diff --git a/src/arb/ComplexMat.jl b/src/arb/ComplexMat.jl
index 4522d529a..f0b9864ef 100644
--- a/src/arb/ComplexMat.jl
+++ b/src/arb/ComplexMat.jl
@@ -568,30 +568,7 @@ function lu!(P::Generic.Perm, x::ComplexMat)
   r == 0 && error("Could not find $(nrows(x)) invertible pivot elements")
   P.d .+= 1
   inv!(P)
-  return nrows(x)
-end
-
-function lu(P::Generic.Perm, x::ComplexMat)
-  ncols(x) != nrows(x) && error("Matrix must be square")
-  parent(P).n != nrows(x) && error("Permutation does not match matrix")
-  R = base_ring(x)
-  L = similar(x)
-  U = deepcopy(x)
-  n = ncols(x)
-  lu!(P, U)
-  for i = 1:n
-    for j = 1:n
-      if i > j
-        L[i, j] = U[i, j]
-        U[i, j] = R()
-      elseif i == j
-        L[i, j] = one(R)
-      else
-        L[i, j] = R()
-      end
-    end
-  end
-  return L, U
+  return min(nrows(x), ncols(x))
 end
 
 function solve!(z::ComplexMat, x::ComplexMat, y::ComplexMat)
diff --git a/src/arb/RealMat.jl b/src/arb/RealMat.jl
index ea08f7a5b..0be07cddf 100644
--- a/src/arb/RealMat.jl
+++ b/src/arb/RealMat.jl
@@ -502,7 +502,6 @@ end
 ###############################################################################
 
 function lu!(P::Generic.Perm, x::RealMat)
-  ncols(x) != nrows(x) && error("Matrix must be square")
   parent(P).n != nrows(x) && error("Permutation does not match matrix")
   P.d .-= 1
   r = ccall((:arb_mat_lu, libarb), Cint,
@@ -511,29 +510,7 @@ function lu!(P::Generic.Perm, x::RealMat)
   r == 0 && error("Could not find $(nrows(x)) invertible pivot elements")
   P.d .+= 1
   inv!(P)
-  return nrows(x)
-end
-
-function lu(x::RealMat, P = SymmetricGroup(nrows(x)))
-  p = one(P)
-  R = base_ring(x)
-  L = similar(x)
-  U = deepcopy(x)
-  n = ncols(x)
-  r = lu!(p, U)
-  for i = 1:n
-    for j = 1:n
-      if i > j
-        L[i, j] = U[i, j]
-        U[i, j] = R()
-      elseif i == j
-        L[i, j] = one(R)
-      else
-        L[i, j] = R()
-      end
-    end
-  end
-  return r, p, L, U
+  return min(nrows(x), ncols(x))
 end
 
 function solve!(z::RealMat, x::RealMat, y::RealMat)
diff --git a/src/arb/acb_mat.jl b/src/arb/acb_mat.jl
index d0557baff..0e65402bf 100644
--- a/src/arb/acb_mat.jl
+++ b/src/arb/acb_mat.jl
@@ -574,29 +574,6 @@ function lu!(P::Generic.Perm, x::acb_mat)
   return nrows(x)
 end
 
-function lu(P::Generic.Perm, x::acb_mat)
-  ncols(x) != nrows(x) && error("Matrix must be square")
-  parent(P).n != nrows(x) && error("Permutation does not match matrix")
-  R = base_ring(x)
-  L = similar(x)
-  U = deepcopy(x)
-  n = ncols(x)
-  lu!(P, U)
-  for i = 1:n
-    for j = 1:n
-      if i > j
-        L[i, j] = U[i, j]
-        U[i, j] = R()
-      elseif i == j
-        L[i, j] = one(R)
-      else
-        L[i, j] = R()
-      end
-    end
-  end
-  return L, U
-end
-
 function solve!(z::acb_mat, x::acb_mat, y::acb_mat)
   r = ccall((:acb_mat_solve, libarb), Cint,
               (Ref{acb_mat}, Ref{acb_mat}, Ref{acb_mat}, Int),
diff --git a/src/arb/arb_mat.jl b/src/arb/arb_mat.jl
index eab79a27b..f9efbd083 100644
--- a/src/arb/arb_mat.jl
+++ b/src/arb/arb_mat.jl
@@ -506,7 +506,6 @@ end
 ###############################################################################
 
 function lu!(P::Generic.Perm, x::arb_mat)
-  ncols(x) != nrows(x) && error("Matrix must be square")
   parent(P).n != nrows(x) && error("Permutation does not match matrix")
   P.d .-= 1
   r = ccall((:arb_mat_lu, libarb), Cint,
@@ -518,28 +517,6 @@ function lu!(P::Generic.Perm, x::arb_mat)
   return nrows(x)
 end
 
