diff --git a/cmd/embedded.go b/cmd/embedded.go
index 363b85c066..528f32402e 100644
--- a/cmd/embedded.go
+++ b/cmd/embedded.go
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ import (
 	"code.gitea.io/gitea/modules/public"
 	"code.gitea.io/gitea/modules/setting"
 	"code.gitea.io/gitea/modules/templates"
+	"code.gitea.io/gitea/modules/util"
 
 	"github.com/gobwas/glob"
 	"github.com/urfave/cli"
@@ -271,7 +272,7 @@ func extractAsset(d string, a asset, overwrite, rename bool) error {
 	} else if !fi.Mode().IsRegular() {
 		return fmt.Errorf("%s already exists, but it's not a regular file", dest)
 	} else if rename {
-		if err := os.Rename(dest, dest+".bak"); err != nil {
+		if err := util.Rename(dest, dest+".bak"); err != nil {
 			return fmt.Errorf("Error creating backup for %s: %v", dest, err)
 		}
 		// Attempt to respect file permissions mask (even if user:group will be set anew)
diff --git a/models/repo.go b/models/repo.go
index 143dff9ac3..d6abc1b5e3 100644
--- a/models/repo.go
+++ b/models/repo.go
@@ -1227,7 +1227,7 @@ func ChangeRepositoryName(doer *User, repo *Repository, newRepoName string) (err
 	}
 
 	newRepoPath := RepoPath(repo.Owner.Name, newRepoName)
-	if err = os.Rename(repo.RepoPath(), newRepoPath); err != nil {
+	if err = util.Rename(repo.RepoPath(), newRepoPath); err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("rename repository directory: %v", err)
 	}
 
@@ -1238,7 +1238,7 @@ func ChangeRepositoryName(doer *User, repo *Repository, newRepoName string) (err
 		return err
 	}
 	if isExist {
-		if err = os.Rename(wikiPath, WikiPath(repo.Owner.Name, newRepoName)); err != nil {
+		if err = util.Rename(wikiPath, WikiPath(repo.Owner.Name, newRepoName)); err != nil {
 			return fmt.Errorf("rename repository wiki: %v", err)
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/models/repo_transfer.go b/models/repo_transfer.go
index c5d1a3a3c2..d7ef0a8ca6 100644
--- a/models/repo_transfer.go
+++ b/models/repo_transfer.go
@@ -210,13 +210,13 @@ func TransferOwnership(doer *User, newOwnerName string, repo *Repository) (err e
 		}
 
 		if repoRenamed {
-			if err := os.Rename(RepoPath(newOwnerName, repo.Name), RepoPath(oldOwnerName, repo.Name)); err != nil {
+			if err := util.Rename(RepoPath(newOwnerName, repo.Name), RepoPath(oldOwnerName, repo.Name)); err != nil {
 				log.Critical("Unable to move repository %s/%s directory from %s back to correct place %s: %v", oldOwnerName, repo.Name, RepoPath(newOwnerName, repo.Name), RepoPath(oldOwnerName, repo.Name), err)
 			}
 		}
 
 		if wikiRenamed {
-			if err := os.Rename(WikiPath(newOwnerName, repo.Name), WikiPath(oldOwnerName, repo.Name)); err != nil {
+			if err := util.Rename(WikiPath(newOwnerName, repo.Name), WikiPath(oldOwnerName, repo.Name)); err != nil {
 				log.Critical("Unable to move wiki for repository %s/%s directory from %s back to correct place %s: %v", oldOwnerName, repo.Name, WikiPath(newOwnerName, repo.Name), WikiPath(oldOwnerName, repo.Name), err)
 			}
 		}
@@ -358,7 +358,7 @@ func TransferOwnership(doer *User, newOwnerName string, repo *Repository) (err e
 		return fmt.Errorf("Failed to create dir %s: %v", dir, err)
 	}
 
-	if err := os.Rename(RepoPath(oldOwner.Name, repo.Name), RepoPath(newOwner.Name, repo.Name)); err != nil {
+	if err := util.Rename(RepoPath(oldOwner.Name, repo.Name), RepoPath(newOwner.Name, repo.Name)); err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("rename repository directory: %v", err)
 	}
 	repoRenamed = true
@@ -370,7 +370,7 @@ func TransferOwnership(doer *User, newOwnerName string, repo *Repository) (err e
 		log.Error("Unable to check if %s exists. Error: %v", wikiPath, err)
 		return err
 	} else if isExist {
-		if err := os.Rename(wikiPath, WikiPath(newOwner.Name, repo.Name)); err != nil {
+		if err := util.Rename(wikiPath, WikiPath(newOwner.Name, repo.Name)); err != nil {
 			return fmt.Errorf("rename repository wiki: %v", err)
 		}
 		wikiRenamed = true
diff --git a/models/ssh_key.go b/models/ssh_key.go
index e35fc12e08..12c7bc9116 100644
--- a/models/ssh_key.go
+++ b/models/ssh_key.go
@@ -842,7 +842,7 @@ func rewriteAllPublicKeys(e Engine) error {
 	}
 
 	t.Close()
-	return os.Rename(tmpPath, fPath)
+	return util.Rename(tmpPath, fPath)
 }
 
