diff --git a/search-services/alfresco-search/src/main/java/org/alfresco/solr/utils/Utils.java b/search-services/alfresco-search/src/main/java/org/alfresco/solr/utils/Utils.java
index 2254b9cf0..3b586ca11 100644
--- a/search-services/alfresco-search/src/main/java/org/alfresco/solr/utils/Utils.java
+++ b/search-services/alfresco-search/src/main/java/org/alfresco/solr/utils/Utils.java
@@ -18,11 +18,18 @@
  */
 package org.alfresco.solr.utils;
 
+import org.slf4j.Logger;
+import org.slf4j.LoggerFactory;
+
+import java.io.Closeable;
+import java.io.IOException;
 import java.util.Collection;
 import java.util.Collections;
 
 public abstract class Utils
 {
+    private static final Logger LOGGER = LoggerFactory.getLogger(Utils.class);
+
     /**
      * Returns the same input collection if that is not null, otherwise a new empty collection.
      * Provides a safe way for iterating over a returned collection (which could be null).
@@ -53,4 +60,41 @@ public abstract class Utils
             return null;
         }
     }
+
+    /**
+     * Silently closes the given {@link Closeable} resource without raising any exception.
+     * This utility method is specifically useful when we have to close a resource in a lamba statement: since the
+     * close() method could throw an {@link IOException} the compiler requires an enclosing try / catch block which
+     * makes the code less readable.
+     *
+     * <br/><br/>
+     * <p>
+     *     <code>
+     *          try { if (resource != null) resource.close } catch (IOException exception) { ... }
+     *      </code>
+     * </p>
+     * <br/>
+     *
+     * In these contexts a call to this method reduces the amount of code needed:
+     *
+     * <br/><br/>
+     * <p>
+     *  <code>
+     *      silentlyClose(resource);
+     *  </code>
+     * </p>
+     *
+     * @param resource the {@link Closeable} resource we want to silently close.
+     */
+    public static void silentyClose(Closeable resource)
+    {
+        try
+        {
+            if (resource != null) resource.close();
+        }
+        catch(IOException ignore)
+        {
+            LOGGER.warn("Unable to properly close the resource instance {}. See the stacktrace below for further details.", resource, ignore);
+        }
+    }
 }