diff --git a/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/common/geo/GeoUtils.java b/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/common/geo/GeoUtils.java
index b4aaf5830ca..cec805e7a80 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/common/geo/GeoUtils.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/common/geo/GeoUtils.java
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ package org.elasticsearch.common.geo;
 
 import org.apache.lucene.spatial.prefix.tree.GeohashPrefixTree;
 import org.apache.lucene.spatial.prefix.tree.QuadPrefixTree;
+import org.apache.lucene.util.GeoDistanceUtils;
 import org.apache.lucene.util.SloppyMath;
 import org.elasticsearch.ElasticsearchParseException;
 import org.elasticsearch.common.unit.DistanceUnit;
@@ -65,19 +66,11 @@ public class GeoUtils {
     /** Earth ellipsoid polar distance in meters */
     public static final double EARTH_POLAR_DISTANCE = Math.PI * EARTH_SEMI_MINOR_AXIS;
 
-    /** Returns the maximum distance/radius from the point 'center' before overlapping */
-    public static double maxRadialDistance(GeoPoint center) {
-        if (Math.abs(center.lat()) == 90.0) {
-            return SloppyMath.haversin(center.lat(), center.lon(), 0, center.lon())*1000.0;
-        }
-        return SloppyMath.haversin(center.lat(), center.lon(), center.lat(), (180.0 + center.lon()) % 360)*1000.0;
-    }
-
     /** Returns the minimum between the provided distance 'initialRadius' and the
      * maximum distance/radius from the point 'center' before overlapping
      **/
     public static double maxRadialDistance(GeoPoint center, double initialRadius) {
-        final double maxRadius = maxRadialDistance(center);
+        final double maxRadius = GeoDistanceUtils.maxRadialDistanceMeters(center.lon(), center.lat());
         return Math.min(initialRadius, maxRadius);
     }
 
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/index/query/GeoDistanceRangeQueryBuilder.java b/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/index/query/GeoDistanceRangeQueryBuilder.java
index 4f09ff34b61..dc1c3d69817 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/index/query/GeoDistanceRangeQueryBuilder.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/index/query/GeoDistanceRangeQueryBuilder.java
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ package org.elasticsearch.index.query;
 
 import org.apache.lucene.search.GeoPointDistanceRangeQuery;
 import org.apache.lucene.search.Query;
+import org.apache.lucene.util.GeoDistanceUtils;
 import org.elasticsearch.Version;
 import org.elasticsearch.common.Strings;
 import org.elasticsearch.common.geo.GeoDistance;
@@ -263,7 +264,7 @@ public class GeoDistanceRangeQueryBuilder extends AbstractQueryBuilder<GeoDistan
                 toValue = geoDistance.normalize(toValue, DistanceUnit.DEFAULT);
             }
         } else {
-            toValue = GeoUtils.maxRadialDistance(point);
+            toValue = GeoDistanceUtils.maxRadialDistanceMeters(point.lon(), point.lat());
         }
 
         if (indexCreatedBeforeV2_2 == true) {
diff --git a/core/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/index/query/GeoDistanceRangeQueryTests.java b/core/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/index/query/GeoDistanceRangeQueryTests.java
index 78f7de9d9d5..a853660495d 100644
--- a/core/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/index/query/GeoDistanceRangeQueryTests.java
+++ b/core/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/index/query/GeoDistanceRangeQueryTests.java
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ package org.elasticsearch.index.query;
 
 import org.apache.lucene.search.GeoPointDistanceRangeQuery;
 import org.apache.lucene.search.Query;
+import org.apache.lucene.util.GeoDistanceUtils;
 import org.apache.lucene.util.NumericUtils;
 import org.elasticsearch.Version;
 import org.elasticsearch.common.geo.GeoDistance;
@@ -54,7 +55,7 @@ public class GeoDistanceRangeQueryTests extends AbstractQueryTestCase<GeoDistanc
             }
         }
         GeoPoint point = builder.point();
-        final double maxRadius = GeoUtils.maxRadialDistance(point);
+        final double maxRadius = GeoDistanceUtils.maxRadialDistanceMeters(point.lon(), point.lat());
         final int fromValueMeters = randomInt((int)(maxRadius*0.5));
         final int toValueMeters = randomIntBetween(fromValueMeters + 1, (int)maxRadius);
         DistanceUnit fromToUnits = randomFrom(DistanceUnit.values());