diff --git a/lib/grp.gi b/lib/grp.gi
index 1b42683d07..3504bb56eb 100644
--- a/lib/grp.gi
+++ b/lib/grp.gi
@@ -1816,7 +1816,8 @@ InstallMethod( Socle, "for elementary abelian groups",
 ##
 InstallMethod( Socle, "for nilpotent groups",
               [ IsGroup and IsNilpotentGroup ],
-              SUM_FLAGS,
+              RankFilter( IsGroup and IsFinite and IsNilpotentGroup )
+              - RankFilter( IsGroup and IsNilpotentGroup ),
   function(G)
     local P, C, size, gen, abinv, indgen, i, p, q, soc;
 
@@ -4699,6 +4700,14 @@ InstallMethod( MinimalNormalSubgroups,
     function( G )
     local nt, c, r, U;
 
+    # force an IsNilpotent check
+    # should have and IsSolvable check, as well,
+    # but methods for solvable groups are only in CRISP
+    # which aggeressively checks for solvability, anyway
+    if (not HasIsNilpotentGroup(G) and IsNilpotentGroup(G)) then
+      return MinimalNormalSubgroups( G );
+    fi;
+
     nt:= [];
     for c in ConjugacyClasses( G ) do
       r:= Representative( c );
@@ -4713,6 +4722,10 @@ InstallMethod( MinimalNormalSubgroups,
     return nt;
     end );
 
+RedispatchOnCondition(MinimalNormalSubgroups, true,
+    [IsGroup],
+    [IsFinite], 0);
+
 
 #############################################################################
 ##
diff --git a/lib/grplatt.gi b/lib/grplatt.gi
index c16c48eedf..537a4c24c6 100644
--- a/lib/grplatt.gi
+++ b/lib/grplatt.gi
@@ -2238,11 +2238,20 @@ InstallMethod(NormalSubgroups,"homomorphism principle perm groups",true,
 ##
 #M  Socle(<G>)
 ##
-InstallMethod(Socle,"from normal subgroups",true,[IsGroup],0,
+InstallMethod(Socle,"from normal subgroups",true,[IsGroup and IsFinite],0,
 function(G)
 local n,i,s;
   if Size(G)=1 then return G;fi;
-  # deal with lareg EA socle factor for fitting free
+
+  # force an IsNilpotent check
+  # should have and IsSolvable check, as well,
+  # but methods for solvable groups are only in CRISP
+  # which aggeressively checks for solvability, anyway
+  if (not HasIsNilpotentGroup(G) and IsNilpotentGroup(G)) then
+    return Socle(G);
+  fi;
+
+  # deal with large EA socle factor for fitting free
 
   # this could be a bit shorter.
   if Size(RadicalGroup(G))=1 then
diff --git a/tst/testinstall/opers/MinimalNormalSubgroups.tst b/tst/testinstall/opers/MinimalNormalSubgroups.tst
index a0abafb910..74dbea479b 100644
--- a/tst/testinstall/opers/MinimalNormalSubgroups.tst
+++ b/tst/testinstall/opers/MinimalNormalSubgroups.tst
@@ -43,6 +43,9 @@ true
 gap> k := 5;; P := SylowSubgroup(SymmetricGroup(4*k), 2);; A := Group((4*k+1, 4*k+2, 4*k+3));; G := ClosureGroup(P, A);; IsNilpotentGroup(G);;
 gap> Set(MinimalNormalSubgroups(G)) = Set([ Group([ (1,2)(3,4)(5,6)(7,8)(9,10)(11,12)(13,14)(15,16) ]), Group([ (17,18)(19,20) ]), Group([ (1,2)(3,4)(5,6)(7,8)(9,10)(11,12)(13,14)(15,16)(17,18)(19,20) ]), Group([ (21,22,23) ]) ]);
 true
+gap> G := SmallGroup(24,12);;
+gap> SortedList(List(MinimalNormalSubgroups(G), IdGroup));
+[ [ 4, 2 ] ]
 gap> A := DihedralGroup(16);;
 gap> B := SmallGroup(27, 3);;
 gap> C := SmallGroup(125, 4);;
@@ -62,6 +65,10 @@ gap> x := F.1;; y := F.2;; z := F.3;;
 gap> G := F/[x^(-1)*y^(-1)*x*y, x^(-1)*z^(-1)*x*z, z^(-1)*y^(-1)*z*y, (x*y)^180, (x*y^5)^168];; IsAbelian(G);;
 gap> Size(MinimalNormalSubgroups(G));
 9
+gap> G := F/[x^2, y^2, x^(-1)*y^(-1)*x*y, z];;
+gap> IsFinite(G);;
+gap> Size(MinimalNormalSubgroups(G));
+3
 gap> for G in AllGroups(60) do NormalSubgroups(G);; Print(Collected(List(Set(MinimalNormalSubgroups(G)), IdGroup)), "\n"); od;
 [ [ [ 2, 1 ], 1 ], [ [ 3, 1 ], 1 ], [ [ 5, 1 ], 1 ] ]
 [ [ [ 2, 1 ], 1 ], [ [ 3, 1 ], 1 ], [ [ 5, 1 ], 1 ] ]
diff --git a/tst/testinstall/opers/Socle.tst b/tst/testinstall/opers/Socle.tst
index 6a5dbdd45e..5c4a2e8868 100644
--- a/tst/testinstall/opers/Socle.tst
+++ b/tst/testinstall/opers/Socle.tst
@@ -57,9 +57,14 @@ true
 gap> Socle(PrimitiveGroup(8,3)) = Group([ (1,7)(2,8)(3,5)(4,6), (1,3)(2,4)(5,7)(6,8), (1,2)(3,4)(5,6)(7,8) ]);
 true
 gap> k := 5;; P := SylowSubgroup(SymmetricGroup(4*k), 2);; A := Group((4*k+1, 4*k+2, 4*k+3));; G := ClosureGroup(P, A);;
-gap> IsNilpotentGroup(G);;
 gap> Socle(G) = Group([ (21,22,23), (1,2)(3,4)(5,6)(7,8)(9,10)(11,12)(13,14)(15,16), (17,18)(19,20) ]);
 true
+gap> G := Group([ (1,2,3,5,4), (1,3)(2,4)(6,7) ]);;
+gap> Socle(G) = Group((1,2,3),(3,4,5),(6,7));
+true
+gap> G := SmallGroup(24,12);;
+gap> IdGroup(Socle(G));
+[ 4, 2 ]
 gap> A := DihedralGroup(16);;
 gap> B := SmallGroup(27, 3);;
 gap> C := SmallGroup(125, 4);;
@@ -80,4 +85,8 @@ gap> G := F/[x^(-1)*y^(-1)*x*y, x^(-1)*z^(-1)*x*z, z^(-1)*y^(-1)*z*y, (x*y)^180,
 gap> IsAbelian(G);;
 gap> Size(Socle(G));
 1260
+gap> G := F/[x^2, y^2, x^(-1)*y^(-1)*x*y, z];;
+gap> IsFinite(G);;
+gap> Size(Socle(G));
+4
 gap> STOP_TEST("Socle.tst", 10000);