diff --git a/solr/core/src/java/org/apache/solr/handler/admin/CollectionsHandler.java b/solr/core/src/java/org/apache/solr/handler/admin/CollectionsHandler.java
index 06968c38148..b4d0a1d06d9 100644
--- a/solr/core/src/java/org/apache/solr/handler/admin/CollectionsHandler.java
+++ b/solr/core/src/java/org/apache/solr/handler/admin/CollectionsHandler.java
@@ -454,7 +454,7 @@ public class CollectionsHandler extends RequestHandlerBase {
         String splitKey = req.getParams().get("split.key");
 
         if (splitKey == null && shard == null) {
-          throw new SolrException(ErrorCode.BAD_REQUEST, "Missing required parameter: shard");
+          throw new SolrException(ErrorCode.BAD_REQUEST, "At least one of shard, or split.key should be specified.");
         }
         if (splitKey != null && shard != null) {
           throw new SolrException(ErrorCode.BAD_REQUEST,
diff --git a/solr/solrj/src/java/org/apache/solr/client/solrj/request/CollectionAdminRequest.java b/solr/solrj/src/java/org/apache/solr/client/solrj/request/CollectionAdminRequest.java
index 76eb19f7640..0c25e09b5cd 100644
--- a/solr/solrj/src/java/org/apache/solr/client/solrj/request/CollectionAdminRequest.java
+++ b/solr/solrj/src/java/org/apache/solr/client/solrj/request/CollectionAdminRequest.java
@@ -616,27 +616,30 @@ public abstract class CollectionAdminRequest<T extends CollectionAdminResponse>
   /**
    * Returns a SolrRequest to split a shard in a collection
    */
-  public static SplitShard splitShard(String collection, String shard) {
-    return new SplitShard(collection, shard);
+  public static SplitShard splitShard(String collection) {
+    return new SplitShard(collection);
   }
 
   // SPLITSHARD request
-  public static class SplitShard extends AsyncShardSpecificAdminRequest {
+  public static class SplitShard extends AsyncCollectionAdminRequest {
+    protected String collection;
     protected String ranges;
     protected String splitKey;
+    protected String shard;
 
     private Properties properties;
 
-    private SplitShard(String collection, String shard) {
-      super(CollectionAction.SPLITSHARD, collection, shard);
+    private SplitShard(String collection) {
+      super(CollectionAction.SPLITSHARD);
+      this.collection = collection;
     }
 
     /**
-     * @deprecated Use {@link #splitShard(String, String)}
+     * @deprecated Use {@link #splitShard(String)}
      */
     @Deprecated
     public SplitShard() {
-      super(CollectionAction.SPLITSHARD, null, null);
+      super(CollectionAction.SPLITSHARD);
     }
 
     public SplitShard setRanges(String ranges) { this.ranges = ranges; return this; }
@@ -660,15 +663,12 @@ public abstract class CollectionAdminRequest<T extends CollectionAdminResponse>
       return this;
     }
 
-    @Override
     @Deprecated
     public SplitShard setCollectionName(String collection) {
       this.collection = collection;
       return this;
     }
 
-    @Override
-    @Deprecated
     public SplitShard setShardName(String shard) {
       this.shard = shard;
       return this;
@@ -684,10 +684,20 @@ public abstract class CollectionAdminRequest<T extends CollectionAdminResponse>
     @Override
     public SolrParams getParams() {
       ModifiableSolrParams params = (ModifiableSolrParams) super.getParams();
-      params.set( "ranges", ranges);
 
-      if(splitKey != null)
-        params.set("split.key", this.splitKey);
+      if(this.collection == null) {
+        throw new IllegalArgumentException("You must set collection name for this request.");
+      }
+
+      params.set(CollectionAdminParams.COLLECTION, collection);
+
+      if (this.shard == null && this.splitKey == null) {
+        throw new IllegalArgumentException("You must set shardname OR splitkey for this request.");
+      }
+
+      params.set("shard", shard);
+      params.set("split.key", this.splitKey);
+      params.set( "ranges", ranges);
 
       if(properties != null) {
         addProperties(params, properties);
diff --git a/solr/solrj/src/java/org/apache/solr/common/params/CollectionAdminParams.java b/solr/solrj/src/java/org/apache/solr/common/params/CollectionAdminParams.java
index b9bf717663f..e817dd9664d 100644
--- a/solr/solrj/src/java/org/apache/solr/common/params/CollectionAdminParams.java
+++ b/solr/solrj/src/java/org/apache/solr/common/params/CollectionAdminParams.java
@@ -21,4 +21,6 @@ public abstract class CollectionAdminParams {
   /* Param used by DELETESTATUS call to clear all stored responses */
   public static final String FLUSH = "flush";
 
+  public static final String COLLECTION = "collection";
+
 }