diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 44552ec..37a42b4 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -2,6 +2,10 @@
 
 ## dev branch / next version (2.x.x)
 
+## 2.2.0 (2022-05-03)
+
+- added canRename API call
+
 ## 2.1.4 (2022-05-02)
 
 - fixed handling of star imports
diff --git a/haxelib.json b/haxelib.json
index c5bfd4e..a5e109f 100644
--- a/haxelib.json
+++ b/haxelib.json
@@ -8,8 +8,8 @@
 		"refactor"
 	],
 	"description": "A code renaming tool for Haxe",
-	"version": "2.1.4",
-	"releasenote": "fixed handling of star imports",
+	"version": "2.2.0",
+	"releasenote": "added canRename API call - see CHANGELOG",
 	"contributors": [
 		"AlexHaxe"
 	],
diff --git a/package-lock.json b/package-lock.json
index c83f32f..000e0e4 100644
--- a/package-lock.json
+++ b/package-lock.json
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
 {
     "name": "@haxecheckstyle/haxe-rename",
-    "version": "2.1.4",
+    "version": "2.2.0",
     "lockfileVersion": 2,
     "requires": true,
     "packages": {
         "": {
             "name": "@haxecheckstyle/haxe-rename",
-            "version": "2.1.4",
+            "version": "2.2.0",
             "license": "MIT",
             "bin": {
                 "haxe-rename": "bin/rename.js"
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 285530f..cf9cb90 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
     "name": "@haxecheckstyle/haxe-rename",
-    "version": "2.1.4",
+    "version": "2.2.0",
     "description": "Renaming tool for Haxe",
     "repository": {
         "type": "git",
diff --git a/src/refactor/CanRefactorContext.hx b/src/refactor/CanRefactorContext.hx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1fc1d0d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/refactor/CanRefactorContext.hx
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+package refactor;
+
+import refactor.ITyper;
+import refactor.RefactorContext;
+import refactor.discover.FileList;
+import refactor.discover.NameMap;
+import refactor.discover.TypeList;
+
+typedef CanRefactorContext = {
+	var nameMap:NameMap;
+	var fileList:FileList;
+	var typeList:TypeList;
+	var what:RefactorWhat;
+	var verboseLog:VerboseLogger;
+	var typer:Null<ITyper>;
+}
diff --git a/src/refactor/CanRefactorResult.hx b/src/refactor/CanRefactorResult.hx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f31073a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/refactor/CanRefactorResult.hx
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+package refactor;
+
+import refactor.discover.IdentifierPos;
+
+typedef CanRefactorResult = {
+	var name:String;
+	var pos:IdentifierPos;
+}
diff --git a/src/refactor/Refactor.hx b/src/refactor/Refactor.hx
index 2c523bc..9169771 100644
--- a/src/refactor/Refactor.hx
+++ b/src/refactor/Refactor.hx
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package refactor;
 
 import refactor.discover.File;
 import refactor.discover.Identifier;
+import refactor.discover.IdentifierPos;
 import refactor.rename.RenameAnonStructField;
 import refactor.rename.RenameEnumField;
 import refactor.rename.RenameField;
@@ -12,6 +13,48 @@ import refactor.rename.RenameScopedLocal;
 import refactor.rename.RenameTypeName;
 
 class Refactor {
+	public static function canRename(context:CanRefactorContext):Promise<CanRefactorResult> {
+		var file:Null<File> = context.fileList.getFile(context.what.fileName);
+		if (file == null) {
+			return Promise.reject(RefactorResult.NotFound.printRefactorResult());
+		}
+		var identifier:Identifier = file.getIdentifier(context.what.pos);
+		if (identifier == null) {
+			return Promise.reject(RefactorResult.NotFound.printRefactorResult());
+		}
+		return switch (identifier.type) {
+			case PackageName | ImportAlias | Abstract | Class | Enum | Interface | Typedef | ModuleLevelStaticVar | ModuleLevelStaticMethod | Property |
+				FieldVar(_) | Method(_) | TypedefField(_) | StructureField(_) | InterfaceProperty | InterfaceVar | InterfaceMethod | EnumField(_) |
+				ScopedLocal(_, _):
+				Promise.resolve({name: identifier.name, pos: identifier.pos});
+			case ImportModul | UsingModul | Extends | Implements | AbstractOver | AbstractFrom | AbstractTo | TypeHint | StringConst | TypedParameter |
+				TypedefBase | Call(true) | CaseLabel(_):
+				Promise.reject(RefactorResult.Unsupported(identifier.toString()).printRefactorResult());
+			case Call(false) | Access | ArrayAccess(_) | ForIterator:
+				var candidate:Null<Identifier> = findActualWhat(context, file, identifier);
+				if (candidate == null) {
+					return Promise.reject(RefactorResult.Unsupported(identifier.toString()).printRefactorResult());
+				}
+				if (identifier.name.startsWith(candidate.name)) {
+					var pos:IdentifierPos = {
+						fileName: identifier.pos.fileName,
+						start: identifier.pos.start,
+						end: identifier.pos.start + context.what.toName.length
+					}
+					return Promise.resolve({name: candidate.name, pos: pos});
+				}
+				if (identifier.name.endsWith(candidate.name)) {
+					var pos:IdentifierPos = {
+						fileName: identifier.pos.fileName,
+						start: identifier.pos.end - context.what.toName.length,
+						end: identifier.pos.end
+					}
+					return Promise.resolve({name: candidate.name, pos: pos});
+				}
+				Promise.reject(RefactorResult.Unsupported(identifier.toString()).printRefactorResult());
+		}
+	}
+
 	public static function rename(context:RefactorContext):Promise<RefactorResult> {
 		var file:Null<File> = context.fileList.getFile(context.what.fileName);
 		if (file == null) {
@@ -68,7 +111,12 @@ class Refactor {
 				Promise.reject(RefactorResult.Unsupported(identifier.toString()).printRefactorResult());
 			case Call(false) | Access | ArrayAccess(_) | ForIterator:
 				context.verboseLog('rename "${identifier.name}" at call/access location - trying to find definition');
-				findActualWhat(context, file, identifier);
+				var candidate:Null<Identifier> = findActualWhat(context, file, identifier);
+				if (candidate == null) {
+					return Promise.reject(RefactorResult.Unsupported(identifier.toString()).printRefactorResult());
+				}
+				context.what.pos = candidate.pos.start;
+				rename(context);
 			case CaseLabel(_):
 				Promise.reject(RefactorResult.Unsupported(identifier.toString()).printRefactorResult());
 			case ScopedLocal(scopeEnd, type):
@@ -77,10 +125,10 @@ class Refactor {
 		}
 	}
 
