diff --git a/mkdocs/docs/api.md b/mkdocs/docs/api.md
index 89d5692d0b..0e0dc375de 100644
--- a/mkdocs/docs/api.md
+++ b/mkdocs/docs/api.md
@@ -1031,6 +1031,7 @@ Expert Iceberg users may choose to commit existing parquet files to the Iceberg
 ### Example
 
 Add files to Iceberg table:
+
 ```python
 # Given that these parquet files have schema consistent with the Iceberg table
 
@@ -1047,6 +1048,7 @@ tbl.add_files(file_paths=file_paths)
 ```
 
 Add files to Iceberg table with custom snapshot properties:
+
 ```python
 # Assume an existing Iceberg table object `tbl`
 
diff --git a/pyiceberg/catalog/hive.py b/pyiceberg/catalog/hive.py
index eef6bbad18..9f85087061 100644
--- a/pyiceberg/catalog/hive.py
+++ b/pyiceberg/catalog/hive.py
@@ -651,9 +651,14 @@ def rename_table(self, from_identifier: Union[str, Identifier], to_identifier: U
             ValueError: When from table identifier is invalid.
             NoSuchTableError: When a table with the name does not exist.
             NoSuchNamespaceError: When the destination namespace doesn't exist.
+            TableAlreadyExistsError: When the destination table already exists.
         """
         from_database_name, from_table_name = self.identifier_to_database_and_table(from_identifier, NoSuchTableError)
         to_database_name, to_table_name = self.identifier_to_database_and_table(to_identifier)
+
+        if self.table_exists(to_identifier):
+            raise TableAlreadyExistsError(f"Table already exists: {to_table_name}")
+
         try:
             with self._client as open_client:
                 tbl = open_client.get_table(dbname=from_database_name, tbl_name=from_table_name)
diff --git a/tests/catalog/test_hive.py b/tests/catalog/test_hive.py
index 1edb4f7295..2da3f99f3e 100644
--- a/tests/catalog/test_hive.py
+++ b/tests/catalog/test_hive.py
@@ -61,6 +61,7 @@
     NamespaceNotEmptyError,
     NoSuchNamespaceError,
     NoSuchTableError,
+    TableAlreadyExistsError,
     WaitingForLockException,
 )
 from pyiceberg.partitioning import PartitionField, PartitionSpec
@@ -883,6 +884,7 @@ def test_load_table_from_self_identifier(hive_table: HiveTable) -> None:
 
 def test_rename_table(hive_table: HiveTable) -> None:
     catalog = HiveCatalog(HIVE_CATALOG_NAME, uri=HIVE_METASTORE_FAKE_URL)
+    catalog.table_exists = MagicMock(return_value=False)  # type: ignore[method-assign]
 
     renamed_table = copy.deepcopy(hive_table)
     renamed_table.dbName = "default"
@@ -910,6 +912,7 @@ def test_rename_table(hive_table: HiveTable) -> None:
 
 def test_rename_table_from_self_identifier(hive_table: HiveTable) -> None:
     catalog = HiveCatalog(HIVE_CATALOG_NAME, uri=HIVE_METASTORE_FAKE_URL)
+    catalog.table_exists = MagicMock(return_value=False)  # type: ignore[method-assign]
 
     catalog._client = MagicMock()
     catalog._client.__enter__().get_table.return_value = hive_table
@@ -941,6 +944,7 @@ def test_rename_table_from_self_identifier(hive_table: HiveTable) -> None:
 
 def test_rename_table_from_does_not_exists() -> None:
     catalog = HiveCatalog(HIVE_CATALOG_NAME, uri=HIVE_METASTORE_FAKE_URL)
+    catalog.table_exists = MagicMock(return_value=False)  # type: ignore[method-assign]
 
     catalog._client = MagicMock()
     catalog._client.__enter__().alter_table_with_environment_context.side_effect = NoSuchObjectException(
@@ -955,6 +959,7 @@ def test_rename_table_from_does_not_exists() -> None:
 
 def test_rename_table_to_namespace_does_not_exists() -> None:
     catalog = HiveCatalog(HIVE_CATALOG_NAME, uri=HIVE_METASTORE_FAKE_URL)
+    catalog.table_exists = MagicMock(return_value=False)  # type: ignore[method-assign]
 
     catalog._client = MagicMock()
     catalog._client.__enter__().alter_table_with_environment_context.side_effect = InvalidOperationException(
@@ -967,6 +972,16 @@ def test_rename_table_to_namespace_does_not_exists() -> None:
     assert "Database does not exists: default_does_not_exists" in str(exc_info.value)
 
 
+def test_rename_table_to_table_already_exists(hive_table: HiveTable) -> None:
+    catalog = HiveCatalog(HIVE_CATALOG_NAME, uri=HIVE_METASTORE_FAKE_URL)
+    catalog.load_table = MagicMock(return_value=hive_table)  # type: ignore[method-assign]
+
+    with pytest.raises(TableAlreadyExistsError) as exc_info:
+        catalog.rename_table(("default", "some_table"), ("default", "new_tabl2e"))
+
+    assert "Table already exists: new_tabl2e" in str(exc_info.value)
+
+
 def test_drop_database_does_not_empty() -> None:
     catalog = HiveCatalog(HIVE_CATALOG_NAME, uri=HIVE_METASTORE_FAKE_URL)
 
diff --git a/tests/integration/test_catalog.py b/tests/integration/test_catalog.py
index 123aca1bef..be93382daa 100644
--- a/tests/integration/test_catalog.py
+++ b/tests/integration/test_catalog.py
@@ -169,19 +169,48 @@ def test_rename_table(test_catalog: Catalog, table_schema_nested: Schema, table_
     new_database_name = f"{database_name}_new"
     test_catalog.create_namespace(database_name)
     test_catalog.create_namespace(new_database_name)
-    new_table_name = f"rename-{table_name}"
+
     identifier = (database_name, table_name)
     table = test_catalog.create_table(identifier, table_schema_nested)
     assert table.name() == identifier
+
+    new_table_name = f"rename-{table_name}"
     new_identifier = (new_database_name, new_table_name)
     test_catalog.rename_table(identifier, new_identifier)
     new_table = test_catalog.load_table(new_identifier)
+
     assert new_table.name() == new_identifier
     assert new_table.metadata_location == table.metadata_location
+
     with pytest.raises(NoSuchTableError):
         test_catalog.load_table(identifier)
 
 
+@pytest.mark.integration
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("test_catalog", CATALOGS)
+def test_rename_table_already_exists(
+    test_catalog: Catalog, table_schema_nested: Schema, table_name: str, database_name: str
+) -> None:
+    new_database_name = f"{database_name}_new"
+    test_catalog.create_namespace(database_name)
+    test_catalog.create_namespace(new_database_name)
+
+    identifier = (database_name, table_name)
+    table = test_catalog.create_table(identifier, table_schema_nested)
+    assert table.name() == identifier
+
+    new_table_name = f"rename-{table_name}"
+    new_identifier = (new_database_name, new_table_name)
+    new_table = test_catalog.create_table(new_identifier, table_schema_nested)
+    assert new_table.name() == new_identifier
+
+    with pytest.raises(TableAlreadyExistsError):
+        test_catalog.rename_table(identifier, new_identifier)
+
+    assert test_catalog.table_exists(identifier)
+    assert test_catalog.table_exists(new_identifier)
+
+
 @pytest.mark.integration
 @pytest.mark.parametrize("test_catalog", CATALOGS)
 def test_drop_table(test_catalog: Catalog, table_schema_nested: Schema, table_name: str, database_name: str) -> None: