diff --git a/django/db/models/query.py b/django/db/models/query.py
index 81a8b67cec..87bc6205a8 100644
--- a/django/db/models/query.py
+++ b/django/db/models/query.py
@@ -500,7 +500,7 @@ class QuerySet(object):
             "Cannot change a query once a slice has been taken."
         obj = self._clone()
         obj.query.set_limits(high=1)
-        obj.query.clear_ordering()
+        obj.query.clear_ordering(force_empty=True)
         obj.query.add_ordering('%s%s' % (direction, order_by))
         return obj.get()
 
@@ -793,7 +793,7 @@ class QuerySet(object):
         assert self.query.can_filter(), \
                 "Cannot reorder a query once a slice has been taken."
         obj = self._clone()
-        obj.query.clear_ordering()
+        obj.query.clear_ordering(force_empty=False)
         obj.query.add_ordering(*field_names)
         return obj
 
diff --git a/django/db/models/sql/query.py b/django/db/models/sql/query.py
index 613f4c4cfc..fb0f09efde 100644
--- a/django/db/models/sql/query.py
+++ b/django/db/models/sql/query.py
@@ -1638,7 +1638,7 @@ class Query(object):
         else:
             self.default_ordering = False
 
-    def clear_ordering(self, force_empty=False):
+    def clear_ordering(self, force_empty):
         """
         Removes any ordering settings. If 'force_empty' is True, there will be
         no ordering in the resulting query (not even the model's default).