diff --git a/pom.xml b/pom.xml
index 06da0203cf1..aecb13deb59 100644
--- a/pom.xml
+++ b/pom.xml
@@ -196,14 +196,14 @@
         <dependency>
             <groupId>org.apache.solr</groupId>
             <artifactId>solr-solrj</artifactId>
-            <version>4.6.0</version>
+            <version>6.4.2</version>
         </dependency>
-        <dependency>
-            <!-- required by Solr... prevents java.lang.NoClassDefFoundError: org/apache/commons/logging/LogFactory -->
+<!--        <dependency>
+             required by Solr... prevents java.lang.NoClassDefFoundError: org/apache/commons/logging/LogFactory 
             <groupId>commons-logging</groupId>
             <artifactId>commons-logging</artifactId>
             <version>1.1.3</version>
-        </dependency>
+        </dependency>-->
         <dependency>
             <groupId>org.apache.commons</groupId>
             <artifactId>commons-math</artifactId>
diff --git a/src/main/java/edu/harvard/iq/dataverse/AutoCompleteBean.java b/src/main/java/edu/harvard/iq/dataverse/AutoCompleteBean.java
index 3f3d9e2a84e..4853e8ac2a4 100644
--- a/src/main/java/edu/harvard/iq/dataverse/AutoCompleteBean.java
+++ b/src/main/java/edu/harvard/iq/dataverse/AutoCompleteBean.java
@@ -1,15 +1,18 @@
 package edu.harvard.iq.dataverse;
 
 import edu.harvard.iq.dataverse.util.SystemConfig;
+import java.io.IOException;
 import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.logging.Logger;
 import javax.ejb.EJB;
 import javax.inject.Named;
+import org.apache.solr.client.solrj.SolrClient;
 import org.apache.solr.client.solrj.SolrQuery;
-import org.apache.solr.client.solrj.SolrServer;
+//import org.apache.solr.client.solrj.SolrServer;
 import org.apache.solr.client.solrj.SolrServerException;
-import org.apache.solr.client.solrj.impl.HttpSolrServer;
+import org.apache.solr.client.solrj.impl.HttpSolrClient;
+//import org.apache.solr.client.solrj.impl.HttpSolrServer;
 import org.apache.solr.client.solrj.response.QueryResponse;
 import org.apache.solr.client.solrj.response.TermsResponse;
 import org.apache.solr.client.solrj.response.TermsResponse.Term;
@@ -25,11 +28,12 @@ public class AutoCompleteBean implements java.io.Serializable {
     @EJB
     SystemConfig systemConfig;
     
-    private static SolrServer solrServer;
+    private static SolrClient solrServer;
     
-    public SolrServer getSolrServer(){
+    public SolrClient getSolrServer(){
         if(solrServer == null){
-            solrServer = new HttpSolrServer("http://" + systemConfig.getSolrHostColonPort() + "/solr");
+            String urlString = "http://" + systemConfig.getSolrHostColonPort() + "/solr";
+            solrServer = new HttpSolrClient.Builder(urlString).build();
         }
         return solrServer;
     }
@@ -59,6 +63,8 @@ public List<String> complete(String query) {
 //            items = resp.getTerms(solrFieldDatasetFieldDescription);
         } catch (SolrServerException e) {
             items = null;
+        } catch (IOException e) {
+            logger.warning("Solr query error: " + e);
         }
 
