diff --git a/devel/coccinelle/rename-var.cocci b/devel/coccinelle/rename-var.cocci
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..65bba80649
--- /dev/null
+++ b/devel/coccinelle/rename-var.cocci
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2021 the Pacemaker project contributors
+ *
+ * The version control history for this file may have further details.
+ *
+ * This source code is licensed under the GNU General Public License version 2
+ * or later (GPLv2+) WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY.
+ */
+
+/*
+ * Rename a variable. This is here as a template; replace "old" and
+ * "new" below with the old and new names. Here is an example:
+ *
+ * @@ @@
+ * - xml_private_flags
+ * + pcmk__xml_flags
+ *
+ * Run in the devel directory:
+ *
+ * make COCCI_FILES=coccinelle/rename-var.cocci cocci-inplace
+ *
+ * then revert the file before committing.
+ */
+
+virtual internal
+
+@@ @@
+- old
++ new