diff --git a/lib/jay_api/elasticsearch/query_builder/query_clauses.rb b/lib/jay_api/elasticsearch/query_builder/query_clauses.rb
index ebdb83c..beeeb12 100644
--- a/lib/jay_api/elasticsearch/query_builder/query_clauses.rb
+++ b/lib/jay_api/elasticsearch/query_builder/query_clauses.rb
@@ -31,8 +31,11 @@ class QueryClauses
         #   If a block is given then +self+ is returned, if no block is given
         #   then the +bool+ query clause is returned.
         def bool
-          clause ||= boolean_clause || ::JayAPI::Elasticsearch::QueryBuilder::QueryClauses::Bool.new
-          replace_top_level_clause(clause, force: boolean_query?)
+          clause = if boolean_query?
+                     top_level_clause
+                   else
+                     self.top_level_clause = ::JayAPI::Elasticsearch::QueryBuilder::QueryClauses::Bool.new
+                   end
 
           if block_given?
             yield clause
@@ -50,7 +53,8 @@ def bool
         # @raise [JayAPI::Elasticsearch::QueryBuilder::Errors::QueryBuilderError]
         #   If there is already a top level clause.
         def <<(query_clause)
-          replace_top_level_clause(query_clause)
+          self.top_level_clause = query_clause
+          self
         end
 
         # @return [Hash] The Hash representation of the Query Clauses set.
@@ -125,37 +129,19 @@ def negate
 
         private
 
-        # Replaces the current top-level clause with the given clause.
-        # @param [JayAPI::Elasticsearch::QueryBuilder::QueryClauses::QueryClause]
-        #   query_clause The query clause to add.
-        # @param [Boolean] force Forces the replacement of the top-level clause
-        #   even if there is already a top-level clause in place.
-        # @return [JayAPI::Elasticsearch::QueryBuilder::QueryClauses] Returns
-        #   itself so that other methods can be chained.
-        # @raise [JayAPI::Elasticsearch::QueryBuilder::Errors::QueryBuilderError]
-        #   If there is already a top level clause and +force+ is +false+.
-        def replace_top_level_clause(query_clause, force: false)
-          single_top_level_clause! unless force
-          @top_level_clause = query_clause
-          self
-        end
-
-        # @return [JayAPI::Elasticsearch::QueryBuilder::QueryClauses::Bool, nil]
-        #   The current top-level clause if it is a Boolean clause, +nil+
-        #   otherwise.
-        def boolean_clause
-          boolean_query? ? top_level_clause : nil
-        end
-
+        # @param [JayAPI::Elasticsearch::QueryBuilder::QueryClauses::QueryClause] clause
+        #   The new top-level query clause.
         # @raise [JayAPI::Elasticsearch::QueryBuilder::Errors::QueryBuilderError]
-        #   If there is already a top level clause.
-        def single_top_level_clause!
-          return unless top_level_clause
+        #   If a top-level query clause already exists.
+        def top_level_clause=(clause)
+          if top_level_clause
+            raise ::JayAPI::Elasticsearch::QueryBuilder::Errors::QueryBuilderError,
+                  'Queries can only have one top-level query clause, ' \
+                  'to use multiple clauses add a compound query, ' \
+                  'for example: `bool`'
+          end
 
-          raise ::JayAPI::Elasticsearch::QueryBuilder::Errors::QueryBuilderError,
-                'Queries can only have one top-level query clause, ' \
-                'to use multiple clauses add a compound query, ' \
-                'for example: `bool`'
+          @top_level_clause = clause
         end
       end
     end
diff --git a/spec/jay_api/elasticsearch/query_builder/query_clauses_spec.rb b/spec/jay_api/elasticsearch/query_builder/query_clauses_spec.rb
index 81f1cf4..26d1ffd 100644
--- a/spec/jay_api/elasticsearch/query_builder/query_clauses_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/jay_api/elasticsearch/query_builder/query_clauses_spec.rb
@@ -71,6 +71,10 @@
         method_call
       end
 
+      it 'returns the same boolean clause that was created before' do
+        expect(method_call).to be(bool_clause)
+      end
+
       it 'does not raise any errors' do
         expect { method_call }.not_to raise_error
       end
@@ -93,6 +97,16 @@
     end
   end
 
+  shared_examples_for '#<< when there a top-level clause already exists' do
+    it 'raises a JayAPI::Elasticsearch::QueryBuilder::Errors::QueryBuilderError' do
+      expect { method_call }.to raise_error(
+        JayAPI::Elasticsearch::QueryBuilder::Errors::QueryBuilderError,
+        'Queries can only have one top-level query clause, to use multiple clauses ' \
+        'add a compound query, for example: `bool`'
+      )
+    end
+  end
+
   describe '#<<' do
     subject(:method_call) { query_clauses << query_clause }
 
@@ -103,13 +117,13 @@
     context 'when another clause has already been added' do
       before { query_clauses.wildcard(field: 'some_field', value: 'a*value') }
 
-      it 'raises a JayAPI::Elasticsearch::QueryBuilder::Errors::QueryBuilderError' do
-        expect { method_call }.to raise_error(
-          JayAPI::Elasticsearch::QueryBuilder::Errors::QueryBuilderError,
-          'Queries can only have one top-level query clause, to use multiple ' \
-          'clauses add a compound query, for example: `bool`'
-        )
-      end
+      it_behaves_like '#<< when there a top-level clause already exists'
+    end
+
+    context 'when a boolean clause has already been added' do
+      before { query_clauses.bool }
+
+      it_behaves_like '#<< when there a top-level clause already exists'
     end
 
     context 'when no other clause exists yet' do