diff --git a/crates/iwes/CHANGELOG.md b/crates/iwes/CHANGELOG.md
index e256524..70a69c9 100644
--- a/crates/iwes/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/crates/iwes/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -7,6 +7,10 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0
 
 ## [Unreleased]
 
+### Fixed
+
+- `textDocument/rename` no longer panics when invoked on a link whose target key is missing from the graph (broken link); the request now returns no edit.
+
 ## [0.1.2](https://github.com/iwe-org/iwe/compare/iwes-v0.1.1...iwes-v0.1.2) - 2026-05-04
 
 ### Changed
diff --git a/crates/iwes/src/router/server.rs b/crates/iwes/src/router/server.rs
index 351e21d..ec17185 100644
--- a/crates/iwes/src/router/server.rs
+++ b/crates/iwes/src/router/server.rs
@@ -410,9 +410,9 @@ impl Server {
                         .to_key(&self.base_path),
                 )
                 .and_then(|parser| parser.url_at(params.text_document_position.position.to_model()))
-                .map(|url| {
-                    let key = Key::from_rel_link_url(&url, relative_to);
-
+                .map(|url| Key::from_rel_link_url(&url, relative_to))
+                .filter(|key| query::key_exists(&self.graph, key))
+                .map(|key| {
                     let affected_keys = query::all_backlinks(&self.graph, &key)
                         .into_iter()
                         .filter(|k| k != &key)
diff --git a/crates/iwes/tests/rename_test.rs b/crates/iwes/tests/rename_test.rs
index 9f1883e..1df52e6 100644
--- a/crates/iwes/tests/rename_test.rs
+++ b/crates/iwes/tests/rename_test.rs
@@ -111,6 +111,17 @@ fn rename_with_empty_link_text() {
     );
 }
 
+#[test]
+fn rename_link_to_nonexistent_file_returns_no_edit() {
+    let fixture = Fixture::with_documents(vec![("test", "[Another section](missing)\n")]);
+
+    let actual = fixture.send_request::<lsp_types::request::Rename>(
+        uri_from("test").to_rename_params(0, 18, "renamed".to_string()),
+    );
+
+    assert_eq!(actual, serde_json::Value::Null);
+}
+
 fn assert_prepare_rename(source: &str, _: &str) {
     Fixture::with(source).prepare_rename(
         uri(1).to_text_document_position_params(0, 0),