diff --git a/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/ExceptionsHelper.java b/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/ExceptionsHelper.java
index e2af52ccd2c..772daab2c75 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/ExceptionsHelper.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/ExceptionsHelper.java
@@ -179,19 +179,6 @@ public final class ExceptionsHelper {
         return null;
     }
 
-    /**
-     * Returns <code>true</code> iff the given throwable is and OutOfMemoryException, otherwise <code>false</code>
-     */
-    public static boolean isOOM(Throwable t) {
-        return t != null
-                && (t instanceof OutOfMemoryError
-                    || (t instanceof IllegalStateException
-                        && t.getMessage() != null
-                        && t.getMessage().contains("OutOfMemoryError")
-                        )
-                    );
-    }
-
     /**
      * Throws the specified exception. If null if specified then <code>true</code> is returned.
      */
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/index/engine/Engine.java b/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/index/engine/Engine.java
index d5dc64e3a56..12b021ddb71 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/index/engine/Engine.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/index/engine/Engine.java
@@ -705,9 +705,6 @@ public abstract class Engine implements Closeable {
         if (Lucene.isCorruptionException(e)) {
             failEngine("corrupt file (source: [" + source + "])", e);
             return true;
-        } else if (ExceptionsHelper.isOOM(e)) {
-            failEngine("out of memory (source: [" + source + "])", e);
-            return true;
         }
         return false;
     }