diff --git a/src/Project.zig b/src/Project.zig
index cee242f..997e8aa 100644
--- a/src/Project.zig
+++ b/src/Project.zig
@@ -795,7 +795,7 @@ pub fn rename_symbol(self: *Self, from: tp.pid_ref, file_path: []const u8, row:
     const response = lsp.send_request(self.allocator, "textDocument/rename", .{
         .textDocument = .{ .uri = uri },
         .position = .{ .line = row, .character = col },
-        .newName = "foobar",
+        .newName = "PLACEHOLDER",
     }) catch return error.LspFailed;
     defer self.allocator.free(response.buf);
     var result: []const u8 = undefined;
diff --git a/src/tui/editor.zig b/src/tui/editor.zig
index 7c54a58..dbd38c5 100644
--- a/src/tui/editor.zig
+++ b/src/tui/editor.zig
@@ -4229,6 +4229,14 @@ pub const Editor = struct {
     }
     pub const rename_symbol_meta = .{ .description = "Language: Rename symbol at cursor" };
 
+    pub fn add_rename_symbol_cursor(self: *Self, sel: Selection, first: bool) !void {
+        if (first) self.cancel_all_selections() else try self.push_cursor();
+        const primary = self.get_primary();
+        primary.selection = sel;
+        primary.cursor = sel.end;
+        self.need_render();
+    }
+
     pub fn hover(self: *Self, _: Context) Result {
         const primary = self.get_primary();
         return self.hover_at(primary.cursor.row, primary.cursor.col);
@@ -4323,20 +4331,6 @@ pub const Editor = struct {
         self.need_render();
     }
 
-    pub fn rename_symbol_item(
-        self: *Self,
-        sel: Selection,
-        new_text: []const u8,
-        root_prev: *?Buffer.Root,
-        final: bool,
-    ) !void {
-        self.get_primary().selection = sel;
-        if (root_prev.* == null) root_prev.* = (try self.buf_for_update()).root;
-        const root = try self.delete_selection(root_prev.*.?, self.get_primary(), self.allocator);
-        root_prev.* = try self.insert(root, self.get_primary(), new_text, self.allocator);
-        if (final) try self.update_buf(root_prev.*.?);
-    }
-
     pub fn select(self: *Self, ctx: Context) Result {
         var sel: Selection = .{};
         if (!try ctx.args.match(.{ tp.extract(&sel.begin.row), tp.extract(&sel.begin.col), tp.extract(&sel.end.row), tp.extract(&sel.end.col) }))
diff --git a/src/tui/mainview.zig b/src/tui/mainview.zig
index 611cac5..a7e2420 100644
--- a/src/tui/mainview.zig
+++ b/src/tui/mainview.zig
@@ -555,12 +555,13 @@ const cmds = struct {
     pub const add_diagnostic_meta = .{ .arguments = &.{ .string, .string, .string, .string, .integer, .integer, .integer, .integer, .integer } };
 
     pub fn rename_symbol_item(self: *Self, ctx: Ctx) Result {
+        const editor = self.get_active_editor() orelse return;
         // because the incoming message is an array of Renames, we manuallly
         // parse instead of using ctx.args.match() which doesn't seem to return
         // the parsed length needed to correctly advance iter.
         var iter = ctx.args.buf;
         var len = try cbor.decodeArrayHeader(&iter);
-        var mroot: ?@import("Buffer").Root = null;
+        var first = true;
         while (len != 0) {
             len -= 1;
             std.debug.assert(try cbor.decodeArrayHeader(&iter) == 6);
@@ -575,13 +576,14 @@ const cmds = struct {
             if (!try cbor.matchString(&iter, &new_text)) return error.MissingArgument;
 
             file_path = project_manager.normalize_file_path(file_path);
-            if (self.get_active_editor()) |editor| if (std.mem.eql(u8, file_path, editor.file_path orelse "")) {
-                try editor.rename_symbol_item(sel, new_text, &mroot, len == 0);
+            if (std.mem.eql(u8, file_path, editor.file_path orelse "")) {
+                try editor.add_rename_symbol_cursor(sel, first);
+                first = false;
             } else {
                 const logger = log.logger("LSP");
                 defer logger.deinit();
                 logger.print("TODO perform renames in other files\n", .{});
-            };
+            }
         }
     }
     pub const rename_symbol_item_meta = .{ .arguments = &.{.array} };