diff --git a/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/common/io/stream/StreamInput.java b/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/common/io/stream/StreamInput.java
index 4b30da0b9f5..0b819daf82c 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/common/io/stream/StreamInput.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/common/io/stream/StreamInput.java
@@ -730,7 +730,7 @@ public abstract class StreamInput extends InputStream {
     }
 
     /**
-     * Reads an optional {@link QueryBuilder}.
+     * Reads an optional {@link NamedWriteable}.
      */
     public <C extends NamedWriteable<?>> C readOptionalNamedWriteable(Class<C> categoryClass) throws IOException {
         if (readBoolean()) {
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/common/io/stream/StreamOutput.java b/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/common/io/stream/StreamOutput.java
index 716d6b861a2..81cbad760d9 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/common/io/stream/StreamOutput.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/common/io/stream/StreamOutput.java
@@ -692,6 +692,18 @@ public abstract class StreamOutput extends OutputStream {
         namedWriteable.writeTo(this);
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Write an optional {@link QueryBuilder} to the stream.
+     */
+    public void writeOptionalNamedWriteable(@Nullable NamedWriteable<?> namedWriteable) throws IOException {
+        if (namedWriteable == null) {
+            writeBoolean(false);
+        } else {
+            writeBoolean(true);
+            writeNamedWriteable(namedWriteable);
+        }
+    }
+
     /**
      * Writes a {@link AggregatorBuilder} to the current stream
      */
@@ -713,18 +725,6 @@ public abstract class StreamOutput extends OutputStream {
         writeNamedWriteable(queryBuilder);
     }
 
-    /**
-     * Write an optional {@link QueryBuilder} to the stream.
-     */
-    public void writeOptionalQuery(@Nullable QueryBuilder<?> queryBuilder) throws IOException {
-        if (queryBuilder == null) {
-            writeBoolean(false);
-        } else {
-            writeBoolean(true);
-            writeQuery(queryBuilder);
-        }
-    }
-
     /**
      * Writes a {@link ShapeBuilder} to the current stream
      */
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/search/sort/FieldSortBuilder.java b/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/search/sort/FieldSortBuilder.java
index 72a248db393..8d89322e5cd 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/search/sort/FieldSortBuilder.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/search/sort/FieldSortBuilder.java
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ public class FieldSortBuilder extends SortBuilder<FieldSortBuilder> {
     @Override
     public void writeTo(StreamOutput out) throws IOException {
         out.writeString(fieldName);
-        out.writeOptionalQuery(nestedFilter);
+        out.writeOptionalNamedWriteable(nestedFilter);
         out.writeOptionalString(nestedPath);
         out.writeGenericValue(missing);
         out.writeOptionalWriteable(order);
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/search/sort/GeoDistanceSortBuilder.java b/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/search/sort/GeoDistanceSortBuilder.java
index dbefbb460ba..e6570543c83 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/search/sort/GeoDistanceSortBuilder.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/search/sort/GeoDistanceSortBuilder.java
@@ -173,7 +173,7 @@ public class GeoDistanceSortBuilder extends SortBuilder<GeoDistanceSortBuilder>
         unit.writeTo(out);
         order.writeTo(out);
         out.writeOptionalWriteable(sortMode);
-        out.writeOptionalQuery(nestedFilter);
+        out.writeOptionalNamedWriteable(nestedFilter);
         out.writeOptionalString(nestedPath);
         out.writeBoolean(coerce);
         out.writeBoolean(ignoreMalformed);
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/search/sort/ScriptSortBuilder.java b/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/search/sort/ScriptSortBuilder.java
index 93b7de74b61..5c58d10b67f 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/search/sort/ScriptSortBuilder.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/search/sort/ScriptSortBuilder.java
@@ -128,7 +128,7 @@ public class ScriptSortBuilder extends SortBuilder<ScriptSortBuilder> {
         order.writeTo(out);
         out.writeOptionalWriteable(sortMode);
         out.writeOptionalString(nestedPath);
-        out.writeOptionalQuery(nestedFilter);
+        out.writeOptionalNamedWriteable(nestedFilter);
     }
 
     /**