diff --git a/public/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/utils/clipreads/ClippingOp.java b/public/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/utils/clipreads/ClippingOp.java
index 4a253b217..97855080c 100644
--- a/public/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/utils/clipreads/ClippingOp.java
+++ b/public/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/utils/clipreads/ClippingOp.java
@@ -247,7 +247,7 @@ public class ClippingOp {
         return newCigar;
     }
 
-    @Requires({"start <= stop", "start == 0 || stop == read.getReadLength() - 1", "!read.getReadUnmappedFlag()"})
+    @Requires({"start <= stop", "start == 0 || stop == read.getReadLength() - 1"})
     private GATKSAMRecord hardClip (GATKSAMRecord read, int start, int stop) {
         if (start == 0 && stop == read.getReadLength() - 1)
             return new GATKSAMRecord(read.getHeader());
diff --git a/public/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/utils/clipreads/ReadClipper.java b/public/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/utils/clipreads/ReadClipper.java
index c3684034c..4df899888 100644
--- a/public/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/utils/clipreads/ReadClipper.java
+++ b/public/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/utils/clipreads/ReadClipper.java
@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@ public class ReadClipper {
         return hardClipByReferenceCoordinates(refStart, -1);
     }
 
+    @Requires("!read.getReadUnmappedFlag()")
     protected GATKSAMRecord hardClipByReferenceCoordinates(int refStart, int refStop) {
         int start = (refStart < 0) ? 0 : ReadUtils.getReadCoordinateForReferenceCoordinate(read, refStart, ReadUtils.ClippingTail.RIGHT_TAIL);
         int stop =  (refStop  < 0) ? read.getReadLength() - 1 : ReadUtils.getReadCoordinateForReferenceCoordinate(read, refStop, ReadUtils.ClippingTail.LEFT_TAIL);