Rewiring, the ability of species to establish new interactions or reorganize existing ones, is important in the persistence of ecological networks under human-driven environmental changes, such as habitat loss, climate change, and species extinctions. In this paper, we (1) review the current state of knowledge regarding studies that investigate rewiring in mutualistic interactions; (2) identify important caveats and research gaps; and (3) explore rewiring in the interactions between vertebrates and fruiting plants by proposing and recommending a comprehensive list of mechanisms that may either facilitate or limit rewiring, that should be considered in future research. We argue that, while rewiring is often viewed as a flexible response driven by species abundances, co-occurrence and morphological matching, this perspective oversimplifies the complexity of ecological and evolutionary processes shaping the reorganization of mutualisms. For instance, intraspecific variation in traits, fruit chemistry, competition dynamics, the role of rare or infrequent interactions, forbidden links, and alternative modes of seed dispersal all have the potential to determine the likelihood and ecological consequences of rewiring, and should be considered in future studies. Additionally, we highlight how methodological issues, such as biased or incomplete sampling, can difficult our understanding of rewiring potential. By integrating these overlooked elements, we propose a more comprehensive approach for predicting how mutualistic networks will respond to current and future environmental change. This deeper understanding is essential for designing effective conservation strategies with the aims at understanding the resilience and functionality of ecosystems.