-	static function findActualWhat(context:RefactorContext, file:File, identifier:Identifier):Promise<RefactorResult> {
+	static function findActualWhat(context:CanRefactorContext, file:File, identifier:Identifier):Null<Identifier> {
 		var parts:Array<String> = identifier.name.split(".");
 		if (parts.length <= 0) {
-			return Promise.reject(RefactorResult.Unsupported(identifier.toString()).printRefactorResult());
+			return null;
 		}
 		var firstPart:String = parts.shift();
 		var onlyFields:Bool = false;
@@ -92,7 +140,7 @@ class Refactor {
 		}
 		if (context.what.pos > identifier.pos.start + firstPart.length + offset) {
 			// rename position is not in first part of dotted identifiier
-			return Promise.reject(RefactorResult.Unsupported(identifier.toString()).printRefactorResult());
+			return null;
 		}
 		var allUses:Array<Identifier> = file.findAllIdentifiers((i) -> i.name == firstPart);
 		var candidate:Null<Identifier> = null;
@@ -116,10 +164,6 @@ class Refactor {
 				default:
 			}
 		}
-		if (candidate != null) {
-			context.what.pos = candidate.pos.start;
-			return rename(context);
-		}
-		return Promise.reject(RefactorResult.Unsupported(identifier.toString()).printRefactorResult());
+		return candidate;
 	}
 }
diff --git a/src/refactor/RefactorContext.hx b/src/refactor/RefactorContext.hx
index ddfb5e9..b312159 100644
--- a/src/refactor/RefactorContext.hx
+++ b/src/refactor/RefactorContext.hx
@@ -1,21 +1,12 @@
 package refactor;
 
 import haxe.PosInfos;
-import refactor.ITyper;
-import refactor.discover.FileList;
-import refactor.discover.NameMap;
-import refactor.discover.TypeList;
 import refactor.edits.IEditableDocument;
 
-typedef RefactorContext = {
-	var nameMap:NameMap;
-	var fileList:FileList;
-	var typeList:TypeList;
+typedef RefactorContext = CanRefactorContext & {
 	var what:RefactorWhat;
 	var forRealExecute:Bool;
 	var docFactory:(fileName:String) -> IEditableDocument;
-	var verboseLog:VerboseLogger;
-	var typer:Null<ITyper>;
 }
 
 typedef VerboseLogger = (text:String, ?pos:PosInfos) -> Void;
diff --git a/src/refactor/discover/UsageCollector.hx b/src/refactor/discover/UsageCollector.hx
index b92b874..f358be0 100644
--- a/src/refactor/discover/UsageCollector.hx
+++ b/src/refactor/discover/UsageCollector.hx
@@ -14,15 +14,8 @@ class UsageCollector {
 	public function new() {}
 
