diff --git a/ellie.el b/ellie.el
index 3d4d21c..54a9dce 100644
--- a/ellie.el
+++ b/ellie.el
@@ -262,13 +262,11 @@ Returns the new session ID."
   (unless ellie--session-id (user-error "No active session"))
   (when (string-empty-p (string-trim new-name))
     (user-error "Empty name"))
-  (let ((old-dir (expand-file-name ellie--session-id (ellie--sessions-dir)))
-        (new-dir (expand-file-name new-name (ellie--sessions-dir))))
-    (rename-file old-dir new-dir)
-    (setq ellie--session-id new-name)
-    (ellie--persist-session new-name)
-    (force-mode-line-update)
-    (message "Renamed session to %s" new-name)))
+  (ellie--fwrite (ellie--session-file "ctl") (concat "rn " new-name "\n"))
+  (setq ellie--session-id new-name)
+  (ellie--persist-session new-name)
+  (force-mode-line-update)
+  (message "Renamed session to %s" new-name))
 
 ;;;; ──────────────── State ────────────────