diff --git a/qiskit/quantum_info/operators/symplectic/clifford_circuits.py b/qiskit/quantum_info/operators/symplectic/clifford_circuits.py
index 5790bd6d1188..437913034764 100644
--- a/qiskit/quantum_info/operators/symplectic/clifford_circuits.py
+++ b/qiskit/quantum_info/operators/symplectic/clifford_circuits.py
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ def _append_operation(clifford, operation, qargs=None):
     from qiskit.quantum_info import Clifford
 
     if isinstance(gate, Clifford):
-        composed_clifford = clifford.compose(gate.copy(), qargs=qargs.copy(), front=False)
+        composed_clifford = clifford.compose(gate, qargs=qargs, front=False)
         clifford.tableau = composed_clifford.tableau
         return clifford