diff --git a/internal/links/links.go b/internal/links/links.go
index a8631822..f37d843f 100644
--- a/internal/links/links.go
+++ b/internal/links/links.go
@@ -17,6 +17,30 @@ func ReplaceTitle(content, oldTitle, newTitle string) string {
 	return replaceAll(content, old, new)
 }
 
+// ReplaceTitleN is ReplaceTitle for a caller that has ALREADY counted the
+// occurrences, and it exists to stop that work being done twice.
+//
+// strings.Replace with n < 0 counts the string itself before building the
+// result. The document rename cascade counts first anyway — its size guard
+// needs the number before it is willing to build anything — so letting
+// Replace re-count adds a full pass over every linking document on the
+// success path (codex round 13).
+//
+// n MUST be the count of `[[oldTitle]]` in this exact content. Passing a
+// smaller number silently leaves later occurrences unrewritten, which is why
+// this is a separate function rather than an optional parameter on the one
+// above: the obligation is visible at the call site.
+//
+// No measured speedup is claimed. This removes one linear pass from a path
+// that also allocates a full copy of the same content and issues a write per
+// linker, so the saving is real but not obviously significant; it is here
+// because doing the same work twice needs a reason and there was not one.
+func ReplaceTitleN(content, oldTitle, newTitle string, n int) string {
+	old := "[[" + oldTitle + "]]"
+	new := "[[" + newTitle + "]]"
+	return strings.Replace(content, old, new, n)
+}
+
 // RewriteWikiTitle rewrites the four title-form wiki-link shapes that
 // resolve to an item titled `oldTitle` in collection `collSlug`,
 // substituting `newTitle` for the title portion and preserving any
diff --git a/internal/links/replace_title_termination_test.go b/internal/links/replace_title_termination_test.go
index 81850a0a..29784b35 100644
--- a/internal/links/replace_title_termination_test.go
+++ b/internal/links/replace_title_termination_test.go
@@ -71,3 +71,38 @@ func TestReplaceTitle_StillRewritesEveryOccurrence(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Errorf("an occurrence survived: %q", got)
 	}
 }
+
+// TestReplaceTitleN_MatchesReplaceTitleWhenGivenTheTrueCount pins the
+// obligation ReplaceTitleN puts on its caller: given the real occurrence
+// count, it must produce exactly what ReplaceTitle produces.
+//
+// The under-count leg is the counterfactual, and it is why the two are
+// separate functions rather than one with an optional parameter — passing a
+// number that is too small does not error, it silently leaves later
+// occurrences unrewritten, which on the rename path means links left pointing
+// at a title that no longer exists.
+func TestReplaceTitleN_MatchesReplaceTitleWhenGivenTheTrueCount(t *testing.T) {
+	for _, tc := range []struct{ name, content, old, new string }{
+		{"several occurrences", "a [[Old]] b [[Old]] c [[Old]] d", "Old", "New"},
+		{"none", "nothing to see here", "Old", "New"},
+		{"new embeds old", "x [[A]] y", "A", "A]] [[A"},
+		{"shrinking", "[[LongOldTitle]] and [[LongOldTitle]]", "LongOldTitle", "n"},
+	} {
+		t.Run(tc.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			want := ReplaceTitle(tc.content, tc.old, tc.new)
+			n := strings.Count(tc.content, "[["+tc.old+"]]")
+			if got := ReplaceTitleN(tc.content, tc.old, tc.new, n); got != want {
+				t.Errorf("ReplaceTitleN with the true count %d:\n got: %q\nwant: %q", n, got, want)
+			}
+
+			// Under-counting must visibly diverge, or the count is not
+			// load-bearing and this function has no contract worth stating.
+			if n > 1 {
+				if got := ReplaceTitleN(tc.content, tc.old, tc.new, n-1); got == want {
+					t.Errorf("ReplaceTitleN with a count one too low produced the correct result; " +
+						"the caller's obligation is not real, so the API is misleading")
+				}
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}
diff --git a/internal/store/documents.go b/internal/store/documents.go
index 6408f4b4..f7ce316e 100644
--- a/internal/store/documents.go
+++ b/internal/store/documents.go
@@ -687,7 +687,7 @@ func (s *Store) updateLinksInTx(tx *sql.Tx, workspaceID, oldTitle, newTitle stri
 			return newRenameCascadeTooLargeError(newTitle, retained)
 		}
 
-		du.rewritten = links.ReplaceTitle(du.read, oldTitle, newTitle)
+		du.rewritten = links.ReplaceTitleN(du.read, oldTitle, newTitle, int(occurrences))
 		updates = append(updates, du)
 	}
 	if err := rows.Err(); err != nil {