diff --git a/apps/cli/package.json b/apps/cli/package.json
index 7a2e325..4ac6ed8 100644
--- a/apps/cli/package.json
+++ b/apps/cli/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "claudemesh-cli",
-  "version": "1.19.1",
+  "version": "1.19.2",
   "description": "Peer mesh for Claude Code sessions — CLI + MCP server.",
   "keywords": [
     "claude-code",
diff --git a/apps/cli/src/commands/rename.ts b/apps/cli/src/commands/rename.ts
index 00a3724..6834052 100644
--- a/apps/cli/src/commands/rename.ts
+++ b/apps/cli/src/commands/rename.ts
@@ -1,13 +1,13 @@
 import { rename as renameMesh } from "~/services/mesh/facade.js";
 import { getStoredToken } from "~/services/auth/facade.js";
+import { ApiError } from "~/services/api/facade.js";
 import { bold, dim, green, icons } from "~/ui/styles.js";
 import { EXIT } from "~/constants/exit-codes.js";
 
 export async function rename(slug: string, newName: string): Promise<number> {
-  // Rename hits the account-scoped /api/my/meshes endpoint, which requires a
-  // web session token (~/.claudemesh/auth.json). Joining a mesh via invite
-  // does NOT create that token — it only writes a per-mesh apikey to
-  // config.json. Detect this case up front so the error is actionable.
+  // Rename requires a web session token (~/.claudemesh/auth.json). Joining
+  // a mesh via invite does NOT create that token — it only writes a per-mesh
+  // apikey to config.json. Detect this case up front so the error is actionable.
   const auth = getStoredToken();
   if (!auth) {
     console.error(`  ${icons.cross} Renaming a mesh requires a claudemesh.com account session.`);
@@ -22,6 +22,18 @@ export async function rename(slug: string, newName: string): Promise<number> {
     console.log(`  ${green(icons.check)} Renamed "${slug}" to "${newName}"`);
     return EXIT.SUCCESS;
   } catch (err) {
+    if (err instanceof ApiError) {
+      // Server returns { error: "..." } for actionable messages
+      // (not the owner, mesh missing, expired token). Surface the
+      // body — the bare HTTP code alone hides why it failed.
+      const body = err.body as { error?: string } | undefined;
+      const detail = body?.error ?? err.statusText;
+      console.error(`  ${icons.cross} ${detail}`);
+      if (err.status === 401) return EXIT.AUTH_FAILED;
+      if (err.status === 403) return EXIT.PERMISSION_DENIED;
+      if (err.status === 404) return EXIT.NOT_FOUND;
+      return EXIT.INTERNAL_ERROR;
+    }
     console.error(`  ${icons.cross} Failed: ${err instanceof Error ? err.message : err}`);
     return EXIT.INTERNAL_ERROR;
   }
diff --git a/apps/web/src/app/api/cli/meshes/[slug]/route.ts b/apps/web/src/app/api/cli/meshes/[slug]/route.ts
index a247cc8..9632dcc 100644
--- a/apps/web/src/app/api/cli/meshes/[slug]/route.ts
+++ b/apps/web/src/app/api/cli/meshes/[slug]/route.ts
@@ -93,19 +93,36 @@ export async function PATCH(
     return NextResponse.json({ error: "name too long (max 80 chars)" }, { status: 400 });
   }
 
-  // Only the owner can rename. The slug is the public identifier; we
-  // match (slug, ownerUserId) to scope the update.
-  const [updated] = await db
-    .update(mesh)
-    .set({ name: newName })
-    .where(and(eq(mesh.slug, slug), eq(mesh.ownerUserId, payload.sub)))
-    .returning({ slug: mesh.slug, name: mesh.name });
+  // Look up the mesh first so we can distinguish "doesn't exist"
+  // (404) from "exists but you don't own it" (403). The CLI was
+  // collapsing both into a bare "API error 404" — unhelpful when
+  // the user has multiple accounts and signs in to the wrong one.
+  const [existing] = await db
+    .select({ ownerUserId: mesh.ownerUserId })
+    .from(mesh)
+    .where(eq(mesh.slug, slug))
+    .limit(1);
 
-  if (!updated) {
+  if (!existing) {
     return NextResponse.json(
-      { error: "mesh not found or you are not the owner" },
+      { error: `mesh "${slug}" not found` },
       { status: 404 },
     );
   }
+  if (existing.ownerUserId !== payload.sub) {
+    return NextResponse.json(
+      {
+        error: `you are signed in as a different account than the owner of "${slug}". Run \`claudemesh logout && claudemesh login\` and pick the owning account.`,
+      },
+      { status: 403 },
+    );
+  }
+
+  const [updated] = await db
+    .update(mesh)
+    .set({ name: newName })
+    .where(eq(mesh.slug, slug))
+    .returning({ slug: mesh.slug, name: mesh.name });
+
   return NextResponse.json(updated);
 }