 // RegeneratePublicKeys regenerates the authorized_keys file
@@ -1324,7 +1324,7 @@ func rewriteAllPrincipalKeys(e Engine) error {
 	}
 
 	t.Close()
-	return os.Rename(tmpPath, fPath)
+	return util.Rename(tmpPath, fPath)
 }
 
 // ListPrincipalKeys returns a list of principals belongs to given user.
diff --git a/models/user.go b/models/user.go
index 3b8ce79251..f606da53d6 100644
--- a/models/user.go
+++ b/models/user.go
@@ -1027,7 +1027,7 @@ func ChangeUserName(u *User, newUserName string) (err error) {
 	}
 
 	// Do not fail if directory does not exist
-	if err = os.Rename(UserPath(oldUserName), UserPath(newUserName)); err != nil && !os.IsNotExist(err) {
+	if err = util.Rename(UserPath(oldUserName), UserPath(newUserName)); err != nil && !os.IsNotExist(err) {
 		return fmt.Errorf("Rename user directory: %v", err)
 	}
 
@@ -1036,7 +1036,7 @@ func ChangeUserName(u *User, newUserName string) (err error) {
 	}
 
 	if err = sess.Commit(); err != nil {
-		if err2 := os.Rename(UserPath(newUserName), UserPath(oldUserName)); err2 != nil && !os.IsNotExist(err2) {
+		if err2 := util.Rename(UserPath(newUserName), UserPath(oldUserName)); err2 != nil && !os.IsNotExist(err2) {
 			log.Critical("Unable to rollback directory change during failed username change from: %s to: %s. DB Error: %v. Filesystem Error: %v", oldUserName, newUserName, err, err2)
 			return fmt.Errorf("failed to rollback directory change during failed username change from: %s to: %s. DB Error: %w. Filesystem Error: %v", oldUserName, newUserName, err, err2)
 		}
diff --git a/modules/log/file.go b/modules/log/file.go
index d5b38d4e01..79cbe740fd 100644
--- a/modules/log/file.go
+++ b/modules/log/file.go
@@ -177,7 +177,7 @@ func (log *FileLogger) DoRotate() error {
 
 		// close fd before rename
 		// Rename the file to its newfound home
-		if err = os.Rename(log.Filename, fname); err != nil {
+		if err = util.Rename(log.Filename, fname); err != nil {
 			return fmt.Errorf("Rotate: %v", err)
 		}
 
diff --git a/modules/storage/local.go b/modules/storage/local.go
index 46e5d60e6b..1329f722c2 100644
--- a/modules/storage/local.go
+++ b/modules/storage/local.go
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ func (l *LocalStorage) Save(path string, r io.Reader, size int64) (int64, error)
 		return 0, err
 	}
 
-	if err := os.Rename(tmp.Name(), p); err != nil {
+	if err := util.Rename(tmp.Name(), p); err != nil {
 		return 0, err
 	}
 
diff --git a/modules/util/remove.go b/modules/util/remove.go
index f2bbbc30b9..2310436525 100644
--- a/modules/util/remove.go
+++ b/modules/util/remove.go
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ func Remove(name string) error {
 	return err
 }
 
-// RemoveAll removes the named file or (empty) directory with at most 5 attempts.Remove
+// RemoveAll removes the named file or (empty) directory with at most 5 attempts.
 func RemoveAll(name string) error {
 	var err error
 	for i := 0; i < 5; i++ {
@@ -55,3 +55,30 @@ func RemoveAll(name string) error {
 	}
 	return err
 }
+
+// Rename renames (moves) oldpath to newpath with at most 5 attempts.
+func Rename(oldpath, newpath string) error {
+	var err error
+	for i := 0; i < 5; i++ {
+		err = os.Rename(oldpath, newpath)
+		if err == nil {
+			break
+		}
+		unwrapped := err.(*os.PathError).Err
+		if unwrapped == syscall.EBUSY || unwrapped == syscall.ENOTEMPTY || unwrapped == syscall.EPERM || unwrapped == syscall.EMFILE || unwrapped == syscall.ENFILE {
+			// try again
+			<-time.After(100 * time.Millisecond)
+			continue
+		}
+
+		if i == 0 && os.IsNotExist(err) {
+			return err
+		}
+
+		if unwrapped == syscall.ENOENT {
+			// it's already gone
+			return nil
+		}
+	}
+	return err
+}