diff --git a/fileitemaction/denote_fileitemaction.cpp b/fileitemaction/denote_fileitemaction.cpp
index 202c3f2..71ce5e1 100644
--- a/fileitemaction/denote_fileitemaction.cpp
+++ b/fileitemaction/denote_fileitemaction.cpp
@@ -48,11 +48,7 @@ QList<QAction *> DenoteFileItemAction::actions(const KFileItemListProperties &fi
         return {action};
     }
 
-    // Non-denote file: show "Rename with Denote..."
-    Denote::Metadata meta = Denote::parseFilename(item.localPath());
-    if (meta.isValid())
-        return {};
-
+    // Show "Rename with Denote..." for any file
     auto *action = new QAction(i18n("Rename with Denote..."), parentWidget);
     action->setIcon(QIcon::fromTheme(QStringLiteral("edit-rename")));
 
@@ -73,23 +69,39 @@ void DenoteFileItemAction::renameWithDenote(const KFileItemList &items, QWidget
     const QString path = item.localPath();
     const QFileInfo fi(path);
 
-    // Pre-fill title from filename (without extension)
-    QString defaultTitle = fi.completeBaseName();
-    defaultTitle.replace(QLatin1Char('-'), QLatin1Char(' '));
-    defaultTitle.replace(QLatin1Char('_'), QLatin1Char(' '));
+    // Preserve original extension (e.g. .txt, .tar.gz, or empty for no extension)
+    const QString suffix = fi.completeSuffix();
+    const QString ext = suffix.isEmpty() ? QString() : QStringLiteral(".") + suffix;
+    const Denote::FileType fileType = Denote::fileTypeFromExtension(ext);
 
-    // Try to extract title from frontmatter if applicable
-    const QString ext = QStringLiteral(".") + fi.completeSuffix();
-    Denote::FileType fileType = Denote::fileTypeFromExtension(ext);
-    if (fileType != Denote::FileType::Unknown) {
-        QFile file(path);
-        if (file.open(QIODevice::ReadOnly)) {
-            QByteArray content = file.readAll();
-            file.close();
-            Denote::FrontMatter fm = Denote::parseFrontMatter(content, fileType);
-            if (!fm.title.isEmpty())
-                defaultTitle = fm.title;
+    // Parse existing denote filename metadata
+    Denote::Metadata meta = Denote::parseFilename(path);
+    QString defaultTitle;
+    QStringList defaultTags;
+
+    if (meta.isValid()) {
+        // File already follows denote naming
+        defaultTitle = meta.title;
+        defaultTags = meta.tags;
+
+        // For frontmatter-capable files, prefer frontmatter values
+        if (fileType != Denote::FileType::Unknown) {
+            QFile file(path);
+            if (file.open(QIODevice::ReadOnly)) {
+                QByteArray content = file.readAll();
+                file.close();
+                Denote::FrontMatter fm = Denote::parseFrontMatter(content, fileType);
+                if (!fm.title.isEmpty())
+                    defaultTitle = fm.title;
+                if (!fm.tags.isEmpty())
+                    defaultTags = fm.tags;
+            }
         }
+    } else {
+        // Not a denote file — pre-fill title from filename
+        defaultTitle = fi.completeBaseName();
+        defaultTitle.replace(QLatin1Char('-'), QLatin1Char(' '));
+        defaultTitle.replace(QLatin1Char('_'), QLatin1Char(' '));
     }
 
     // Build dialog
@@ -106,7 +118,7 @@ void DenoteFileItemAction::renameWithDenote(const KFileItemList &items, QWidget
     auto *titleEdit = new QLineEdit(defaultTitle);
     form->addRow(i18n("Title:"), titleEdit);
 
-    auto *tagsEdit = new QLineEdit();
+    auto *tagsEdit = new QLineEdit(defaultTags.join(QStringLiteral(", ")));
     tagsEdit->setPlaceholderText(i18n("tag1, tag2, tag3"));
     form->addRow(i18n("Tags:"), tagsEdit);
 
@@ -139,7 +151,16 @@ void DenoteFileItemAction::renameWithDenote(const KFileItemList &items, QWidget
     const QString signature = sigEdit->text().trimmed();
 
     // Build new filename
-    const QString newName = Denote::buildFilename(title, tags, signature, ext);
+    QString newName;
+    if (meta.isValid()) {
+        // Preserve existing identifier — reuse it with updated title/tags/signature
+        // Use Denote::buildFilename to get the slug and tag formatting, then swap the identifier
+        const QString baseName = Denote::buildFilename(title, tags, signature, ext);
+        // Replace the generated identifier with the existing one
+        newName = meta.identifier + baseName.mid(baseName.indexOf(QLatin1Char('-')));
+    } else {
+        newName = Denote::buildFilename(title, tags, signature, ext);
+    }
     const QString newPath = fi.dir().filePath(newName);
 
     // Rename (use ::rename for atomic, no-copy behavior)