diff --git a/pmd-java/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/multifile/signature/JavaFieldSigMask.java b/pmd-java/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/multifile/signature/JavaFieldSigMask.java
index fa4323fd6b..74b1bbc062 100644
--- a/pmd-java/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/multifile/signature/JavaFieldSigMask.java
+++ b/pmd-java/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/multifile/signature/JavaFieldSigMask.java
@@ -4,8 +4,6 @@
 
 package net.sourceforge.pmd.lang.java.multifile.signature;
 
-import net.sourceforge.pmd.lang.java.multifile.signature.JavaSignature.Visibility;
-
 /**
  * Signature mask for a field. Newly created masks cover any field.
  *
@@ -17,76 +15,40 @@ public final class JavaFieldSigMask extends JavaSigMask<JavaFieldSignature> {
     private boolean coverStatic = true;
 
 
-    /**
-     * Creates a field mask covering any field.
-     */
     public JavaFieldSigMask() {
-        // everything's initialized
+        super();
     }
 
 
-    /**
-     * Sets the mask to cover final fields.
-     *
-     * @return this
-     */
-    public JavaFieldSigMask coverFinal() {
+    /** Include final fields?. */
+    public void coverFinal(boolean coverFinal) {
+        this.coverFinal = coverFinal;
+    }
+
+
+    public void coverFinal() {
         this.coverFinal = true;
-        return this;
     }
 
 
-    /**
-     * Forbid final fields.
-     *
-     * @return this
-     */
-    public JavaFieldSigMask forbidFinal() {
-        coverFinal = false;
-        return this;
+    public void forbidFinal() {
+        this.coverFinal = false;
     }
 
 
-    /**
-     * Sets the mask to cover static fields.
-     *
-     * @return this
-     */
-    public JavaFieldSigMask coverStatic() {
+    /** Include static fields?. */
+    public void coverStatic(boolean coverStatic) {
+        this.coverStatic = coverStatic;
+    }
+
+
+    public void coverStatic() {
         this.coverStatic = true;
-        return this;
     }
 
 
-    /**
-     * Forbid abstract operations.
-     *
-     * @return this
-     */
-    public JavaFieldSigMask forbidStatic() {
-        coverStatic = false;
-        return this;
-    }
-
-
-    @Override
-    public JavaFieldSigMask coverAllVisibilities() {
-        super.coverAllVisibilities();
-        return this;
-    }
-
-
-    @Override
-    public JavaFieldSigMask restrictVisibilitiesTo(Visibility... visibilities) {
-        super.restrictVisibilitiesTo(visibilities);
-        return this;
-    }
-
-
-    @Override
-    public JavaFieldSigMask forbid(Visibility... visibilities) {
-        super.forbid(visibilities);
-        return this;
+    public void forbidStatic() {
+        this.coverStatic = false;
     }
 
 
diff --git a/pmd-java/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/multifile/signature/JavaOperationSigMask.java b/pmd-java/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/multifile/signature/JavaOperationSigMask.java
index 8c19af404b..ecd9bb79ae 100644
--- a/pmd-java/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/multifile/signature/JavaOperationSigMask.java
+++ b/pmd-java/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/multifile/signature/JavaOperationSigMask.java
@@ -9,7 +9,6 @@ import java.util.EnumSet;
 import java.util.Set;
 
 import net.sourceforge.pmd.lang.java.multifile.signature.JavaOperationSignature.Role;
-import net.sourceforge.pmd.lang.java.multifile.signature.JavaSignature.Visibility;
 
 /**
  * Signature mask for an operation. Newly created masks cover any operation that is not abstract.
@@ -22,20 +21,11 @@ public final class JavaOperationSigMask extends JavaSigMask<JavaOperationSignatu
     private boolean coverAbstract = false;
 
 
-    /**
-     * Creates an operation sig mask that covers any non-abstract operation.
-     */
-    public JavaOperationSigMask() {
-        // everything's initialized
-    }
-
-
     /**
      * Sets the mask to cover all roles.
      */
-    public JavaOperationSigMask coverAllRoles() {
+    public void coverAllRoles() {
         roleMask.addAll(Arrays.asList(JavaOperationSignature.Role.values()));
-        return this;
     }
 
 
@@ -44,10 +34,9 @@ public final class JavaOperationSigMask extends JavaSigMask<JavaOperationSignatu
      *
      * @param roles The roles to cover
      */
-    public JavaOperationSigMask restrictRolesTo(JavaOperationSignature.Role... roles) {
+    public void restrictRolesTo(JavaOperationSignature.Role... roles) {
         roleMask.clear();
         roleMask.addAll(Arrays.asList(roles));
-        return this;
     }
 
