fix: keep a file recreated at a renamed file's old path on discard

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -6,6 +6,12 @@ The format is based on [Keep a Changelog](https://keepachangelog.com/en/1.1.0/).
 
 ## [Unreleased]
 
+### Fixed
+
+- `X` on a staged rename overwrote a file recreated at the old path with its `HEAD` content. It now undoes the rename and leaves that file as it is
+
+## [0.2.1] — 2026-10-09
+
 ### Added
 
 - The diff view highlights code embedded in another language with that language's parser, not only the file's own grammar

Makefile

@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ PANDOC_VERSION    := 3.10.1
 PANDOC_DIR        := .tools/pandoc-$(PANDOC_VERSION)
 PANDOC_BIN        := $(PANDOC_DIR)/bin/pandoc
 
-GOLANGCI_VERSION := 2.13.1
+GOLANGCI_VERSION := 2.14.0
 GOLANGCI_DIR     := .tools/golangci-lint-$(GOLANGCI_VERSION)
 GOLANGCI_BIN     := $(GOLANGCI_DIR)/golangci-lint
 

lua/differ/git/init.lua

@@ -989,10 +989,16 @@ function M.discard(root, entry, preview)
         -- untouched, so its new path is an add
         ok = git_ok({ "reset", "-q", "HEAD", "--", entry.path }, root, "discard") and remove_ok(abs)
     elseif kind == "R" and entry.previous_path then
-        -- undoing a move: the old path comes back from HEAD, the new one goes like an add
-        ok = git_ok({ "checkout", "HEAD", "--", entry.previous_path }, root, "discard")
-            and git_ok({ "reset", "-q", "HEAD", "--", entry.path }, root, "discard")
-            and remove_ok(abs)
+        -- undoing a move: the old path comes back from HEAD, the new one goes like an add.
+        -- a file since recreated at the old path stays as it is, against HEAD in the index
+        if (vim.uv or vim.loop).fs_lstat(root .. "/" .. entry.previous_path) then
+            local unstage = { "reset", "-q", "HEAD", "--", entry.previous_path, entry.path }
+            ok = git_ok(unstage, root, "discard") and remove_ok(abs)
+        else
+            ok = git_ok({ "checkout", "HEAD", "--", entry.previous_path }, root, "discard")
+                and git_ok({ "reset", "-q", "HEAD", "--", entry.path }, root, "discard")
+                and remove_ok(abs)
+        end
     else
         ok = git_ok({ "checkout", "HEAD", "--", entry.path }, root, "discard") -- index + worktree
     end

test/nvim/git_spec.lua

@@ -7537,6 +7537,22 @@ describe(":Differ diff rename staging", function()
         assert.are.equal("R  old/big.lua -> new/big.lua\n", status)
     end)
 
+    it("leaves a file back at a staged rename's old path untracked on s", function()
+        local root = renamed_repo({ 5 })
+        write(root .. "/old/big.lua", "new file\n")
+        vim.cmd.edit(root .. "/new/big.lua")
+
+        git_src.panel({ rev = {} })
+        local p = Panel.current()
+        assert.is_true(p:focus_file("new/big.lua"))
+        p:stage_op("stage")
+
+        local status = git(root, "status", "--porcelain=v1", "-uall")
+        p:close()
+        assert.are.equal("R  old/big.lua -> new/big.lua\n?? old/big.lua\n", status)
+        assert.are.same({ "new file" }, vim.fn.readfile(root .. "/old/big.lua"))
+    end)
+
     it("unstages both of a rename's paths from the panel row, as the diff keys do", function()
         local root = renamed_repo({ 5 })
         vim.cmd.edit(root .. "/new/big.lua")
@@ -7572,6 +7588,26 @@ describe(":Differ diff rename staging", function()
         p:close()
     end)
 
+    it("undoes a rename with X in the index only when a file is back at the old path", function()
+        local root = renamed_repo({ 5 })
+        write(root .. "/old/big.lua", "new file\n")
+        vim.cmd.edit(root .. "/new/big.lua")
+
+        git_src.panel({ rev = {} })
+        local p = Panel.current()
+        assert.is_true(p:focus_file("new/big.lua"))
+
+        confirming(1, function()
+            p:discard()
+        end)
+
+        local status = git(root, "status", "--porcelain=v1")
+        p:close()
+        assert.are.equal(" M old/big.lua\n", status)
+        assert.are.same({ "new file" }, vim.fn.readfile(root .. "/old/big.lua"))
+        assert.are.equal(0, vim.fn.filereadable(root .. "/new/big.lua"))
+    end)
+
     it("names the path X will restore in its confirm", function()
         local root = renamed_repo()
         vim.cmd.edit(root .. "/new/big.lua")