diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,3 +1,9 @@
+## Plan B 0.2.0
+
+* Added `moveByRenaming` option to allow move files and directories by
+  renaming. This is not default because moving by renaming is not always
+  possible, while moving by coping is always an option.
+
 ## Plan B 0.1.1
 
 * Fixed the problem with moving of files and directories from `/tmp/` to
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -71,6 +71,9 @@
   inspected. However, if operation succeeds, temporary directory is *always*
   deleted.
 
+* `moveByRenaming` — by default files and directories are moved by copying,
+  this option enables moving by renaming.
+
 That should be enough for a quick intro, for more information regarding
 concrete functions, consult Haddocks.
 
diff --git a/System/PlanB.hs b/System/PlanB.hs
--- a/System/PlanB.hs
+++ b/System/PlanB.hs
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@
   , tempDir
   , nameTemplate
   , preserveCorpse
+  , moveByRenaming
   , overrideIfExists
   , useIfExists )
 where
@@ -35,6 +36,7 @@
 import Control.Monad
 import Control.Monad.Catch
 import Control.Monad.IO.Class (MonadIO (..))
+import Data.Bool (bool)
 import Data.Maybe (fromMaybe)
 import Path
 import System.IO.Error
@@ -61,7 +63,7 @@
 withNewFile pbc fpath action = withTempDir pbc $ \tdir -> do
   let apath = constructFilePath tdir fpath
   checkExistenceOfFile pbc apath fpath
-  liftM2 const (action apath) (P.copyFile apath fpath)
+  liftM2 const (action apath) (moveFile pbc apath fpath)
 
 -- | Edit existing file. Name of the file is taken as the second
 -- argument. The third argument allows to perform actions on temporary copy
@@ -78,7 +80,7 @@
 withExistingFile pbc fpath action = withTempDir pbc $ \tdir -> do
   let apath = constructFilePath tdir fpath
   copyFile fpath apath
-  liftM2 const (action apath) (P.copyFile apath fpath)
+  liftM2 const (action apath) (moveFile pbc apath fpath)
 
 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 -- Operations on directories
@@ -98,7 +100,7 @@
   -> m a
 withNewDir pbc dpath action = withTempDir pbc $ \tdir -> do
   checkExistenceOfDir pbc tdir dpath
-  liftM2 const (action tdir) (copyDir' tdir dpath)
+  liftM2 const (action tdir) (moveDir pbc tdir dpath)
 
 -- | Edit existing directory. Name of the directory is specified as the
 -- second argument. The third argument allows to perform actions in
@@ -114,7 +116,7 @@
   -> m a
 withExistingDir pbc dpath action = withTempDir pbc $ \tdir -> do
   copyDir dpath tdir
-  liftM2 const (action tdir) (copyDir' tdir dpath)
+  liftM2 const (action tdir) (moveDir pbc tdir dpath)
 
 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 -- Operations on containers
@@ -246,17 +248,31 @@
       Just AebOverride -> return ()
       Just AebUse -> copyDir dpath apath
 
--- | Copy specified directory to another location. If destination location
--- is already occupied, delete that object first.
+-- | Move specified file to another location. File can be moved either by
+-- copying or by renaming, exact method is determined by supplied
+-- configuration.
 
-copyDir' :: (MonadIO m, MonadCatch m)
-  => Path b0 Dir       -- ^ Original location
+moveFile :: (HasTemp c, MonadIO m)
+  => c                 -- ^ Configuration
+  -> Path b0 File      -- ^ Original location
+  -> Path b1 File      -- ^ Where to move
+  -> m ()
+moveFile pbc = bool P.copyFile P.renameFile (getMoveByRenaming pbc)
+
+-- | Move specified directory to another location. If destination location
+-- is already occupied, delete that object first. Directory can be moved
+-- either by copying or by renaming, exact method is determined by supplied
+-- configuration.
+
+moveDir :: (HasTemp c, MonadIO m, MonadCatch m)
+  => c                 -- ^ Configuration
+  -> Path b0 Dir       -- ^ Original location
   -> Path b1 Dir       -- ^ Where to move
   -> m ()
-copyDir' src dest = do
+moveDir pbc src dest = do
   exists <- P.doesDirExist dest
   when exists (P.removeDirRecur dest)
-  P.copyDirRecur src dest
+  bool P.copyDirRecur P.renameDir (getMoveByRenaming pbc) src dest
 
 -- | Copy file to new location. Throw 'doesNotExistErrorType' if it does not
 -- exist.
diff --git a/System/PlanB/Type.hs b/System/PlanB/Type.hs
--- a/System/PlanB/Type.hs
+++ b/System/PlanB/Type.hs
@@ -54,15 +54,17 @@
     { pbcTempDir        :: Maybe (Path Abs Dir)
     , pbcNameTemplate   :: Maybe String
     , pbcPreserveCorpse :: Any
+    , pbcMoveByRenaming :: Any
     , pbcAlreadyExists  :: Maybe AlreadyExistsBehavior
     } -> PbConfig k
 
 instance Monoid (PbConfig k) where
-  mempty  = PbConfig empty empty mempty empty
+  mempty  = PbConfig empty empty mempty mempty empty
   x `mappend` y = PbConfig
     { pbcTempDir        = pbcTempDir x       <|> pbcTempDir y
     , pbcNameTemplate   = pbcNameTemplate x  <|> pbcNameTemplate y
     , pbcPreserveCorpse = pbcPreserveCorpse x <> pbcPreserveCorpse y
+    , pbcMoveByRenaming = pbcMoveByRenaming x <> pbcMoveByRenaming y
     , pbcAlreadyExists  = pbcAlreadyExists x <|> pbcAlreadyExists y }
 
 -- | The type class is for data types that include information specifying
@@ -87,19 +89,27 @@
 
   preserveCorpse :: c
 
+  -- | By default files are moved by copying. Moving by renaming, although
+  -- not always possible, often more efficient. This option enables it.
+
+  moveByRenaming :: c
+
   getTempDir        :: c -> Maybe (Path Abs Dir)
   getNameTemplate   :: c -> Maybe String
   getPreserveCorpse :: c -> Bool
+  getMoveByRenaming :: c -> Bool
 
 instance HasTemp (PbConfig k) where
 
   tempDir dir       = mempty { pbcTempDir        = Just dir }
   nameTemplate nt   = mempty { pbcNameTemplate   = Just nt  }
   preserveCorpse    = mempty { pbcPreserveCorpse = Any True }
+  moveByRenaming    = mempty { pbcMoveByRenaming = Any True }
 
   getTempDir        = pbcTempDir
   getNameTemplate   = pbcNameTemplate
   getPreserveCorpse = getAny . pbcPreserveCorpse
+  getMoveByRenaming = getAny . pbcMoveByRenaming
 
 -- | The type class includes data types that contain information about what
 -- to do when some object already exists. There are two scenarios currently
diff --git a/plan-b.cabal b/plan-b.cabal
--- a/plan-b.cabal
+++ b/plan-b.cabal
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@
 -- POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
 
 name:                 plan-b
-version:              0.1.1
+version:              0.2.0
 cabal-version:        >= 1.10
 license:              BSD3
 license-file:         LICENSE.md
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@
                     , hspec        >= 2.0
                     , path         >= 0.5
                     , path-io      >= 1.0.1
-                    , plan-b       >= 0.1.1
+                    , plan-b       >= 0.2.0
   default-language:   Haskell2010
 
 source-repository head