 	public function parseFile(content:ByteData, context:UsageContext) {
-		if (context.cache != null) {
-			var file:Null<File> = context.cache.getFile(context.fileName, context.nameMap);
-			if (file != null) {
-				context.fileList.addFile(file);
-				for (type in file.typeList) {
-					context.typeList.addType(type);
-				}
-				return;
-			}
+		if (isCached(context)) {
+			return;
 		}
 		var root:Null<TokenTree> = null;
 		try {
@@ -35,6 +28,21 @@ class UsageCollector {
 				t = lexer.token(haxeparser.HaxeLexer.tok);
 			}
 			root = TokenTreeBuilder.buildTokenTree(tokens, content, TypeLevel);
+			parseFileWithTokens(root, context);
+		} catch (e:ParserError) {
+			throw 'failed to parse ${context.fileName} - ParserError: $e (${e.pos})';
+		} catch (e:LexerError) {
+			throw 'failed to parse ${context.fileName} - LexerError: ${e.msg} (${e.pos})';
+		} catch (e:Exception) {
+			throw 'failed to parse ${context.fileName} - ${e.details()}';
+		}
+	}
+
+	public function parseFileWithTokens(root:TokenTree, context:UsageContext) {
+		if (isCached(context)) {
+			return;
+		}
+		try {
 			var file:File = new File(context.fileName);
 			context.file = file;
 			context.type = null;
@@ -45,15 +53,26 @@ class UsageCollector {
 			if (context.cache != null) {
 				context.cache.storeFile(file);
 			}
-		} catch (e:ParserError) {
-			throw 'failed to parse ${context.fileName} - ParserError: $e (${e.pos})';
-		} catch (e:LexerError) {
-			throw 'failed to parse ${context.fileName} - LexerError: ${e.msg} (${e.pos})';
 		} catch (e:Exception) {
 			throw 'failed to parse ${context.fileName} - ${e.details()}';
 		}
 	}
 
+	function isCached(context:UsageContext):Bool {
+		if (context.cache != null) {
+			var file:Null<File> = context.cache.getFile(context.fileName, context.nameMap);
+			if (file == null) {
+				return false;
+			}
+			context.fileList.addFile(file);
+			for (type in file.typeList) {
+				context.typeList.addType(type);
+			}
+			return true;
+		}
+		return false;
+	}
+
 	public function updateImportHx(context:UsageContext) {
 		for (importHxFile in context.fileList.files) {
 			var importHxPath:Path = new Path(importHxFile.name);
diff --git a/test/refactor/TestBase.hx b/test/refactor/TestBase.hx
index ea51b69..aa8604a 100644
--- a/test/refactor/TestBase.hx
+++ b/test/refactor/TestBase.hx
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 package refactor;
 
-import haxe.CallStack;
 import haxe.Exception;
 import haxe.PosInfos;
 import js.lib.Promise;
@@ -75,36 +74,47 @@ class TestBase implements ITest {
 
 	function doRefactor(what:RefactorWhat, edits:Array<TestEdit>, pos:PosInfos):Promise<RefactorResult> {
 		var editList:TestEditList = new TestEditList();
-		return Refactor.rename({
+		return Refactor.canRename({
 			nameMap: usageContext.nameMap,
 			fileList: usageContext.fileList,
 			typeList: usageContext.typeList,
 			what: what,
-			forRealExecute: true,
-			docFactory: (fileName) -> editList.newDoc(fileName),
 			verboseLog: function(text:String, ?pos:PosInfos) {
 				Sys.println('${pos.fileName}:${pos.lineNumber}: $text');
 			},
 			typer: null
-		}).then(function(success:RefactorResult) {
-			editList.sortEdits();
-			Assert.equals(Done, success, pos);
-			Assert.equals(editList.docCounter, editList.docFinishedCounter, pos);
-			Assert.equals(edits.length, editList.edits.length, pos);
-			if (edits.length == editList.edits.length) {
-				for (index in 0...edits.length) {
-					var expected:TestEdit = edits[index];
-					var actual:TestEdit = editList.edits[index];
-					Assert.equals(expected.fileName, actual.fileName, expected.pos);
-					Assert.equals(fileEditToString(expected.edit), fileEditToString(actual.edit), expected.pos);
+		}).then(function(success:CanRefactorResult) {
+			return Refactor.rename({
+				nameMap: usageContext.nameMap,
+				fileList: usageContext.fileList,
+				typeList: usageContext.typeList,
+				what: what,
+				forRealExecute: true,
+				docFactory: (fileName) -> editList.newDoc(fileName),
+				verboseLog: function(text:String, ?pos:PosInfos) {
+					Sys.println('${pos.fileName}:${pos.lineNumber}: $text');
+				},
+				typer: null
+			}).then(function(success:RefactorResult) {
+				editList.sortEdits();
+				Assert.equals(Done, success, pos);
+				Assert.equals(editList.docCounter, editList.docFinishedCounter, pos);
+				Assert.equals(edits.length, editList.edits.length, pos);
+				if (edits.length == editList.edits.length) {
+					for (index in 0...edits.length) {
+						var expected:TestEdit = edits[index];
+						var actual:TestEdit = editList.edits[index];
+						Assert.equals(expected.fileName, actual.fileName, expected.pos);
+						Assert.equals(fileEditToString(expected.edit), fileEditToString(actual.edit), expected.pos);
+					}
+				} else {
+					for (edit in editList.edits) {
+						Sys.println(fileEditToString(edit.edit));
+					}
+					Assert.fail("length mismatch - edits were not checked", pos);
 				}
-			} else {
-				for (edit in editList.edits) {
-					Sys.println(fileEditToString(edit.edit));
-				}
-				Assert.fail("length mismatch - edits were not checked", pos);
-			}
-			return Promise.resolve(success);
+				return Promise.resolve(success);
+			});
 		});
 	}