diff --git a/activerecord/lib/active_record/connection_adapters/abstract/schema_statements.rb b/activerecord/lib/active_record/connection_adapters/abstract/schema_statements.rb
index 861480d980cec..366192909e879 100644
--- a/activerecord/lib/active_record/connection_adapters/abstract/schema_statements.rb
+++ b/activerecord/lib/active_record/connection_adapters/abstract/schema_statements.rb
@@ -90,6 +90,13 @@ def create_table(name, options = {})
         create_sql << ") #{options[:options]}"
         execute create_sql
       end
+      
+      # Renames a table.
+      # ===== Example
+      #  rename_table('octopuses', 'octopi')
+      def rename_table(name, new_name)
+        raise NotImplementedError, "rename_table is not implemented"
+      end
 
       # Drops a table from the database.
       def drop_table(name)
@@ -109,7 +116,7 @@ def add_column(table_name, column_name, type, options = {})
       #  remove_column(:suppliers, :qualification)
       def remove_column(table_name, column_name)
         execute "ALTER TABLE #{table_name} DROP #{column_name}"
-      end      
+      end
 
       # Changes the column's definition according to the new options.
       # See TableDefinition#column for details of the options you can use.
diff --git a/activerecord/lib/active_record/connection_adapters/mysql_adapter.rb b/activerecord/lib/active_record/connection_adapters/mysql_adapter.rb
index 9f38dabdcca26..d56e1f90dab48 100755
--- a/activerecord/lib/active_record/connection_adapters/mysql_adapter.rb
+++ b/activerecord/lib/active_record/connection_adapters/mysql_adapter.rb
@@ -258,6 +258,10 @@ def columns(table_name, name = nil)#:nodoc:
       def create_table(name, options = {}) #:nodoc:
         super(name, {:options => "ENGINE=InnoDB"}.merge(options))
       end
+      
+      def rename_table(name, new_name)
+        execute "RENAME TABLE #{name} TO #{new_name}"
+      end  
 
       def change_column_default(table_name, column_name, default) #:nodoc:
         current_type = select_one("SHOW COLUMNS FROM #{table_name} LIKE '#{column_name}'")["Type"]
diff --git a/activerecord/lib/active_record/connection_adapters/postgresql_adapter.rb b/activerecord/lib/active_record/connection_adapters/postgresql_adapter.rb
index 320ef2752ba9c..b908c10049451 100644
--- a/activerecord/lib/active_record/connection_adapters/postgresql_adapter.rb
+++ b/activerecord/lib/active_record/connection_adapters/postgresql_adapter.rb
@@ -198,6 +198,10 @@ def schema_search_path=(schema_csv) #:nodoc:
       def schema_search_path #:nodoc:
         @schema_search_path ||= query('SHOW search_path')[0][0]
       end
+      
+      def rename_table(name, new_name)
+        execute "ALTER TABLE #{name} RENAME TO #{new_name}"
+      end
             
       def add_column(table_name, column_name, type, options = {})
         native_type = native_database_types[type]
diff --git a/activerecord/lib/active_record/connection_adapters/sqlite_adapter.rb b/activerecord/lib/active_record/connection_adapters/sqlite_adapter.rb
index 5c7a93e9d098d..8f2b6cda03afc 100644
--- a/activerecord/lib/active_record/connection_adapters/sqlite_adapter.rb
+++ b/activerecord/lib/active_record/connection_adapters/sqlite_adapter.rb
@@ -214,6 +214,10 @@ def remove_index(table_name, options={}) #:nodoc:
 
         execute "DROP INDEX #{index_name}"
       end
+      
+      def rename_table(name, new_name)
+        move_table(name, new_name)
+      end
 
       def add_column(table_name, column_name, type, options = {}) #:nodoc:
         alter_table(table_name) do |definition|
diff --git a/activerecord/test/migration_test.rb b/activerecord/test/migration_test.rb
index cbcaff8cc44e1..317ac3720b25b 100644
--- a/activerecord/test/migration_test.rb
+++ b/activerecord/test/migration_test.rb
@@ -180,6 +180,25 @@ def test_add_rename
       
     end
     
+    def test_rename_table
+      begin
+        ActiveRecord::Base.connection.create_table :octopuses do |t|
+          t.column :url, :string
+        end          
+        ActiveRecord::Base.connection.rename_table :octopuses, :octopi
+        
+        assert_nothing_raised do
+          ActiveRecord::Base.connection.execute "INSERT INTO octopi (url) VALUES ('http://www.foreverflying.com/octopus-black7.jpg')"
+        end
+
+        assert_equal 'http://www.foreverflying.com/octopus-black7.jpg', ActiveRecord::Base.connection.select_value("SELECT url FROM octopi WHERE id=1")
+      
+      ensure
+        ActiveRecord::Base.connection.drop_table :octopuses rescue nil
+        ActiveRecord::Base.connection.drop_table :octopi rescue nil
+      end
+    end
+    
     def test_change_column
       Person.connection.add_column "people", "bio", :string
       assert_nothing_raised { Person.connection.change_column "people", "bio", :text }