diff --git a/lucene/spatial3d/src/java/org/apache/lucene/spatial3d/geom/GeoAreaShape.java b/lucene/spatial3d/src/java/org/apache/lucene/spatial3d/geom/GeoAreaShape.java
index b00ffca2321..d977901266b 100644
--- a/lucene/spatial3d/src/java/org/apache/lucene/spatial3d/geom/GeoAreaShape.java
+++ b/lucene/spatial3d/src/java/org/apache/lucene/spatial3d/geom/GeoAreaShape.java
@@ -27,9 +27,10 @@ package org.apache.lucene.spatial3d.geom;
 public interface GeoAreaShape extends GeoMembershipShape, GeoArea{
 
   /**
-   * Assess whether a shape intersects with any of the edges this shape.
-   * Note well that this method return false if the shape contains, is within
-   * or is disjoint with the given shape.
+   * Assess whether a shape intersects with any of the edges of this shape.
+   * Note well that this method must return false if the shape contains or is disjoint
+   * with the given shape.  It is permissible to return true if the shape is within the
+   * specified shape, if it is difficult to compute intersection with edges.
    *
    * @param geoShape is the shape to assess for intersection with this shape's edges.
    *
diff --git a/lucene/spatial3d/src/java/org/apache/lucene/spatial3d/geom/GeoDegeneratePoint.java b/lucene/spatial3d/src/java/org/apache/lucene/spatial3d/geom/GeoDegeneratePoint.java
index 8a96fdf10f3..b6c54fa0572 100644
--- a/lucene/spatial3d/src/java/org/apache/lucene/spatial3d/geom/GeoDegeneratePoint.java
+++ b/lucene/spatial3d/src/java/org/apache/lucene/spatial3d/geom/GeoDegeneratePoint.java
@@ -86,9 +86,10 @@ class GeoDegeneratePoint extends GeoPoint implements GeoBBox, GeoCircle {
 
   @Override
   public boolean intersects(GeoShape geoShape) {
-    return false;
+    // We have no way of computing this properly, so return isWithin(), as we are allowed by contract.
+    return geoShape.isWithin(this);
   }
-
+  
   @Override
   public void getBounds(Bounds bounds) {
     bounds.addPoint(this);