diff --git a/base/rational.jl b/base/rational.jl
index b27baf5973d3b..bd1633bd3dd28 100644
--- a/base/rational.jl
+++ b/base/rational.jl
@@ -315,8 +315,6 @@ denominator(x::Rational) = x.den
 
 sign(x::Rational) = oftype(x, sign(x.num))
 signbit(x::Rational) = signbit(x.num)
-copysign(x::Rational, y::Real) = unsafe_rational(copysign(x.num, y), x.den)
-copysign(x::Rational, y::Rational) = unsafe_rational(copysign(x.num, y.num), x.den)
 
 abs(x::Rational) = unsafe_rational(checked_abs(x.num), x.den)
 
diff --git a/test/numbers.jl b/test/numbers.jl
index 922fa0da3337e..47d7e87753b11 100644
--- a/test/numbers.jl
+++ b/test/numbers.jl
@@ -679,6 +679,9 @@ end
     @test copysign(big(-1), 0x02) == 1
     @test copysign(big(-1.0), 0x02) == 1.0
     @test copysign(-1//2, 0x01) == 1//2
+
+    # Verify overflow is checked with rational
+    @test_throws OverflowError copysign(typemin(Int)//1, 1)
 end
 
 @testset "isnan/isinf/isfinite" begin