 
@@ -56,50 +45,28 @@ public final class JavaOperationSigMask extends JavaSigMask<JavaOperationSignatu
      *
      * @param roles The roles to forbid
      */
-    public JavaOperationSigMask forbid(JavaOperationSignature.Role... roles) {
+    public void forbid(JavaOperationSignature.Role... roles) {
         roleMask.removeAll(Arrays.asList(roles));
-        return this;
     }
 
 
     /**
-     * Sets the mask to cover abstract operations.
-     */
-    public JavaOperationSigMask coverAbstract() {
-        this.coverAbstract = true;
-        return this;
-    }
-
-
-    /**
-     * Forbid abstract operations.
+     * Forbid all mentioned visibilities.
      *
-     * @return this
+     * @param coverAbstract The visibilities to forbid
      */
-    public JavaOperationSigMask forbidAbstract() {
-        coverAbstract = false;
-        return this;
+    public void coverAbstract(boolean coverAbstract) {
+        this.coverAbstract = coverAbstract;
     }
 
 
-    @Override
-    public JavaOperationSigMask coverAllVisibilities() {
-        super.coverAllVisibilities();
-        return this;
+    public void coverAbstract() {
+        this.coverAbstract = true;
     }
 
 
-    @Override
-    public JavaOperationSigMask restrictVisibilitiesTo(Visibility... visibilities) {
-        super.restrictVisibilitiesTo(visibilities);
-        return this;
-    }
-
-
-    @Override
-    public JavaOperationSigMask forbid(Visibility... visibilities) {
-        super.forbid(visibilities);
-        return this;
+    public void forbidAbstract() {
+        this.coverAbstract = false;
     }
 
 
diff --git a/pmd-java/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/multifile/signature/JavaSigMask.java b/pmd-java/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/multifile/signature/JavaSigMask.java
index 32fc2dcbd9..54e51c4069 100644
--- a/pmd-java/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/multifile/signature/JavaSigMask.java
+++ b/pmd-java/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/multifile/signature/JavaSigMask.java
@@ -24,19 +24,11 @@ public abstract class JavaSigMask<T extends JavaSignature<?>> implements SigMask
     private Set<JavaSignature.Visibility> visMask = EnumSet.allOf(Visibility.class);
 
 
-    protected JavaSigMask() {
-
-    }
-
-
     /**
      * Sets the mask to cover all visibilities.
-     *
-     * @return this
      */
-    public JavaSigMask<T> coverAllVisibilities() {
+    public void coverAllVisibilities() {
         visMask.addAll(Arrays.asList(JavaSignature.Visibility.values()));
-        return this;
     }
 
 
@@ -44,13 +36,10 @@ public abstract class JavaSigMask<T extends JavaSignature<?>> implements SigMask
      * Restricts the visibilities covered by the mask to the parameters.
      *
      * @param visibilities The visibilities to cover
-     *
-     * @return this
      */
-    public JavaSigMask<T> restrictVisibilitiesTo(JavaSignature.Visibility... visibilities) {
+    public void restrictVisibilitiesTo(JavaSignature.Visibility... visibilities) {
         visMask.clear();
         visMask.addAll(Arrays.asList(visibilities));
-        return this;
     }
 
 
@@ -58,12 +47,9 @@ public abstract class JavaSigMask<T extends JavaSignature<?>> implements SigMask
      * Forbid all mentioned visibilities.
      *
      * @param visibilities The visibilities to forbid
-     *
-     * @return this
      */
-    public JavaSigMask<T> forbid(JavaSignature.Visibility... visibilities) {
+    public void forbid(JavaSignature.Visibility... visibilities) {
         visMask.removeAll(Arrays.asList(visibilities));
-        return this;
     }
 
 
diff --git a/pmd-java/src/test/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/multifile/ClassStatsTest.java b/pmd-java/src/test/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/multifile/ClassStatsTest.java
index a6c3658c0d..9827e9cd04 100644
--- a/pmd-java/src/test/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/multifile/ClassStatsTest.java
+++ b/pmd-java/src/test/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/multifile/ClassStatsTest.java
@@ -37,16 +37,18 @@ public class ClassStatsTest {
 
         final ClassMirror classMirror = toplevel.getClassMirror(JavaQualifiedName.ofClass(SignatureCountTestData.class));
 
-        final JavaOperationSigMask opSigMask = new JavaOperationSigMask().coverAbstract();
+        final FluentOperationSigMask opSigMask = new FluentOperationSigMask();
+
+        opSigMask.mask.coverAbstract();
         opSigMask.restrictRolesTo(Role.STATIC);
 
