gsiDeclDbLibrary.cc
@@ -216,8 +216,8 @@ LibraryClass<db::Library> decl_Library ("db", "LibraryBase",
   gsi::method ("rename", &db::Library::rename, gsi::arg ("name"),
     "@brief Renames the library\n"
     "\n"
-    "Re-registers the library under a new name. Note that this will not change library references - "
-    "i.e. references to the old name will become invalid after calling this method.\n"
+    "Re-registers the library under a new name. Note that this method will also change the references "
+    "to the library.\n"
     "\n"
     "This method has been introduced in version 0.30.5."
   ) +
diff --git a/testdata/ruby/dbLibrary.rb b/testdata/ruby/dbLibrary.rb
index cbe6ac78f..28286d2c7 100644
--- a/testdata/ruby/dbLibrary.rb
+++ b/testdata/ruby/dbLibrary.rb
@@ -127,6 +127,7 @@ class DBLibrary_TestClass < TestBase
     assert_equal(lib.destroyed?, true)
 
     lib = RBA::Library::new
+    lib.layout.create_cell("A")
     lib.description = "LIB1"
     lib.register("RBA-unit-test")
     assert_equal(RBA::Library::library_by_name("RBA-unit-test").description, "LIB1")
@@ -138,14 +139,22 @@ class DBLibrary_TestClass < TestBase
     lib.register("RBA-unit-test")
     assert_equal(RBA::Library::library_by_name("RBA-unit-test").description, "LIB1")
 
+    ly = RBA::Layout::new
+    ci = ly.create_cell("A", "RBA-unit-test").cell_index
+    assert_equal(ly.cell(ci).qname, "RBA-unit-test.A")
+
     lib.rename("RBA-unit-test2")
     assert_equal(RBA::Library::library_by_name("RBA-unit-test"), nil)
     assert_equal(RBA::Library::library_by_name("RBA-unit-test2").description, "LIB1")
 
+    assert_equal(ly.cell(ci).qname, "RBA-unit-test2.A")
+
     lib.delete
     assert_equal(RBA::Library::library_by_name("RBA-unit-test"), nil)
     assert_equal(RBA::Library::library_by_name("RBA-unit-test2"), nil)
 
+    assert_equal(ly.cell(ci).qname, "<defunct>RBA-unit-test2.A")
+
   end
 
   def test_5_reload