diff --git a/github/resource_github_branch.go b/github/resource_github_branch.go
index 47314dd9e..298ae3e2e 100644
--- a/github/resource_github_branch.go
+++ b/github/resource_github_branch.go
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ func resourceGithubBranch() *schema.Resource {
 	return &schema.Resource{
 		Create: resourceGithubBranchCreate,
 		Read:   resourceGithubBranchRead,
+		Update: resourceGithubBranchUpdate,
 		Delete: resourceGithubBranchDelete,
 		Importer: &schema.ResourceImporter{
 			State: resourceGithubBranchImport,
@@ -31,7 +32,6 @@ func resourceGithubBranch() *schema.Resource {
 			"branch": {
 				Type:        schema.TypeString,
 				Required:    true,
-				ForceNew:    true,
 				Description: "The repository branch to create.",
 			},
 			"source_branch": {
@@ -186,6 +186,29 @@ func resourceGithubBranchDelete(d *schema.ResourceData, meta any) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
+func resourceGithubBranchUpdate(d *schema.ResourceData, meta any) error {
+	if !d.HasChange("branch") {
+		return resourceGithubBranchRead(d, meta)
+	}
+
+	ctx := context.WithValue(context.Background(), ctxId, d.Id())
+	client := meta.(*Owner).v3client
+	orgName := meta.(*Owner).name
+	repoName, oldBranchName, err := parseTwoPartID(d.Id(), "repository", "branch")
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	newBranchName := d.Get("branch").(string)
+
+	if _, _, err := client.Repositories.RenameBranch(ctx, orgName, repoName, oldBranchName, newBranchName); err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("error renaming GitHub branch %s/%s (%s -> %s): %w", orgName, repoName, oldBranchName, newBranchName, err)
+	}
+
+	d.SetId(buildTwoPartID(repoName, newBranchName))
+
+	return resourceGithubBranchRead(d, meta)
+}
+
 func resourceGithubBranchImport(d *schema.ResourceData, meta any) ([]*schema.ResourceData, error) {
 	repoName, branchName, err := parseTwoPartID(d.Id(), "repository", "branch")
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/github/resource_github_branch_test.go b/github/resource_github_branch_test.go
index bf75cf7d0..7de895f1c 100644
--- a/github/resource_github_branch_test.go
+++ b/github/resource_github_branch_test.go
@@ -201,4 +201,62 @@ func TestAccGithubBranch(t *testing.T) {
 			testCase(t, organization)
 		})
 	})
+
+	t.Run("renames a branch without replacement", func(t *testing.T) {
+		initialConfig := fmt.Sprintf(`
+			resource "github_repository" "test" {
+			  name = "tf-acc-test-%[1]s"
+			  auto_init = true
+			}
+
+			resource "github_branch" "test" {
+			  repository = github_repository.test.id
+			  branch     = "initial"
+			}
+		`, randomID)
+
+		renamedConfig := fmt.Sprintf(`
+			resource "github_repository" "test" {
+			  name = "tf-acc-test-%[1]s"
+			  auto_init = true
+			}
+
+			resource "github_branch" "test" {
+			  repository = github_repository.test.id
+			  branch     = "renamed"
+			}
+		`, randomID)
+
+		testCase := func(t *testing.T, mode string) {
+			resource.Test(t, resource.TestCase{
+				PreCheck:  func() { skipUnlessMode(t, mode) },
+				Providers: testAccProviders,
+				Steps: []resource.TestStep{
+					{
+						Config: initialConfig,
+					},
+					{
+						Config: renamedConfig,
+						Check: resource.ComposeTestCheckFunc(
+							resource.TestCheckResourceAttr(
+								"github_branch.test", "branch", "renamed",
+							),
+						),
+					},
+				},
+			})
+		}
+
+		t.Run("with an anonymous account", func(t *testing.T) {
+			t.Skip("anonymous account not supported for this operation")
+		})
+
+		t.Run("with an individual account", func(t *testing.T) {
+			testCase(t, individual)
+		})
+
+		t.Run("with an organization account", func(t *testing.T) {
+			testCase(t, organization)
+		})
+	})
 }
diff --git a/github/resource_github_branch_validation_test.go b/github/resource_github_branch_validation_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..690dfb28f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/github/resource_github_branch_validation_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,51 @@
+package github
+
+import "testing"
+
+func TestGithubBranchIsUpdatedWhenBranchChanges(t *testing.T) {
+	resource := resourceGithubBranch()
+
+	branchSchema := resource.Schema["branch"]
+	if branchSchema == nil {
+		t.Fatal("branch field should exist in schema")
+	}
+	if branchSchema.ForceNew {
+		t.Error("branch field should not be ForceNew so renames are handled via update")
+	}
+}
+
+func TestGithubBranchIsRecreatedWhenRepositoryChanges(t *testing.T) {
+	resource := resourceGithubBranch()
+
+	repositorySchema := resource.Schema["repository"]
+	if repositorySchema == nil {
+		t.Fatal("repository field should exist in schema")
+	}
+	if !repositorySchema.ForceNew {
+		t.Error("repository field should be ForceNew so changes recreate the resource")
+	}
+}
+
+func TestGithubBranchIsRecreatedWhenSourceBranchChanges(t *testing.T) {
+	resource := resourceGithubBranch()
+
+	sourceBranchSchema := resource.Schema["source_branch"]
+	if sourceBranchSchema == nil {
+		t.Fatal("source_branch field should exist in schema")
+	}
+	if !sourceBranchSchema.ForceNew {
+		t.Error("source_branch field should be ForceNew so changes recreate the resource")
+	}
+}
+
+func TestGithubBranchIsRecreatedWhenSourceSHAChanges(t *testing.T) {
+	resource := resourceGithubBranch()
+
+	sourceSHASchema := resource.Schema["source_sha"]
+	if sourceSHASchema == nil {
+		t.Fatal("source_sha field should exist in schema")
+	}
+	if !sourceSHASchema.ForceNew {
+		t.Error("source_sha field should be ForceNew so changes recreate the resource")
+	}
+}