diff --git a/options/locale/locale_en-US.json b/options/locale/locale_en-US.json
index f336605066b..239e98c1b70 100644
--- a/options/locale/locale_en-US.json
+++ b/options/locale/locale_en-US.json
@@ -2663,7 +2663,7 @@
   "repo.branch.new_branch_from": "Create new branch from \"%s\"",
   "repo.branch.renamed": "Branch %s was renamed to %s.",
   "repo.branch.rename_default_or_protected_branch_error": "Only admins can rename default or protected branches.",
-  "repo.branch.rename_protected_branch_failed": "This branch is protected by glob-based protection rules.",
+  "repo.branch.rename_protected_branch_failed": "Failed to rename branch due to branch protection rules.",
   "repo.branch.commits_divergence_from": "Commit divergence: %[1]d behind and %[2]d ahead of %[3]s",
   "repo.branch.commits_no_divergence": "The same as branch %[1]s",
   "repo.tag.create_tag": "Create tag %s",
diff --git a/routers/api/v1/repo/branch.go b/routers/api/v1/repo/branch.go
index 4624d7e738c..9bdc0c76b8b 100644
--- a/routers/api/v1/repo/branch.go
+++ b/routers/api/v1/repo/branch.go
@@ -515,7 +515,7 @@ func RenameBranch(ctx *context.APIContext) {
 		case repo_model.IsErrUserDoesNotHaveAccessToRepo(err):
 			ctx.APIError(http.StatusForbidden, "User must be a repo or site admin to rename default or protected branches.")
 		case errors.Is(err, git_model.ErrBranchIsProtected):
-			ctx.APIError(http.StatusForbidden, "Branch is protected by glob-based protection rules.")
+			ctx.APIError(http.StatusForbidden, "Failed to rename branch due to branch protection rules.")
 		default:
 			ctx.APIErrorInternal(err)
 		}
diff --git a/services/repository/branch.go b/services/repository/branch.go
index b076514590d..a580208af6a 100644
--- a/services/repository/branch.go
+++ b/services/repository/branch.go
@@ -442,6 +442,15 @@ func RenameBranch(ctx context.Context, repo *repo_model.Repository, doer *user_m
 		}
 	}
 
+	// We also need to check if "to" matches with a protected branch rule.
+	rule, err := git_model.GetFirstMatchProtectedBranchRule(ctx, repo.ID, to)
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", err
+	}
+	if rule != nil && !rule.CanUserPush(ctx, doer) {
+		return "", git_model.ErrBranchIsProtected
+	}
+
 	if err := git_model.RenameBranch(ctx, repo, from, to, func(ctx context.Context, isDefault bool) error {
 		err2 := gitrepo.RenameBranch(ctx, repo, from, to)
 		if err2 != nil {
diff --git a/tests/integration/api_branch_test.go b/tests/integration/api_branch_test.go
index 043aa10c7fb..1163c1e8c9c 100644
--- a/tests/integration/api_branch_test.go
+++ b/tests/integration/api_branch_test.go
@@ -237,7 +237,40 @@ func TestAPIRenameBranch(t *testing.T) {
 			MakeRequest(t, req, http.StatusCreated)
 
 			resp := testAPIRenameBranch(t, "user2", "user2", "repo1", from, "new-branch-name", http.StatusForbidden)
-			assert.Contains(t, resp.Body.String(), "Branch is protected by glob-based protection rules.")
+			assert.Contains(t, resp.Body.String(), "Failed to rename branch due to branch protection rules.")
+		})
+		t.Run("RenameBranchToMatchProtectionRulesWithAllowedUser", func(t *testing.T) {
+			// allow an admin (the owner in this case) to rename a regular branch to one that matches a branch protection rule
+			repoName := "repo1"
+			ownerName := "user2"
+			from := "regular-branch-1"
+			ctx := NewAPITestContext(t, ownerName, repoName, auth_model.AccessTokenScopeWriteRepository)
+			testAPICreateBranch(t, ctx.Session, ownerName, repoName, "", from, http.StatusCreated)
+
+			// NOTE: The protected/** branch protection rule was created in a previous test, with push enabled.
+			testAPIRenameBranch(t, ownerName, ownerName, repoName, from, "protected/2", http.StatusNoContent)
+		})
+		t.Run("RenameBranchToMatchProtectionRulesWithUnauthorizedUser", func(t *testing.T) {
+			// don't allow renaming a regular branch to a protected branch if the doer is not in the push whitelist
+			repoName := "repo1"
+			ownerName := "user2"
+			pushWhitelist := []string{ownerName}
+			token := getUserToken(t, "user2", auth_model.AccessTokenScopeWriteRepository)
+			req := NewRequestWithJSON(t, "POST", fmt.Sprintf("/api/v1/repos/%s/%s/branch_protections", ownerName, repoName),
+				&api.BranchProtection{
+					RuleName:               "owner-protected/**",
+					PushWhitelistUsernames: pushWhitelist,
+				}).AddTokenAuth(token)
+			MakeRequest(t, req, http.StatusCreated)
+
+			from := "regular-branch-2"
+			ctx := NewAPITestContext(t, ownerName, repoName, auth_model.AccessTokenScopeWriteRepository)
+			testAPICreateBranch(t, ctx.Session, ownerName, repoName, "", from, http.StatusCreated)
+
+			unprivilegedUser := "user40"
+			resp := testAPIRenameBranch(t, unprivilegedUser, ownerName, repoName, from, "owner-protected/1", http.StatusForbidden)
+
+			assert.Contains(t, resp.Body.String(), "Failed to rename branch due to branch protection rules.")
 		})
 		t.Run("RenameBranchNormalScenario", func(t *testing.T) {
 			testAPIRenameBranch(t, "user2", "user2", "repo1", "branch2", "new-branch-name", http.StatusNoContent)