diff --git a/src/main/java/org/apache/commons/lang3/SerializationUtils.java b/src/main/java/org/apache/commons/lang3/SerializationUtils.java
index 34ee5c28c..6b3f58df2 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/apache/commons/lang3/SerializationUtils.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/apache/commons/lang3/SerializationUtils.java
@@ -77,8 +77,9 @@ public class SerializationUtils {
      * @return the cloned object
      * @throws SerializationException (runtime) if the serialization fails
      */
-    public static Object clone(Serializable object) {
-        return deserialize(serialize(object));
+    @SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
+    public static <T extends Serializable> T clone(T object) {
+        return (T) deserialize(serialize(object));
     }
     
     // Serialize
diff --git a/src/test/java/org/apache/commons/lang3/SerializationUtilsTest.java b/src/test/java/org/apache/commons/lang3/SerializationUtilsTest.java
index 88c431972..215ce261e 100644
--- a/src/test/java/org/apache/commons/lang3/SerializationUtilsTest.java
+++ b/src/test/java/org/apache/commons/lang3/SerializationUtilsTest.java
@@ -340,7 +340,7 @@ public class SerializationUtilsTest extends TestCase {
     //-----------------------------------------------------------------------
 
     public void testClone() throws Exception {
-        Object test = SerializationUtils.clone(iMap);
+        HashMap<?, ?> test = SerializationUtils.clone(iMap);
         assertNotNull(test);
         assertTrue(test instanceof HashMap<?,?>);
         assertTrue(test != iMap);