-function lu(x::arb_mat, P = SymmetricGroup(nrows(x)))
-  p = one(P)
-  R = base_ring(x)
-  L = similar(x)
-  U = deepcopy(x)
-  n = ncols(x)
-  r = lu!(p, U)
-  for i = 1:n
-    for j = 1:n
-      if i > j
-        L[i, j] = U[i, j]
-        U[i, j] = R()
-      elseif i == j
-        L[i, j] = one(R)
-      else
-        L[i, j] = R()
-      end
-    end
-  end
-  return r, p, L, U
-end
-
 function solve!(z::arb_mat, x::arb_mat, y::arb_mat)
   r = ccall((:arb_mat_solve, libarb), Cint,
               (Ref{arb_mat}, Ref{arb_mat}, Ref{arb_mat}, Int),
diff --git a/test/arb/ComplexMat-test.jl b/test/arb/ComplexMat-test.jl
index 1a854cfe8..72f18219a 100644
--- a/test/arb/ComplexMat-test.jl
+++ b/test/arb/ComplexMat-test.jl
@@ -403,6 +403,18 @@ end
    @test overlaps(B, C)
 end
 
+@testset "ComplexMat.lu_nonsquare" begin
+   S = matrix_space(CC, 2, 3)
+
+   A = S(["1.0 +/- 0.01" "1.0 +/- 0.01" "1.0 +/- 0.01";
+          "1.0 +/- 0.01" "0.0 +/- 0.01" "-1.0 +/- 0.01"])
+
+    r, p, L, U = lu(A)
+
+    @test overlaps(L*U, p*A)
+    @test r == 2
+end
+
 @testset "ComplexMat.linear_solving" begin
    S = matrix_space(CC, 3, 3)
    T = matrix_space(ZZ, 3, 3)
diff --git a/test/arb/RealMat-test.jl b/test/arb/RealMat-test.jl
index b07eb779b..c5598ecff 100644
--- a/test/arb/RealMat-test.jl
+++ b/test/arb/RealMat-test.jl
@@ -369,6 +369,18 @@ end
    @test overlaps(B, C)
 end
 
+@testset "RealMat.lu_nonsquare" begin
+   S = matrix_space(RR, 2, 3)
+
+   A = S(["1.0 +/- 0.01" "1.0 +/- 0.01" "1.0 +/- 0.01";
+          "1.0 +/- 0.01" "0.0 +/- 0.01" "-1.0 +/- 0.01"])
+
+    r, p, L, U = lu(A)
+
+    @test overlaps(L*U, p*A)
+    @test r == 2
+end
+
 @testset "RealMat.linear_solving" begin
    S = matrix_space(RR, 3, 3)
    T = matrix_space(ZZ, 3, 3)
diff --git a/test/arb/acb_mat-test.jl b/test/arb/acb_mat-test.jl
index e7fcad142..150187558 100644
--- a/test/arb/acb_mat-test.jl
+++ b/test/arb/acb_mat-test.jl
@@ -403,6 +403,18 @@ end
    @test overlaps(B, C)
 end
 
+@testset "acb_mat.lu_nonsquare" begin
+   S = matrix_space(CC, 2, 3)
+
+   A = S(["1.0 +/- 0.01" "1.0 +/- 0.01" "1.0 +/- 0.01";
+          "1.0 +/- 0.01" "0.0 +/- 0.01" "-1.0 +/- 0.01"])
+
+    r, p, L, U = lu(A)
+
+    @test overlaps(L*U, p*A)
+    @test r == 2
+end
+
 @testset "acb_mat.linear_solving" begin
    S = matrix_space(CC, 3, 3)
    T = matrix_space(ZZ, 3, 3)
diff --git a/test/arb/arb_mat-test.jl b/test/arb/arb_mat-test.jl
index 60d882f79..8048c08ca 100644
--- a/test/arb/arb_mat-test.jl
+++ b/test/arb/arb_mat-test.jl
@@ -369,6 +369,18 @@ end
    @test overlaps(B, C)
 end
 
+@testset "arb_mat.lu_nonsquare" begin
+   S = matrix_space(RR, 2, 3)
+
+   A = S(["1.0 +/- 0.01" "1.0 +/- 0.01" "1.0 +/- 0.01";
+          "1.0 +/- 0.01" "0.0 +/- 0.01" "-1.0 +/- 0.01"])
+
+    r, p, L, U = lu(A)
+
+    @test overlaps(L*U, p*A)
+    @test r == 2
+end
+
 @testset "arb_mat.linear_solving" begin
    S = matrix_space(RR, 3, 3)
    T = matrix_space(ZZ, 3, 3)