diff --git a/crates/ide-db/src/rename.rs b/crates/ide-db/src/rename.rs
index f694f7160dea..a6058b57f1ea 100644
--- a/crates/ide-db/src/rename.rs
+++ b/crates/ide-db/src/rename.rs
@@ -71,14 +71,17 @@ impl Definition {
         &self,
         sema: &Semantics<'_, RootDatabase>,
         new_name: &str,
+        rename_external: bool,
     ) -> Result<SourceChange> {
         // self.krate() returns None if
         // self is a built-in attr, built-in type or tool module.
         // it is not allowed for these defs to be renamed.
         // cases where self.krate() is None is handled below.
         if let Some(krate) = self.krate(sema.db) {
-            if !krate.origin(sema.db).is_local() {
-                bail!("Cannot rename a non-local definition.")
+            // Can we not rename non-local items?
+            // Then bail if non-local
+            if !rename_external && !krate.origin(sema.db).is_local() {
+                bail!("Cannot rename a non-local definition. Set `renameExternalItems` to `true` to allow renaming for this item.")
             }
         }
 
diff --git a/crates/ide-diagnostics/src/handlers/incorrect_case.rs b/crates/ide-diagnostics/src/handlers/incorrect_case.rs
index 0f12e814ba39..25a5cdde26b9 100644
--- a/crates/ide-diagnostics/src/handlers/incorrect_case.rs
+++ b/crates/ide-diagnostics/src/handlers/incorrect_case.rs
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ fn fixes(ctx: &DiagnosticsContext<'_>, d: &hir::IncorrectCase) -> Option<Vec<Ass
     let label = format!("Rename to {}", d.suggested_text);
     let mut res = unresolved_fix("change_case", &label, frange.range);
     if ctx.resolve.should_resolve(&res.id) {
-        let source_change = def.rename(&ctx.sema, &d.suggested_text);
+        let source_change = def.rename(&ctx.sema, &d.suggested_text, true);
         res.source_change = Some(source_change.ok().unwrap_or_default());
     }
 
diff --git a/crates/ide/src/lib.rs b/crates/ide/src/lib.rs
index 60a9367adcee..9ad1630225b8 100644
--- a/crates/ide/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/ide/src/lib.rs
@@ -680,8 +680,9 @@ impl Analysis {
         &self,
         position: FilePosition,
         new_name: &str,
+        rename_external: bool,
     ) -> Cancellable<Result<SourceChange, RenameError>> {
-        self.with_db(|db| rename::rename(db, position, new_name))
+        self.with_db(|db| rename::rename(db, position, new_name, rename_external))
     }
 
     pub fn prepare_rename(
diff --git a/crates/ide/src/rename.rs b/crates/ide/src/rename.rs
index 3bf41defe343..e678d43487e2 100644
--- a/crates/ide/src/rename.rs
+++ b/crates/ide/src/rename.rs
@@ -84,6 +84,7 @@ pub(crate) fn rename(
     db: &RootDatabase,
     position: FilePosition,
     new_name: &str,
+    rename_external: bool,
 ) -> RenameResult<SourceChange> {
     let sema = Semantics::new(db);
     let source_file = sema.parse(position.file_id);
@@ -103,7 +104,7 @@ pub(crate) fn rename(
                     return rename_to_self(&sema, local);
                 }
             }
-            def.rename(&sema, new_name)
+            def.rename(&sema, new_name, rename_external)
         })
         .collect();
 
@@ -122,9 +123,9 @@ pub(crate) fn will_rename_file(
     let module = sema.to_module_def(file_id)?;
     let def = Definition::Module(module);
     let mut change = if is_raw_identifier(new_name_stem) {
-        def.rename(&sema, &SmolStr::from_iter(["r#", new_name_stem])).ok()?
+        def.rename(&sema, &SmolStr::from_iter(["r#", new_name_stem]), true).ok()?
     } else {
-        def.rename(&sema, new_name_stem).ok()?
+        def.rename(&sema, new_name_stem, true).ok()?
     };
     change.file_system_edits.clear();
     Some(change)
@@ -375,8 +376,17 @@ mod tests {
 
     use super::{RangeInfo, RenameError};
 
-    #[track_caller]
     fn check(new_name: &str, ra_fixture_before: &str, ra_fixture_after: &str) {
+        check_with_rename_config(new_name, ra_fixture_before, ra_fixture_after, true);
+    }
+
+    #[track_caller]
+    fn check_with_rename_config(
+        new_name: &str,
+        ra_fixture_before: &str,
+        ra_fixture_after: &str,
+        rename_external: bool,
+    ) {
         let ra_fixture_after = &trim_indent(ra_fixture_after);
         let (analysis, position) = fixture::position(ra_fixture_before);
         if !ra_fixture_after.starts_with("error: ") {
@@ -385,7 +395,7 @@ mod tests {
             }
         }
         let rename_result = analysis
-            .rename(position, new_name)
+            .rename(position, new_name, rename_external)
             .unwrap_or_else(|err| panic!("Rename to '{new_name}' was cancelled: {err}"));
         match rename_result {
             Ok(source_change) => {
@@ -417,8 +427,10 @@ mod tests {
 
     fn check_expect(new_name: &str, ra_fixture: &str, expect: Expect) {
         let (analysis, position) = fixture::position(ra_fixture);
-        let source_change =
-            analysis.rename(position, new_name).unwrap().expect("Expect returned a RenameError");
+        let source_change = analysis
+            .rename(position, new_name, true)
+            .unwrap()
+            .expect("Expect returned a RenameError");
         expect.assert_eq(&filter_expect(source_change))
     }
 
