diff --git a/spring-cloud-contract-verifier/src/main/groovy/org/springframework/cloud/contract/verifier/builder/JaxRsClientJUnitMethodBodyBuilder.groovy b/spring-cloud-contract-verifier/src/main/groovy/org/springframework/cloud/contract/verifier/builder/JaxRsClientJUnitMethodBodyBuilder.groovy
index 47bd2eda22..0a67fb0216 100644
--- a/spring-cloud-contract-verifier/src/main/groovy/org/springframework/cloud/contract/verifier/builder/JaxRsClientJUnitMethodBodyBuilder.groovy
+++ b/spring-cloud-contract-verifier/src/main/groovy/org/springframework/cloud/contract/verifier/builder/JaxRsClientJUnitMethodBodyBuilder.groovy
@@ -73,7 +73,9 @@ class JaxRsClientJUnitMethodBodyBuilder extends JUnitMethodBodyBuilder {
 		bb.unindent()
 
 		bb.addEmptyLine()
-		bb.addLine("String responseAsString = response.readEntity(String.class);")
+		if (expectsResponseBody()) {
+			bb.addLine("String responseAsString = response.readEntity(String.class);")
+		}
 	}
 
 	protected void appendUrlPathAndQueryParameters(BlockBuilder bb) {
diff --git a/spring-cloud-contract-verifier/src/main/groovy/org/springframework/cloud/contract/verifier/builder/JaxRsClientSpockMethodRequestProcessingBodyBuilder.groovy b/spring-cloud-contract-verifier/src/main/groovy/org/springframework/cloud/contract/verifier/builder/JaxRsClientSpockMethodRequestProcessingBodyBuilder.groovy
index a6e7327a20..f483785f96 100644
--- a/spring-cloud-contract-verifier/src/main/groovy/org/springframework/cloud/contract/verifier/builder/JaxRsClientSpockMethodRequestProcessingBodyBuilder.groovy
+++ b/spring-cloud-contract-verifier/src/main/groovy/org/springframework/cloud/contract/verifier/builder/JaxRsClientSpockMethodRequestProcessingBodyBuilder.groovy
@@ -69,7 +69,9 @@ class JaxRsClientSpockMethodRequestProcessingBodyBuilder extends SpockMethodRequ
 		bb.unindent()
 
 		bb.addEmptyLine()
-		bb.addLine("String responseAsString = response.readEntity(String)")
+		if (expectsResponseBody()) {
+			bb.addLine("String responseAsString = response.readEntity(String)")
+		}
 	}
 
 	protected void appendRequestWithRequiredResponseContentType(BlockBuilder bb) {
diff --git a/spring-cloud-contract-verifier/src/main/groovy/org/springframework/cloud/contract/verifier/builder/RequestProcessingMethodBodyBuilder.groovy b/spring-cloud-contract-verifier/src/main/groovy/org/springframework/cloud/contract/verifier/builder/RequestProcessingMethodBodyBuilder.groovy
index 95592889ef..1fc64deb51 100644
--- a/spring-cloud-contract-verifier/src/main/groovy/org/springframework/cloud/contract/verifier/builder/RequestProcessingMethodBodyBuilder.groovy
+++ b/spring-cloud-contract-verifier/src/main/groovy/org/springframework/cloud/contract/verifier/builder/RequestProcessingMethodBodyBuilder.groovy
@@ -73,6 +73,13 @@ abstract class RequestProcessingMethodBodyBuilder extends MethodBodyBuilder {
 		return true
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * Returns {@code true} if a response body is expected
+	 */
+	protected boolean expectsResponseBody() {
+		return response.body != null;
+	}
+
 	/**
 	 * Returns {@code true} if the query parameter is allowed
 	 */
diff --git a/spring-cloud-contract-verifier/src/test/groovy/org/springframework/cloud/contract/verifier/builder/JaxRsClientMethodBuilderSpec.groovy b/spring-cloud-contract-verifier/src/test/groovy/org/springframework/cloud/contract/verifier/builder/JaxRsClientMethodBuilderSpec.groovy
index add3644b64..b94301dcca 100644
--- a/spring-cloud-contract-verifier/src/test/groovy/org/springframework/cloud/contract/verifier/builder/JaxRsClientMethodBuilderSpec.groovy
+++ b/spring-cloud-contract-verifier/src/test/groovy/org/springframework/cloud/contract/verifier/builder/JaxRsClientMethodBuilderSpec.groovy
@@ -687,6 +687,34 @@ class JaxRsClientMethodBuilderSpec extends Specification implements WireMockStub
 			"JaxRsClientJUnitMethodBodyBuilder" | { org.springframework.cloud.contract.spec.Contract dsl -> new JaxRsClientJUnitMethodBodyBuilder(dsl, properties) }                                   | 'entity("", "application/octet-stream"'
 	}
 
+	def "should not parse the response body if there is no response body specified in the contract"() {
+		given:
+			Contract contractDsl = Contract.make {
+				request {
+					method "HEAD"
+					url "head"
+				}
+				response {
+					status OK()
+				}
+			}
+			MethodBodyBuilder builder = methodBuilder(contractDsl)
+			BlockBuilder blockBuilder = new BlockBuilder(" ")
+		when:
+			builder.appendTo(blockBuilder)
+			def test = blockBuilder.toString()
+		then:
+			!test.contains(bodyParsingString)
+		and:
+			stubMappingIsValidWireMockStub(contractDsl)
+		and:
+			SyntaxChecker.tryToCompile(methodBuilderName, blockBuilder.toString())
+		where:
+			methodBuilderName                   | methodBuilder                                                                                                                                    | bodyParsingString
+			"JaxRsClientSpockMethodRequestProcessingBodyBuilder" | { org.springframework.cloud.contract.spec.Contract dsl -> new JaxRsClientSpockMethodRequestProcessingBodyBuilder(dsl, properties) } | "String responseAsString = response.readEntity(String)"
+			"JaxRsClientJUnitMethodBodyBuilder" | { org.springframework.cloud.contract.spec.Contract dsl -> new JaxRsClientJUnitMethodBodyBuilder(dsl, properties) }                                   | "String responseAsString = response.readEntity(String.class);"
+	}
+
 	def "should generate test for String in response body with #methodBodyName"() {
 		given:
 			Contract contractDsl = Contract.make {