         if (items != null) {
diff --git a/src/main/java/edu/harvard/iq/dataverse/harvest/server/OAISetServiceBean.java b/src/main/java/edu/harvard/iq/dataverse/harvest/server/OAISetServiceBean.java
index 7938a234b40..9b975e27d67 100644
--- a/src/main/java/edu/harvard/iq/dataverse/harvest/server/OAISetServiceBean.java
+++ b/src/main/java/edu/harvard/iq/dataverse/harvest/server/OAISetServiceBean.java
@@ -31,11 +31,14 @@
 import javax.inject.Named;
 import javax.persistence.EntityManager;
 import javax.persistence.PersistenceContext;
+import org.apache.solr.client.solrj.SolrClient;
 import org.apache.solr.client.solrj.SolrQuery;
-import org.apache.solr.client.solrj.SolrServer;
+//import org.apache.solr.client.solrj.SolrServer;
 import org.apache.solr.client.solrj.SolrServerException;
-import org.apache.solr.client.solrj.impl.HttpSolrServer;
-import org.apache.solr.client.solrj.impl.HttpSolrServer.RemoteSolrException;
+import org.apache.solr.client.solrj.impl.HttpSolrClient;
+import org.apache.solr.client.solrj.impl.HttpSolrClient.RemoteSolrException;
+//import org.apache.solr.client.solrj.impl.HttpSolrServer;
+//import org.apache.solr.client.solrj.impl.HttpSolrServer.RemoteSolrException;
 import org.apache.solr.client.solrj.response.QueryResponse;
 import org.apache.solr.common.SolrDocument;
 import org.apache.solr.common.SolrDocumentList;
@@ -115,12 +118,13 @@ public OAISet findById(Long id) {
        return em.find(OAISet.class,id);
     }   
     
-    private SolrServer solrServer = null;
+    private SolrClient solrServer = null;
     
-    private SolrServer getSolrServer () {
+    private SolrClient getSolrServer () {
         if (solrServer == null) {
         }
-        solrServer = new HttpSolrServer("http://" + systemConfig.getSolrHostColonPort() + "/solr");
+        String urlString = "http://" + systemConfig.getSolrHostColonPort() + "/solr";
+        solrServer = new HttpSolrClient.Builder(urlString).build();
         
         return solrServer;
         
@@ -266,6 +270,8 @@ public List<Long> expandSetQuery(String query) throws OaiSetException {
         } catch (SolrServerException ex) {
             logger.fine("Internal Dataverse Search Engine Error");
             throw new OaiSetException("Internal Dataverse Search Engine Error");
+        } catch (IOException e) {
+            logger.warning("Solr query error: " + e);
         }
         
         SolrDocumentList docs = queryResponse.getResults();
diff --git a/src/main/java/edu/harvard/iq/dataverse/search/BatchIndex.java b/src/main/java/edu/harvard/iq/dataverse/search/BatchIndex.java
index f29bd6ba52b..783a9fb9f2a 100644
--- a/src/main/java/edu/harvard/iq/dataverse/search/BatchIndex.java
+++ b/src/main/java/edu/harvard/iq/dataverse/search/BatchIndex.java
@@ -9,7 +9,8 @@
 import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.Collection;
 import java.util.logging.Logger;
-import org.apache.solr.client.solrj.SolrServer;
+import org.apache.solr.client.solrj.SolrClient;
+//import org.apache.solr.client.solrj.SolrServer;
 import org.apache.solr.client.solrj.SolrServerException;
 import org.apache.solr.common.SolrInputDocument;
 
@@ -21,10 +22,10 @@ public class BatchIndex {
 private static final Logger logger = Logger.getLogger(BatchIndex.class.getCanonicalName());
     private Collection<SolrInputDocument> docs;
     long batchsize;
-    private SolrServer server;
+    private SolrClient server;
 
     
-    public BatchIndex(long size, SolrServer serv){
+    public BatchIndex(long size, SolrClient serv){
         batchsize = size;
         docs = new ArrayList<>();
         server = serv;
@@ -75,7 +76,7 @@ public void setDocs(Collection<SolrInputDocument> docs) {
     /**
      * @return the server
      */
-    public SolrServer getServer() {
+    public SolrClient getServer() {
         return server;
     }
 
