diff --git a/Code/Mantid/Framework/API/src/FileBackedExperimentInfo.cpp b/Code/Mantid/Framework/API/src/FileBackedExperimentInfo.cpp
index 79bff7b89c77..64c7084fdff3 100644
--- a/Code/Mantid/Framework/API/src/FileBackedExperimentInfo.cpp
+++ b/Code/Mantid/Framework/API/src/FileBackedExperimentInfo.cpp
@@ -28,11 +28,12 @@ FileBackedExperimentInfo::FileBackedExperimentInfo(const std::string &filename,
     : ExperimentInfo(), m_loaded(false), m_filename(filename), m_nxpath(nxpath) {}
 
 /**
- * @return A clone of the object
+ * This clones the FileBackedExperimentInfo and will not cause a load 
+ * of the information.
+ * @return A clone of the object.
  */
 ExperimentInfo *FileBackedExperimentInfo::cloneExperimentInfo() const {
-  populateIfNotLoaded();
-  return ExperimentInfo::cloneExperimentInfo();
+  return new FileBackedExperimentInfo(*this);
 }
 
 /// @returns A human-readable description of the object
diff --git a/Code/Mantid/Framework/API/test/FileBackedExperimentInfoTest.h b/Code/Mantid/Framework/API/test/FileBackedExperimentInfoTest.h
index b7ec12deea26..f3fa9eb6c621 100644
--- a/Code/Mantid/Framework/API/test/FileBackedExperimentInfoTest.h
+++ b/Code/Mantid/Framework/API/test/FileBackedExperimentInfoTest.h
@@ -45,12 +45,12 @@ class FileBackedExperimentInfoTest : public CxxTest::TestSuite {
     TS_ASSERT_EQUALS(fileBacked->toString(), m_inMemoryExptInfo->toString());
   }
 
-  void test_cloneExperimentInfo_populates_object() {
+  void test_cloneExperimentInfo_returns_new_file_backed_object_and_does_not_touch_file() {
     auto fileBacked = createTestObject();
     auto *clonedFileBacked = fileBacked->cloneExperimentInfo();
 
-    TS_ASSERT_EQUALS(clonedFileBacked->toString(),
-                     m_inMemoryExptInfo->toString());
+    TS_ASSERT(dynamic_cast<FileBackedExperimentInfo*>(clonedFileBacked));
+
     delete clonedFileBacked;
   }