diff --git a/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/index/engine/InternalEngine.java b/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/index/engine/InternalEngine.java
index 1f9fe8ac0fe..ac3fb1b1d74 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/index/engine/InternalEngine.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/index/engine/InternalEngine.java
@@ -92,9 +92,6 @@ public class InternalEngine extends Engine {
     private final SearcherFactory searcherFactory;
     private final SearcherManager searcherManager;
 
-    // we use flushNeeded here, since if there are no changes, then the commit won't write
-    // will not really happen, and then the commitUserData and the new translog will not be reflected
-    private volatile boolean flushNeeded = false;
     private final Lock flushLock = new ReentrantLock();
     private final ReentrantLock optimizeLock = new ReentrantLock();
 
@@ -344,7 +341,6 @@ public class InternalEngine extends Engine {
                     innerCreate(create);
                 }
             }
-            flushNeeded = true;
         } catch (OutOfMemoryError | IllegalStateException | IOException t) {
             maybeFailEngine("create", t);
             throw new CreateFailedEngineException(shardId, create, t);
@@ -451,7 +447,6 @@ public class InternalEngine extends Engine {
                     created = innerIndex(index);
                 }
             }
-            flushNeeded = true;
         } catch (OutOfMemoryError | IllegalStateException | IOException t) {
             maybeFailEngine("index", t);
             throw new IndexFailedEngineException(shardId, index, t);
@@ -549,7 +544,6 @@ public class InternalEngine extends Engine {
             ensureOpen();
             // NOTE: we don't throttle this when merges fall behind because delete-by-id does not create new segments:
             innerDelete(delete);
-            flushNeeded = true;
         } catch (OutOfMemoryError | IllegalStateException | IOException t) {
             maybeFailEngine("delete", t);
             throw new DeleteFailedEngineException(shardId, delete, t);
@@ -644,7 +638,6 @@ public class InternalEngine extends Engine {
 
             indexWriter.deleteDocuments(query);
             translog.add(new Translog.DeleteByQuery(delete));
-            flushNeeded = true;
         } catch (Throwable t) {
             maybeFailEngine("delete_by_query", t);
             throw new DeleteByQueryFailedEngineException(shardId, delete, t);
@@ -710,9 +703,7 @@ public class InternalEngine extends Engine {
                 logger.trace("acquired flush lock immediately");
             }
             try {
-                if (flushNeeded || force) {
-                    flushNeeded = false;
-                    final long translogId;
+                if (indexWriter.hasUncommittedChanges() || force) {
                     try {
                         translog.prepareCommit();
                         logger.trace("starting commit for flush; commitTranslog=true");
@@ -721,7 +712,6 @@ public class InternalEngine extends Engine {
                         translog.commit();
                         // we need to refresh in order to clear older version values
                         refresh("version_table_flush");
-
                     } catch (Throwable e) {
                         throw new FlushFailedEngineException(shardId, e);
                     }