diff --git a/pyiceberg/catalog/rest/__init__.py b/pyiceberg/catalog/rest/__init__.py
index f7d8eec960..913dc85bea 100644
--- a/pyiceberg/catalog/rest/__init__.py
+++ b/pyiceberg/catalog/rest/__init__.py
@@ -654,6 +654,16 @@ def rename_table(self, from_identifier: Union[str, Identifier], to_identifier: U
             "source": self._split_identifier_for_json(from_identifier),
             "destination": self._split_identifier_for_json(to_identifier),
         }
+
+        # Ensure that namespaces exist on source and destination.
+        source_namespace = self._split_identifier_for_json(from_identifier)["namespace"]
+        if not self.namespace_exists(source_namespace):
+            raise NoSuchNamespaceError(f"Source namespace does not exist: {source_namespace}")
+
+        destination_namespace = self._split_identifier_for_json(to_identifier)["namespace"]
+        if not self.namespace_exists(destination_namespace):
+            raise NoSuchNamespaceError(f"Destination namespace does not exist: {destination_namespace}")
+
         response = self._session.post(self.url(Endpoints.rename_table), json=payload)
         try:
             response.raise_for_status()
diff --git a/tests/catalog/test_rest.py b/tests/catalog/test_rest.py
index 223c6d2f9e..5aee65d8b5 100644
--- a/tests/catalog/test_rest.py
+++ b/tests/catalog/test_rest.py
@@ -1353,6 +1353,11 @@ def test_rename_table_200(rest_mock: Mocker, example_table_metadata_with_snapsho
         status_code=200,
         request_headers=TEST_HEADERS,
     )
+    rest_mock.head(
+        f"{TEST_URI}v1/namespaces/pdames",
+        status_code=200,
+        request_headers=TEST_HEADERS,
+    )
     catalog = RestCatalog("rest", uri=TEST_URI, token=TEST_TOKEN)
     from_identifier = ("pdames", "source")
     to_identifier = ("pdames", "destination")
@@ -1396,6 +1401,11 @@ def test_rename_table_from_self_identifier_200(
         status_code=200,
         request_headers=TEST_HEADERS,
     )
+    rest_mock.head(
+        f"{TEST_URI}v1/namespaces/pdames",
+        status_code=200,
+        request_headers=TEST_HEADERS,
+    )
     actual = catalog.rename_table(table.name(), to_identifier)
     expected = Table(
         identifier=("pdames", "destination"),
@@ -1408,6 +1418,48 @@ def test_rename_table_from_self_identifier_200(
     assert actual == expected
 
 
+def test_rename_table_source_namespace_does_not_exist(rest_mock: Mocker) -> None:
+    catalog = RestCatalog("rest", uri=TEST_URI, token=TEST_TOKEN)
+    from_identifier = ("invalid", "source")
+    to_identifier = ("pdames", "destination")
+
+    rest_mock.head(
+        f"{TEST_URI}v1/namespaces/invalid",
+        status_code=404,
+        request_headers=TEST_HEADERS,
+    )
+    rest_mock.head(
+        f"{TEST_URI}v1/namespaces/pdames",
+        status_code=200,
+        request_headers=TEST_HEADERS,
+    )
+
+    with pytest.raises(NoSuchNamespaceError) as e:
+        catalog.rename_table(from_identifier, to_identifier)
+    assert "Source namespace does not exist" in str(e.value)
+
+
+def test_rename_table_destination_namespace_does_not_exist(rest_mock: Mocker) -> None:
+    catalog = RestCatalog("rest", uri=TEST_URI, token=TEST_TOKEN)
+    from_identifier = ("pdames", "source")
+    to_identifier = ("invalid", "destination")
+
+    rest_mock.head(
+        f"{TEST_URI}v1/namespaces/pdames",
+        status_code=200,
+        request_headers=TEST_HEADERS,
+    )
+    rest_mock.head(
+        f"{TEST_URI}v1/namespaces/invalid",
+        status_code=404,
+        request_headers=TEST_HEADERS,
+    )
+
+    with pytest.raises(NoSuchNamespaceError) as e:
+        catalog.rename_table(from_identifier, to_identifier)
+    assert "Destination namespace does not exist" in str(e.value)
+
+
 def test_delete_table_404(rest_mock: Mocker) -> None:
     rest_mock.delete(
         f"{TEST_URI}v1/namespaces/example/tables/fokko",