diff --git a/pyiceberg/table/update/snapshot.py b/pyiceberg/table/update/snapshot.py
index 5ca3eb7a73..a41359e0a4 100644
--- a/pyiceberg/table/update/snapshot.py
+++ b/pyiceberg/table/update/snapshot.py
@@ -1112,7 +1112,12 @@ def create_tag(self, snapshot_id: int, tag_name: str, max_ref_age_ms: int | None
 
         Returns:
             This for method chaining
+
+        Raises:
+            ValueError: If a branch or tag with this name already exists.
         """
+        if tag_name in self._effective_refs():
+            raise ValueError(f"Ref {tag_name} already exists")
         update, requirement = self._transaction._set_ref_snapshot(
             snapshot_id=snapshot_id,
             ref_name=tag_name,
@@ -1131,7 +1136,16 @@ def remove_tag(self, tag_name: str) -> ManageSnapshots:
             tag_name (str): name of tag to remove
         Returns:
             This for method chaining
+
+        Raises:
+            NoSuchSnapshotRefError: If the tag does not exist.
+            SnapshotRefTypeError: If the name belongs to a branch.
         """
+        ref = self._effective_refs().get(tag_name)
+        if ref is None:
+            raise NoSuchSnapshotRefError(f"Tag does not exist: {tag_name}")
+        if ref.snapshot_ref_type != SnapshotRefType.TAG:
+            raise SnapshotRefTypeError(f"Ref {tag_name} is a branch, not a tag")
         return self._remove_ref_snapshot(ref_name=tag_name)
 
     def create_branch(
@@ -1153,7 +1167,12 @@ def create_branch(
             min_snapshots_to_keep (Optional[int]): min number of snapshots to keep for the branch
         Returns:
             This for method chaining
+
+        Raises:
+            ValueError: If a branch or tag with this name already exists.
         """
+        if branch_name in self._effective_refs():
+            raise ValueError(f"Ref {branch_name} already exists")
         update, requirement = self._transaction._set_ref_snapshot(
             snapshot_id=snapshot_id,
             ref_name=branch_name,
@@ -1174,7 +1193,19 @@ def remove_branch(self, branch_name: str) -> ManageSnapshots:
             branch_name (str): name of branch to remove
         Returns:
             This for method chaining
+
+        Raises:
+            ValueError: If the branch is main.
+            NoSuchSnapshotRefError: If the branch does not exist.
+            SnapshotRefTypeError: If the name belongs to a tag.
         """
+        if branch_name == MAIN_BRANCH:
+            raise ValueError("Cannot remove main branch")
+        ref = self._effective_refs().get(branch_name)
+        if ref is None:
+            raise NoSuchSnapshotRefError(f"Branch does not exist: {branch_name}")
+        if ref.snapshot_ref_type != SnapshotRefType.BRANCH:
+            raise SnapshotRefTypeError(f"Ref {branch_name} is a tag, not a branch")
         return self._remove_ref_snapshot(ref_name=branch_name)
 
     def set_current_snapshot(self, snapshot_id: int | None = None, ref_name: str | None = None) -> ManageSnapshots:
diff --git a/tests/table/test_manage_snapshots.py b/tests/table/test_manage_snapshots.py
index 37607132ac..4fd6c06ae3 100644
--- a/tests/table/test_manage_snapshots.py
+++ b/tests/table/test_manage_snapshots.py
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@
 from pyiceberg.table import CommitTableResponse, Table
 from pyiceberg.table.metadata import TableMetadataUtil
 from pyiceberg.table.refs import SnapshotRef, SnapshotRefType
-from pyiceberg.table.update import SetSnapshotRefUpdate, TableRequirement, TableUpdate
+from pyiceberg.table.update import RemoveSnapshotRefUpdate, SetSnapshotRefUpdate, TableRequirement, TableUpdate
 
 # The two snapshots in the table_v2 fixture: CHILD's parent is PARENT.
 PARENT_SNAPSHOT_ID = 3051729675574597004
@@ -82,6 +82,79 @@ def table_v2_main_behind(example_table_metadata_v2: dict[str, Any]) -> Table:
     )
 