diff --git a/src/main/java/edu/harvard/iq/dataverse/search/IndexServiceBean.java b/src/main/java/edu/harvard/iq/dataverse/search/IndexServiceBean.java
index 39b21befd6f..bfa31224761 100644
--- a/src/main/java/edu/harvard/iq/dataverse/search/IndexServiceBean.java
+++ b/src/main/java/edu/harvard/iq/dataverse/search/IndexServiceBean.java
@@ -51,10 +51,12 @@
 import static javax.ejb.TransactionAttributeType.REQUIRES_NEW;
 import javax.inject.Named;
 import org.apache.commons.lang.StringUtils;
+import org.apache.solr.client.solrj.SolrClient;
 import org.apache.solr.client.solrj.SolrQuery;
-import org.apache.solr.client.solrj.SolrServer;
+//import org.apache.solr.client.solrj.SolrServer;
 import org.apache.solr.client.solrj.SolrServerException;
-import org.apache.solr.client.solrj.impl.HttpSolrServer;
+import org.apache.solr.client.solrj.impl.HttpSolrClient;
+//import org.apache.solr.client.solrj.impl.HttpSolrServer;
 import org.apache.solr.client.solrj.response.QueryResponse;
 import org.apache.solr.client.solrj.response.UpdateResponse;
 import org.apache.solr.common.SolrDocument;
@@ -108,18 +110,24 @@ public class IndexServiceBean {
     public static final String HARVESTED = "Harvested";
     private String rootDataverseName;
     private Dataverse rootDataverseCached; 
-    private SolrServer solrServer;
+    private SolrClient solrServer;
     
     @PostConstruct
     public void init(){
-        solrServer = new HttpSolrServer("http://" + systemConfig.getSolrHostColonPort() + "/solr");
+        String urlString = "http://" + systemConfig.getSolrHostColonPort() + "/solr";
+        solrServer = new HttpSolrClient.Builder(urlString).build();
+
         rootDataverseName = findRootDataverseCached().getName();
     }
     
     @PreDestroy
     public void close(){
         if(solrServer != null){
-            solrServer.shutdown();
+            try {
+                solrServer.close();
+            } catch (IOException e) {
+                logger.warning("Solr closing error: " + e);
+            }
             solrServer = null;
         }
     }
@@ -1387,6 +1395,8 @@ private List<Long> findDvObjectInSolrOnly(String type) throws SearchException {
             queryResponse = solrServer.query(solrQuery);
         } catch (SolrServerException ex) {
             throw new SearchException("Error searching Solr for " + type, ex);
+        } catch (IOException e) {
+            logger.warning("Solr query error: " + e);
         }
         SolrDocumentList results = queryResponse.getResults();
         for (SolrDocument solrDocument : results) {
@@ -1421,6 +1431,8 @@ private List<String> findFilesOfParentDataset(long parentDatasetId) throws Searc
             queryResponse = solrServer.query(solrQuery);
         } catch (SolrServerException ex) {
             throw new SearchException("Error searching Solr for dataset parent id " + parentDatasetId, ex);
+        } catch (IOException e) {
+            logger.warning("Solr query error: " + e);
         }
         SolrDocumentList results = queryResponse.getResults();
         for (SolrDocument solrDocument : results) {
diff --git a/src/main/java/edu/harvard/iq/dataverse/search/SearchServiceBean.java b/src/main/java/edu/harvard/iq/dataverse/search/SearchServiceBean.java
index 660b5cc80e7..8155cc27250 100644
--- a/src/main/java/edu/harvard/iq/dataverse/search/SearchServiceBean.java
+++ b/src/main/java/edu/harvard/iq/dataverse/search/SearchServiceBean.java
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
 import edu.harvard.iq.dataverse.engine.command.DataverseRequest;
 import edu.harvard.iq.dataverse.util.JsfHelper;
 import edu.harvard.iq.dataverse.util.SystemConfig;
+import java.io.IOException;
 import java.lang.reflect.Field;
 import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.Arrays;
@@ -42,12 +43,15 @@
 import javax.ejb.TransactionRolledbackLocalException;
 import javax.inject.Named;
 import javax.persistence.NoResultException;
+import org.apache.solr.client.solrj.SolrClient;
 import org.apache.solr.client.solrj.SolrQuery;
 import org.apache.solr.client.solrj.SolrQuery.SortClause;
-import org.apache.solr.client.solrj.SolrServer;
+//import org.apache.solr.client.solrj.SolrServer;
 import org.apache.solr.client.solrj.SolrServerException;
-import org.apache.solr.client.solrj.impl.HttpSolrServer;
-import org.apache.solr.client.solrj.impl.HttpSolrServer.RemoteSolrException;
+import org.apache.solr.client.solrj.impl.HttpSolrClient;
+import org.apache.solr.client.solrj.impl.HttpSolrClient.RemoteSolrException;
+//import org.apache.solr.client.solrj.impl.HttpSolrServer;
+//import org.apache.solr.client.solrj.impl.HttpSolrServer.RemoteSolrException;
 import org.apache.solr.client.solrj.response.FacetField;
 import org.apache.solr.client.solrj.response.QueryResponse;
 import org.apache.solr.client.solrj.response.RangeFacet;
@@ -80,17 +84,22 @@ public class SearchServiceBean {
     SystemConfig systemConfig;
 
     public static final JsfHelper JH = new JsfHelper();
-    private SolrServer solrServer;
+    private SolrClient solrServer;
     
