dominikbraun · Cashie1597 · Jun 15, 2026
diff --git a/core/record.go b/core/record.go
@@ -259,7 +259,51 @@ func (t *Timetrace) EditRecordManual(recordTime time.Time) error {
 	cmd.Stdout = os.Stdout
 	cmd.Stderr = os.Stderr
 
-	return cmd.Run()
+	if err := cmd.Run(); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	return t.renameRecordFileIfNeeded(recordTime)
+}
+
+// renameRecordFileIfNeeded moves the record file (and backup, if present) so
+// its on-disk name matches record.Start. Record keys shown in the CLI are
+// derived from the start timestamp inside the JSON, not the filename.
+func (t *Timetrace) renameRecordFileIfNeeded(originalKey time.Time) error {
+	oldPath := t.fs.RecordFilepath(originalKey)
+	record, err := t.loadRecord(oldPath)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	newPath := t.fs.RecordFilepath(record.Start)
+	if oldPath == newPath {
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	if _, err := os.Stat(newPath); err == nil {
+		return ErrRecordAlreadyExists
+	} else if !os.IsNotExist(err) {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	if err := t.fs.EnsureRecordDir(record.Start); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	if err := os.Rename(oldPath, newPath); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	oldBackupPath := t.fs.RecordBackupFilepath(originalKey)
+	newBackupPath := t.fs.RecordBackupFilepath(record.Start)
+	if _, err := os.Stat(oldBackupPath); err == nil {
+		if err := os.Rename(oldBackupPath, newBackupPath); err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+	}
+
+	return nil
 }
 
 // EditRecord loads the record internally, applies the option values and saves the record

diff --git a/core/record_rename_test.go b/core/record_rename_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,113 @@
+package core
+
+import (
+	"encoding/json"
+	"os"
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/dominikbraun/timetrace/config"
+	"github.com/dominikbraun/timetrace/fs"
+)
+
+func TestRenameRecordFileIfNeeded(t *testing.T) {
+	dir, err := os.MkdirTemp("", "timetrace-record-rename-*")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	defer os.RemoveAll(dir)
+
+	cfg := &config.Config{Store: dir}
+	filesystem := fs.New(cfg)
+	timetrace := New(cfg, filesystem)
+
+	loc := time.Local
+	originalStart := time.Date(2024, 2, 5, 16, 57, 24, 0, loc)
+	updatedStart := time.Date(2024, 2, 5, 16, 55, 24, 0, loc)
+	end := time.Date(2024, 2, 5, 16, 57, 34, 0, loc)
+
+	record := Record{
+		Start: originalStart,
+		End:   &end,
+		Project: &Project{
+			Key: "dummy",
+		},
+	}
+
+	if err := timetrace.SaveRecord(record, false); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("SaveRecord: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	if err := timetrace.BackupRecord(originalStart); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("BackupRecord: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	oldPath := filesystem.RecordFilepath(originalStart)
+	updated := record
+	updated.Start = updatedStart
+	bytes, err := json.MarshalIndent(&updated, "", "\t")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("marshal record: %v", err)
+	}
+	if err := os.WriteFile(oldPath, bytes, 0600); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("write updated record: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	if err := timetrace.renameRecordFileIfNeeded(originalStart); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("renameRecordFileIfNeeded: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	newPath := filesystem.RecordFilepath(updatedStart)
+	if _, err := os.Stat(newPath); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("expected renamed record at %s: %v", newPath, err)
+	}
+	if _, err := os.Stat(oldPath); !os.IsNotExist(err) {
+		t.Fatalf("expected old record path removed: %s", oldPath)
+	}
+
+	backupPath := filesystem.RecordBackupFilepath(updatedStart)
+	if _, err := os.Stat(backupPath); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("expected backup renamed to %s: %v", backupPath, err)
+	}
+
+	loaded, err := timetrace.LoadRecord(updatedStart)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("LoadRecord with updated key: %v", err)
+	}
+	if !loaded.Start.Equal(updatedStart) {
+		t.Fatalf("expected start %v, got %v", updatedStart, loaded.Start)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestRenameRecordFileIfNeededNoOpWhenUnchanged(t *testing.T) {
+	dir, err := os.MkdirTemp("", "timetrace-record-rename-*")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	defer os.RemoveAll(dir)
+
+	cfg := &config.Config{Store: dir}
+	filesystem := fs.New(cfg)
+	timetrace := New(cfg, filesystem)
+
+	start := time.Date(2024, 2, 5, 16, 57, 0, 0, time.Local)
+	end := start.Add(2 * time.Minute)
+	record := Record{
+		Start:   start,
+		End:     &end,
+		Project: &Project{Key: "dummy"},
+	}
+
+	if err := timetrace.SaveRecord(record, false); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("SaveRecord: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	if err := timetrace.renameRecordFileIfNeeded(start); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("renameRecordFileIfNeeded: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	path := filesystem.RecordFilepath(start)
+	if _, err := os.Stat(path); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("record should remain at %s: %v", path, err)
+	}
+}