 
+def test_create_ref_rejects_existing_name(table_v2: Table) -> None:
+    table_v2.catalog = MagicMock()
+
+    # "test" is a tag in the fixture; neither kind may take an existing name.
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError, match="Ref test already exists"):
+        table_v2.manage_snapshots().create_branch(snapshot_id=CHILD_SNAPSHOT_ID, branch_name="test")
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError, match="Ref test already exists"):
+        table_v2.manage_snapshots().create_tag(snapshot_id=CHILD_SNAPSHOT_ID, tag_name="test")
+
+    table_v2.catalog.commit_table.assert_not_called()
+    assert table_v2.metadata.refs["test"].snapshot_id == PARENT_SNAPSHOT_ID
+
+
+def test_create_ref_rejects_name_staged_earlier_in_chain(table_v2: Table) -> None:
+    table_v2.catalog = MagicMock()
+    ms = table_v2.manage_snapshots().create_branch(snapshot_id=PARENT_SNAPSHOT_ID, branch_name="dev")
+
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError, match="Ref dev already exists"):
+        ms.create_branch(snapshot_id=CHILD_SNAPSHOT_ID, branch_name="dev")
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError, match="Ref dev already exists"):
+        ms.create_tag(snapshot_id=CHILD_SNAPSHOT_ID, tag_name="dev")
+
+    table_v2.catalog.commit_table.assert_not_called()
+
+
+def test_remove_ref_rejects_main_missing_and_wrong_kind(table_v2_main_behind: Table) -> None:
+    table_v2_main_behind.catalog = MagicMock()
+    ms = table_v2_main_behind.manage_snapshots()
+
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError, match="Cannot remove main branch"):
+        ms.remove_branch("main")
+    with pytest.raises(NoSuchSnapshotRefError, match="Branch does not exist: missing"):
+        ms.remove_branch("missing")
+    with pytest.raises(SnapshotRefTypeError, match="Ref test is a tag, not a branch"):
+        ms.remove_branch("test")
+    with pytest.raises(NoSuchSnapshotRefError, match="Tag does not exist: missing"):
+        ms.remove_tag("missing")
+    with pytest.raises(SnapshotRefTypeError, match="Ref audit is a branch, not a tag"):
+        ms.remove_tag("audit")
+
+    table_v2_main_behind.catalog.commit_table.assert_not_called()
+
+
+def test_remove_then_create_same_name_in_one_chain(table_v2_main_behind: Table) -> None:
+    table = table_v2_main_behind
+    mock_catalog = MagicMock()
+    mock_catalog.commit_table.return_value = _mock_commit_response(table)
+    table.catalog = mock_catalog
+
+    table.manage_snapshots().remove_branch("audit").create_branch(snapshot_id=PARENT_SNAPSHOT_ID, branch_name="audit").commit()
+
+    updates = _get_updates(mock_catalog)
+    assert [type(update) for update in updates] == [RemoveSnapshotRefUpdate, SetSnapshotRefUpdate]
+    assert isinstance(updates[1], SetSnapshotRefUpdate)
+    assert updates[1].snapshot_id == PARENT_SNAPSHOT_ID
+
+
+def test_remove_then_create_same_name_as_other_kind_in_one_chain(table_v2_main_behind: Table) -> None:
+    table = table_v2_main_behind
+    mock_catalog = MagicMock()
+    mock_catalog.commit_table.return_value = _mock_commit_response(table)
+    table.catalog = mock_catalog
+
+    # "test" is a tag; once removed in the chain the name is free for a branch.
+    table.manage_snapshots().remove_tag("test").create_branch(snapshot_id=CHILD_SNAPSHOT_ID, branch_name="test").commit()
+
+    updates = _get_updates(mock_catalog)
+    assert [type(update) for update in updates] == [RemoveSnapshotRefUpdate, SetSnapshotRefUpdate]
+    assert isinstance(updates[1], SetSnapshotRefUpdate)
+    assert updates[1].type == SnapshotRefType.BRANCH
+    assert updates[1].snapshot_id == CHILD_SNAPSHOT_ID
+
+
 def test_set_current_snapshot_basic(table_v2: Table) -> None:
     snapshot_one = 3051729675574597004