diff --git a/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/plugins/checkstyle/AbstractCheckstyleReport.java b/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/plugins/checkstyle/AbstractCheckstyleReport.java
index 0193c549..ad25d6d5 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/plugins/checkstyle/AbstractCheckstyleReport.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/plugins/checkstyle/AbstractCheckstyleReport.java
@@ -42,8 +42,6 @@
 import org.apache.maven.model.Dependency;
 import org.apache.maven.model.Plugin;
 import org.apache.maven.model.PluginManagement;
-import org.apache.maven.model.ReportPlugin;
-import org.apache.maven.model.Reporting;
 import org.apache.maven.model.Resource;
 import org.apache.maven.plugin.descriptor.PluginDescriptor;
 import org.apache.maven.plugins.annotations.Component;
@@ -489,45 +487,6 @@ protected List<MavenProject> getReactorProjects() {
         return reactorProjects;
     }
 
-    protected String constructXrefLocation(boolean test, boolean haveResults) {
-        String location = null;
-        if (linkXRef) {
-            File xrefLocation = getXrefLocation(test);
-
-            String relativePath = PathTool.getRelativePath(
-                    getReportOutputDirectory().getAbsolutePath(), xrefLocation.getAbsolutePath());
-            if (relativePath == null || relativePath.isEmpty()) {
-                relativePath = ".";
-            }
-            relativePath = relativePath + "/" + xrefLocation.getName();
-            if (xrefLocation.exists()) {
-                // XRef was already generated by manual execution of a lifecycle binding
-                location = relativePath;
-            } else {
-                // Not yet generated - check if the report is on its way
-                Reporting reporting = project.getModel().getReporting();
-                List<ReportPlugin> reportPlugins =
-                        reporting != null ? reporting.getPlugins() : Collections.<ReportPlugin>emptyList();
-                for (ReportPlugin plugin : reportPlugins) {
-                    String artifactId = plugin.getArtifactId();
-                    if ("maven-jxr-plugin".equals(artifactId) || "jxr-maven-plugin".equals(artifactId)) {
-                        location = relativePath;
-                    }
-                }
-            }
-
-            if (location == null && haveResults) {
-                getLog().warn("Unable to locate" + (test ? " Test" : "") + " Source XRef to link to - DISABLED");
-            }
-        }
-        return location;
-    }
-
-    protected File getXrefLocation(boolean test) {
-        File location = test ? xrefTestLocation : xrefLocation;
-        return location != null ? location : new File(getReportOutputDirectory(), test ? "xref-test" : "xref");
-    }
-
     /** {@inheritDoc} */
     public void executeReport(Locale locale) throws MavenReportException {
         checkDeprecatedParameterUsage(sourceDirectory, "sourceDirectory", "sourceDirectories");
@@ -573,7 +532,6 @@ public void executeReport(Locale locale) throws MavenReportException {
 
             CheckstyleResults results = checkstyleExecutor.executeCheckstyle(request);
 
-            boolean haveResults = results.getFileCount() > 0;
             CheckstyleReportRenderer r = new CheckstyleReportRenderer(
                     getSink(),
                     i18n,
@@ -581,8 +539,8 @@ public void executeReport(Locale locale) throws MavenReportException {
                     project,
                     siteTool,
                     effectiveConfigLocation,
-                    constructXrefLocation(false, haveResults),
-                    constructXrefLocation(true, haveResults),
+                    linkXRef ? constructXrefLocation(xrefLocation, false) : null,
+                    linkXRef ? constructXrefLocation(xrefTestLocation, true) : null,
                     linkXRef ? getTestSourceDirectories() : Collections.emptyList(),
                     enableRulesSummary,
                     enableSeveritySummary,