diff --git a/crates/buzz-db/src/store/channel.rs b/crates/buzz-db/src/store/channel.rs
index 4cde838cf1..81c7a92b65 100644
--- a/crates/buzz-db/src/store/channel.rs
+++ b/crates/buzz-db/src/store/channel.rs
@@ -1393,6 +1393,9 @@ pub struct ChannelMetadataEdit {
     pub purpose: Option<String>,
     /// `Some(true)` archives the channel; `Some(false)` restores it.
     pub archived: Option<bool>,
+    /// Lets this edit change an archived channel, which stays archived. Only
+    /// a relay operator's name-only rename sets it.
+    pub keep_archived: bool,
 }
 
 /// The result of [`Db::apply_channel_metadata_event`].
@@ -1450,6 +1453,7 @@ pub(crate) async fn apply_channel_metadata_event(
     // channel already in the requested state.
     match (locked.archived(), edit.archived) {
         (true, Some(false)) | (false, None | Some(true)) => {}
+        (true, None) if edit.keep_archived => {}
         (true, _) => return Err(DbError::AccessDenied("channel is archived".to_string())),
         (false, Some(false)) => {
             return Err(DbError::AccessDenied("channel is not archived".to_string()));
@@ -1462,6 +1466,7 @@ pub(crate) async fn apply_channel_metadata_event(
         topic,
         purpose,
         archived,
+        keep_archived: _,
     } = edit;
     let actor = event.pubkey.to_bytes();
     if !columns.is_empty() {
diff --git a/crates/buzz-relay/src/handlers/group_state_postgres_tests.rs b/crates/buzz-relay/src/handlers/group_state_postgres_tests.rs
index 587979c3e3..aa9d35487b 100644
--- a/crates/buzz-relay/src/handlers/group_state_postgres_tests.rs
+++ b/crates/buzz-relay/src/handlers/group_state_postgres_tests.rs
@@ -1202,6 +1202,27 @@ async fn a_relay_operator_may_only_rename_a_channel() {
         assert_eq!(name(state.clone()).await, before);
     }
 
+    // The rename repairs archived duplicates too, so archive the channel. An
+    // owner still may not edit it while it is archived.
+    state
+        .db
+        .archive_channel(community_id, channel)
+        .await
+        .expect("archive");
+    match ingest_event(
+        &state,
+        &tenant,
+        edit(&owner, &[&["name", "by-owner"]]),
+        http_auth(&owner),
+    )
+    .await
+    {
+        Err(IngestError::Rejected(message)) => assert!(message.contains("archived"), "{message}"),
+        Err(other) => panic!("expected a refusal, got {other:?}"),
+        Ok(result) => panic!("expected a refusal, got {:?}", result.message),
+    }
+    assert_eq!(name(state.clone()).await, before);
+
     let renamed = ingest_event(
         &state,
         &tenant,
@@ -1212,6 +1233,16 @@ async fn a_relay_operator_may_only_rename_a_channel() {
     .unwrap_or_else(|error| panic!("operator rename: {error:?}"));
     assert!(renamed.accepted, "{}", renamed.message);
     assert_eq!(name(state.clone()).await, "renamed-by-operator");
+    assert!(
+        state
+            .db
+            .get_channel(community_id, channel)
+            .await
+            .expect("channel")
+            .archived_at
+            .is_some(),
+        "the rename keeps the channel archived"
+    );
     let tags = group_state_tags(&state, &tenant, channel, 39000).await;
     assert!(
         tags.iter()
diff --git a/crates/buzz-relay/src/handlers/side_effects.rs b/crates/buzz-relay/src/handlers/side_effects.rs
index c97e95f1f2..e052eddd69 100644
--- a/crates/buzz-relay/src/handlers/side_effects.rs
+++ b/crates/buzz-relay/src/handlers/side_effects.rs
@@ -2144,6 +2144,10 @@ pub(crate) async fn persist_edit_metadata(
     if let Some(labels) = channel_labels_from_tags(event) {
         edit.columns.labels = Some(labels.map_err(|e| anyhow::anyhow!("{e}"))?);
     }
+    // An operator's rename may repair an archived duplicate name, so it
+    // applies to an archived channel and leaves it archived.
+    edit.keep_archived =
+        is_rename_only(event) && actor_is_relay_operator(state, event.pubkey.to_bytes()).await?;
 
     let now = chrono::Utc::now();
     let mut notices = Vec::new();