diff --git a/jedi/__init__.py b/jedi/__init__.py
index 8f6a3265..eb2e814c 100644
--- a/jedi/__init__.py
+++ b/jedi/__init__.py
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ from jedi.api.environment import find_virtualenvs, find_system_environments, \
     get_default_environment, InvalidPythonEnvironment, create_environment, \
     get_system_environment
 from jedi.api.project import Project, get_default_project
-from jedi.api.exceptions import InternalError
+from jedi.api.exceptions import InternalError, RefactoringError
 # Finally load the internal plugins. This is only internal.
 from jedi.plugins import registry
 del registry
diff --git a/jedi/api/__init__.py b/jedi/api/__init__.py
index 095b19d2..27374331 100644
--- a/jedi/api/__init__.py
+++ b/jedi/api/__init__.py
@@ -524,11 +524,17 @@ class Script(object):
         ]
         return sorted(filter(def_ref_filter, defs), key=lambda x: (x.line, x.column))
 
-    def rename(self, line, column, new_name):
+    def rename(self, line=None, column=None, **kwargs):
         """
         Returns an object that you can use to rename the variable under the
         cursor and its references to a different name.
+
+        :param new_name: The variable under the cursor will be renamed to this
+            string.
         """
+        return self._rename(line, column, **kwargs)
+
+    def _rename(self, line, column, new_name):  # Python 2...
         definitions = self.get_references(line, column, include_builtins=False)
         return rename(self._grammar, definitions, new_name)
 
diff --git a/jedi/api/refactoring.py b/jedi/api/refactoring.py
index 25760b48..13257135 100644
--- a/jedi/api/refactoring.py
+++ b/jedi/api/refactoring.py
@@ -1,9 +1,12 @@
 from os.path import dirname, basename, join
+import os
 import re
 import difflib
 
 from parso import split_lines
 
+from jedi.api.exceptions import RefactoringError
+
 
 class ChangedFile(object):
     def __init__(self, grammar, from_path, to_path, module_node, node_to_str_map):
@@ -15,7 +18,7 @@ class ChangedFile(object):
 
     def get_diff(self):
         old_lines = split_lines(self._module_node.get_code(), keepends=True)
-        new_lines = split_lines(self.get_code(), keepends=True)
+        new_lines = split_lines(self.get_new_code(), keepends=True)
         diff = difflib.unified_diff(
             old_lines, new_lines,
             fromfile=self._from_path,
@@ -25,12 +28,17 @@ class ChangedFile(object):
         # reason.
         return ''.join(diff).rstrip(' ')
 
-    def get_code(self):
+    def get_new_code(self):
         return self._grammar.refactor(self._module_node, self._node_to_str_map)
 
     def apply(self):
+        if self._from_path is None:
+            raise RefactoringError(
+                'Cannot apply a refactoring on a Script with path=None'
+            )
+
         with open(self._from_path, 'w') as f:
-            f.write(self.get_code())
+            f.write(self.get_new_code())
 
     def __repr__(self):
         return '<%s: %s>' % (self.__class__.__name__, self._from_path)
@@ -43,7 +51,13 @@ class Refactoring(object):
         self._file_to_node_changes = file_to_node_changes
 
     def get_changed_files(self):
+        """
+        Returns a path to ``ChangedFile`` map. The files can be used
+        ``Dict[str
+        """
         def calculate_to_path(p):
+            if p is None:
+                return p
             for from_, to in renames:
                 if p.startswith(from_):
                     p = to + p[len(from_):]
@@ -76,11 +90,14 @@ class Refactoring(object):
         return text + ''.join(f.get_diff() for f in self.get_changed_files().values())
 
     def apply(self):
-        for f in self.get_changed_files():
+        """
+        Applies the whole refactoring to the files, which includes renames.
+        """
+        for f in self.get_changed_files().values():
             f.apply()
 
         for old, new in self.get_renames():
-            rename(old, new)
+            os.rename(old, new)
 
 
 def _calculate_rename(path, new_name):
diff --git a/test/test_api/test_refactoring.py b/test/test_api/test_refactoring.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..11c4bf1e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/test_api/test_refactoring.py
@@ -0,0 +1,57 @@
+import os
+from textwrap import dedent
+
+import pytest
+
+import jedi
+
+
+@pytest.fixture()
+def dir_with_content(tmpdir):
+    with open(os.path.join(tmpdir.strpath, 'modx.py'), 'w') as f:
+        f.write('import modx\nfoo\n')  # self reference
+    return tmpdir.strpath
+
+
+def test_rename_mod(Script, dir_with_content):
+    script = Script(
+        'import modx; modx\n',
+        path=os.path.join(dir_with_content, 'some_script.py'),
+        project=jedi.Project(dir_with_content),
+    )
+    refactoring = script.rename(line=1, new_name='modr')
+    refactoring.apply()
+
+    p1 = os.path.join(dir_with_content, 'modx.py')
+    p2 = os.path.join(dir_with_content, 'modr.py')
+    expected_code = 'import modr\nfoo\n'
+    assert not os.path.exists(p1)
+    with open(p2) as f:
+        assert f.read() == expected_code
+
+    assert refactoring.get_renames() == [(p1, p2)]
+
+    assert refactoring.get_changed_files()[p1].get_new_code() == expected_code
+
+    assert refactoring.get_diff() == dedent('''\
+        rename from {dir}/modx.py
+        rename to {dir}/modr.py
+        --- {dir}/modx.py
+        +++ {dir}/modr.py
+        @@ -1,3 +1,3 @@
+        -import modx
+        +import modr
+         foo
+        --- {dir}/some_script.py
+        +++ {dir}/some_script.py
+        @@ -1,2 +1,2 @@
+        -import modx; modx
+        +import modr; modr
+        ''').format(dir=dir_with_content)
+
+
+def test_rename_none_path(Script):
+    refactoring = Script('foo', path=None).rename(new_name='bar')
+    with pytest.raises(jedi.RefactoringError, match='on a Script with path=None'):
+        refactoring.apply()
+    assert refactoring