     @PostConstruct
     public void init(){
-        solrServer = new HttpSolrServer("http://" + systemConfig.getSolrHostColonPort() + "/solr");
+        String urlString = "http://" + systemConfig.getSolrHostColonPort() + "/solr";
+        solrServer = new HttpSolrClient.Builder(urlString).build();
     }
     
     @PreDestroy
     public void close(){
         if(solrServer != null){
-            solrServer.shutdown();
+            try {
+                solrServer.close();
+            } catch (IOException e) {
+                logger.warning("Solr closing error: " + e);
+            }
             solrServer = null;
         }
     }
@@ -301,7 +310,7 @@ public SolrQueryResponse search(DataverseRequest dataverseRequest, Dataverse dat
         // -----------------------------------  
         // Make the solr query
         // -----------------------------------
-        QueryResponse queryResponse;
+        QueryResponse queryResponse = null;
         try {
             queryResponse = solrServer.query(solrQuery);
         } catch (RemoteSolrException ex) {
@@ -333,6 +342,8 @@ public SolrQueryResponse search(DataverseRequest dataverseRequest, Dataverse dat
             return exceptionSolrQueryResponse;
         } catch (SolrServerException ex) {
             throw new SearchException("Internal Dataverse Search Engine Error", ex);
+        } catch (IOException e) {
+            logger.warning("Solr query error: " + e);
         }
 
         SolrDocumentList docs = queryResponse.getResults();
diff --git a/src/main/java/edu/harvard/iq/dataverse/search/SolrIndexServiceBean.java b/src/main/java/edu/harvard/iq/dataverse/search/SolrIndexServiceBean.java
index 1c5085ba63c..9b3157da098 100644
--- a/src/main/java/edu/harvard/iq/dataverse/search/SolrIndexServiceBean.java
+++ b/src/main/java/edu/harvard/iq/dataverse/search/SolrIndexServiceBean.java
@@ -28,9 +28,11 @@
 import javax.inject.Named;
 import javax.json.Json;
 import javax.json.JsonObjectBuilder;
-import org.apache.solr.client.solrj.SolrServer;
+import org.apache.solr.client.solrj.SolrClient;
+//import org.apache.solr.client.solrj.SolrServer;
 import org.apache.solr.client.solrj.SolrServerException;
-import org.apache.solr.client.solrj.impl.HttpSolrServer;
+import org.apache.solr.client.solrj.impl.HttpSolrClient;
+//import org.apache.solr.client.solrj.impl.HttpSolrServer;
 import org.apache.solr.client.solrj.response.UpdateResponse;
 import org.apache.solr.common.SolrInputDocument;
 
@@ -57,17 +59,24 @@ public class SolrIndexServiceBean {
 
     public static String numRowsClearedByClearAllIndexTimes = "numRowsClearedByClearAllIndexTimes";
     public static String messageString = "message";
-    private SolrServer solrServer;
+    private SolrClient solrServer;
     
     @PostConstruct
     public void init(){
-        solrServer = new HttpSolrServer("http://" + systemConfig.getSolrHostColonPort() + "/solr");
+        String urlString = "http://" + systemConfig.getSolrHostColonPort() + "/solr";
+        solrServer = new HttpSolrClient.Builder(urlString).build();
+        
     }
     
     @PreDestroy
     public void close(){
         if(solrServer != null){
-            solrServer.shutdown();
+            try {
+                solrServer.close();
+            } catch (IOException e) {
+                logger.warning("Solr closing error: " + e);
+            }
+           
             solrServer = null;
         }
     }