-        assertEquals(4, classMirror.countMatchingOpSigs(opSigMask));
+        assertEquals(4, classMirror.countMatchingOpSigs(opSigMask.mask));
         assertEquals(2, classMirror.countMatchingOpSigs(opSigMask.restrictVisibilitiesTo(Visibility.PRIVATE)));
         assertEquals(2, classMirror.countMatchingOpSigs(opSigMask.restrictVisibilitiesTo(Visibility.PUBLIC)));
 
         opSigMask.restrictRolesTo(Role.METHOD).coverAllVisibilities();
 
-        assertEquals(6, classMirror.countMatchingOpSigs(opSigMask));
+        assertEquals(6, classMirror.countMatchingOpSigs(opSigMask.mask));
         assertEquals(1, classMirror.countMatchingOpSigs(opSigMask.restrictVisibilitiesTo(Visibility.PUBLIC)));
         assertEquals(1, classMirror.countMatchingOpSigs(opSigMask.restrictVisibilitiesTo(Visibility.PRIVATE)));
         assertEquals(4, classMirror.countMatchingOpSigs(opSigMask.restrictVisibilitiesTo(Visibility.PROTECTED)));
@@ -54,26 +56,64 @@ public class ClassStatsTest {
 
         opSigMask.restrictRolesTo(Role.GETTER_OR_SETTER).coverAllVisibilities();
 
-        assertEquals(8, classMirror.countMatchingOpSigs(opSigMask));
+        assertEquals(8, classMirror.countMatchingOpSigs(opSigMask.mask));
         assertEquals(4, classMirror.countMatchingOpSigs(opSigMask.restrictVisibilitiesTo(Visibility.PACKAGE)));
         assertEquals(4, classMirror.countMatchingOpSigs(opSigMask.restrictVisibilitiesTo(Visibility.PUBLIC)));
 
         opSigMask.restrictRolesTo(Role.CONSTRUCTOR).coverAllVisibilities();
 
-        assertEquals(3, classMirror.countMatchingOpSigs(opSigMask));
+        assertEquals(3, classMirror.countMatchingOpSigs(opSigMask.mask));
         assertEquals(3, classMirror.countMatchingOpSigs(opSigMask.restrictVisibilitiesTo(Visibility.PUBLIC)));
 
 
-        JavaFieldSigMask fieldSigMask = new JavaFieldSigMask();
+        FluentFieldSigMask fieldSigMask = new FluentFieldSigMask();
 
-        assertEquals(6, classMirror.countMatchingFieldSigs(fieldSigMask));
+        assertEquals(6, classMirror.countMatchingFieldSigs(fieldSigMask.mask));
         assertEquals(3, classMirror.countMatchingFieldSigs(fieldSigMask.restrictVisibilitiesTo(Visibility.PUBLIC)));
         assertEquals(1, classMirror.countMatchingFieldSigs(fieldSigMask.restrictVisibilitiesTo(Visibility.PROTECTED)));
         assertEquals(2, classMirror.countMatchingFieldSigs(fieldSigMask.restrictVisibilitiesTo(Visibility.PRIVATE)));
-        assertEquals(0, classMirror.countMatchingFieldSigs(fieldSigMask.restrictVisibilitiesTo(Visibility.PRIVATE).forbidFinal()));
+
+        fieldSigMask.mask.forbidFinal();
+
+        assertEquals(0, classMirror.countMatchingFieldSigs(fieldSigMask.restrictVisibilitiesTo(Visibility.PRIVATE)));
 
 
     }
 
+    // Containers to clear up tests
+    private class FluentOperationSigMask {
+
+        JavaOperationSigMask mask = new JavaOperationSigMask();
+
+
+        JavaOperationSigMask forbidAbstract() {
+            mask.coverAbstract(false);
+            return mask;
+        }
+
+
+        JavaOperationSigMask restrictVisibilitiesTo(Visibility... visibilities) {
+            mask.restrictVisibilitiesTo(visibilities);
+            return mask;
+        }
+
+
+        JavaOperationSigMask restrictRolesTo(Role... roles) {
+            mask.restrictRolesTo(roles);
+            return mask;
+        }
+    }
+
+    private class FluentFieldSigMask {
+
+        JavaFieldSigMask mask = new JavaFieldSigMask();
+
+
+        JavaFieldSigMask restrictVisibilitiesTo(Visibility... visibilities) {
+            mask.restrictVisibilitiesTo(visibilities);
+            return mask;
+        }
+    }
+
 
 }