diff --git a/lucene/src/java/org/apache/lucene/index/DirectoryReader.java b/lucene/src/java/org/apache/lucene/index/DirectoryReader.java
index f224099c106..252dd36e035 100644
--- a/lucene/src/java/org/apache/lucene/index/DirectoryReader.java
+++ b/lucene/src/java/org/apache/lucene/index/DirectoryReader.java
@@ -305,25 +305,16 @@ class DirectoryReader extends IndexReader implements Cloneable {
   @Override
   public final synchronized Object clone() {
     try {
-      return clone(true);
+      DirectoryReader newReader = doOpenIfChanged((SegmentInfos) segmentInfos.clone(), true, true);
+      newReader.writer = writer;
+      newReader.hasDeletions = hasDeletions;
+      assert newReader.readerFinishedListeners != null;
+      return newReader;
     } catch (Exception ex) {
       throw new RuntimeException(ex);
     }
   }
 
-  @Override
-  public final synchronized IndexReader clone(boolean openReadOnly) throws CorruptIndexException, IOException {
-    assert openReadOnly;
-    // doOpenIfChanged calls ensureOpen
-    DirectoryReader newReader = doOpenIfChanged((SegmentInfos) segmentInfos.clone(), true, openReadOnly);
-
-    newReader.writer = writer;
-    newReader.hasDeletions = hasDeletions;
-    assert newReader.readerFinishedListeners != null;
-
-    return newReader;
-  }
-
   @Override
   protected final IndexReader doOpenIfChanged() throws CorruptIndexException, IOException {
     return doOpenIfChanged(true, null);
diff --git a/lucene/src/java/org/apache/lucene/index/IndexReader.java b/lucene/src/java/org/apache/lucene/index/IndexReader.java
index 5f8087953dc..cff2ea6fff3 100644
--- a/lucene/src/java/org/apache/lucene/index/IndexReader.java
+++ b/lucene/src/java/org/apache/lucene/index/IndexReader.java
@@ -653,16 +653,6 @@ public abstract class IndexReader implements Cloneable,Closeable {
   public synchronized Object clone() {
     throw new UnsupportedOperationException("This reader does not implement clone()");
   }
-  
-  /**
-   * Clones the IndexReader and optionally changes readOnly.  A readOnly 
-   * reader cannot open a writeable reader.  
-   * @throws CorruptIndexException if the index is corrupt
-   * @throws IOException if there is a low-level IO error
-   */
-  public synchronized IndexReader clone(boolean openReadOnly) throws CorruptIndexException, IOException {
-    throw new UnsupportedOperationException("This reader does not implement clone()");
-  }
 
   /** 
    * Returns the directory associated with this index.  The Default 
diff --git a/lucene/src/java/org/apache/lucene/index/SegmentReader.java b/lucene/src/java/org/apache/lucene/index/SegmentReader.java
index 21225538bd9..97b3a81f861 100644
--- a/lucene/src/java/org/apache/lucene/index/SegmentReader.java
+++ b/lucene/src/java/org/apache/lucene/index/SegmentReader.java
@@ -187,8 +187,8 @@ public class SegmentReader extends IndexReader implements Cloneable {
     }
   }
 
-  @Override
-  public final synchronized IndexReader clone(boolean openReadOnly) throws CorruptIndexException, IOException {
+  // nocommit: is this needed anymore by IndexWriter?
+  final synchronized IndexReader clone(boolean openReadOnly) throws CorruptIndexException, IOException {
     return reopenSegment(si, true, openReadOnly);
   }