@@ -2617,6 +2629,18 @@ use qux as frob;
 
     #[test]
     fn disallow_renaming_for_non_local_definition() {
+        check_with_rename_config(
+            "Baz",
+            r#"
+//- /lib.rs crate:lib new_source_root:library
+pub struct S;
+//- /main.rs crate:main deps:lib new_source_root:local
+use lib::S$0;
+"#,
+            "error: Cannot rename a non-local definition. Set `renameExternalItems` to `true` to allow renaming for this item.",
+            false,
+        );
+
         check(
             "Baz",
             r#"
@@ -2625,13 +2649,13 @@ pub struct S;
 //- /main.rs crate:main deps:lib new_source_root:local
 use lib::S$0;
 "#,
-            "error: Cannot rename a non-local definition.",
+            "use lib::Baz;",
         );
     }
 
     #[test]
     fn disallow_renaming_for_builtin_macros() {
-        check(
+        check_with_rename_config(
             "Baz",
             r#"
 //- minicore: derive, hash
@@ -2640,8 +2664,9 @@ use core::hash::Hash;
 #[derive(H$0ash)]
 struct A;
             "#,
-            "error: Cannot rename a non-local definition.",
-        )
+            "error: Cannot rename a non-local definition. Set `renameExternalItems` to `true` to allow renaming for this item.",
+            false,
+        );
     }
 
     #[test]
diff --git a/crates/rust-analyzer/src/config.rs b/crates/rust-analyzer/src/config.rs
index 3ec5d8696615..b8c9ae3d11a1 100644
--- a/crates/rust-analyzer/src/config.rs
+++ b/crates/rust-analyzer/src/config.rs
@@ -494,6 +494,9 @@ config_data! {
         /// Exclude imports from find-all-references.
         references_excludeImports: bool = "false",
 
+        /// Allow renaming of items not belonging to any workspace crates.
+        renameExternalItems_enable : bool = "false",
+
         /// Command to be executed instead of 'cargo' for runnables.
         runnables_command: Option<String> = "null",
         /// Additional arguments to be passed to cargo for runnables such as
@@ -1739,6 +1742,10 @@ impl Config {
         self.data.typing_autoClosingAngleBrackets_enable
     }
 
+    pub fn rename(&self) -> bool {
+        self.data.renameExternalItems_enable
+    }
+
     // FIXME: VSCode seems to work wrong sometimes, see https://github.com/microsoft/vscode/issues/193124
     // hence, distinguish it for now.
     pub fn is_visual_studio_code(&self) -> bool {
diff --git a/crates/rust-analyzer/src/handlers/request.rs b/crates/rust-analyzer/src/handlers/request.rs
index 22c7e9b0503c..349e6e50239b 100644
--- a/crates/rust-analyzer/src/handlers/request.rs
+++ b/crates/rust-analyzer/src/handlers/request.rs
@@ -1017,8 +1017,10 @@ pub(crate) fn handle_rename(
     let _p = profile::span("handle_rename");
     let position = from_proto::file_position(&snap, params.text_document_position)?;
 
-    let mut change =
-        snap.analysis.rename(position, &params.new_name)?.map_err(to_proto::rename_error)?;
+    let mut change = snap
+        .analysis
+        .rename(position, &params.new_name, snap.config.rename())?
+        .map_err(to_proto::rename_error)?;
 
     // this is kind of a hack to prevent double edits from happening when moving files
     // When a module gets renamed by renaming the mod declaration this causes the file to move
diff --git a/docs/user/generated_config.adoc b/docs/user/generated_config.adoc
index 1a2791954e62..3eb65166b959 100644
--- a/docs/user/generated_config.adoc
+++ b/docs/user/generated_config.adoc
@@ -777,6 +777,11 @@ Internal config, path to proc-macro server executable.
 --
 Exclude imports from find-all-references.
 --
+[[rust-analyzer.renameExternalItems.enable]]rust-analyzer.renameExternalItems.enable (default: `false`)::
++
+--
+Allow renaming of items not belonging to any workspace crates.
+--
 [[rust-analyzer.runnables.command]]rust-analyzer.runnables.command (default: `null`)::
 +
 --
diff --git a/editors/code/package.json b/editors/code/package.json
index e7ceee165cdc..2ace7569996d 100644
--- a/editors/code/package.json
+++ b/editors/code/package.json
@@ -1503,6 +1503,11 @@
                     "default": false,
                     "type": "boolean"
                 },
+                "rust-analyzer.renameExternalItems.enable": {
+                    "markdownDescription": "Allow renaming of items not belonging to any workspace crates.",
+                    "default": false,
+                    "type": "boolean"
+                },
                 "rust-analyzer.runnables.command": {
                     "markdownDescription": "Command to be executed instead of 'cargo' for runnables.",
                     "default": null,