diff --git a/modules/elasticsearch/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/node/NodeClosedException.java b/modules/elasticsearch/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/node/NodeClosedException.java
index 470335893f7..69cfff4060c 100644
--- a/modules/elasticsearch/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/node/NodeClosedException.java
+++ b/modules/elasticsearch/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/node/NodeClosedException.java
@@ -29,14 +29,7 @@ import org.elasticsearch.cluster.node.DiscoveryNode;
  */
 public class NodeClosedException extends ElasticSearchException {
 
-    private final DiscoveryNode node;
-
     public NodeClosedException(DiscoveryNode node) {
         super("node closed " + node);
-        this.node = node;
-    }
-
-    public DiscoveryNode node() {
-        return node;
     }
 }