diff --git a/nestkernel/nest_time.cpp b/nestkernel/nest_time.cpp
index 668e829372..1cacd2e823 100644
--- a/nestkernel/nest_time.cpp
+++ b/nestkernel/nest_time.cpp
@@ -176,8 +176,7 @@ Time::fromstamp( Time::ms_stamp t )
   // intended ones.
   tic_t n = static_cast< tic_t >( t.t * Range::TICS_PER_MS );
   n -= ( n % Range::TICS_PER_STEP );
-  long s = n * Range::TICS_PER_STEP_INV;
-  double ms = s * Range::MS_PER_STEP;
+  const double ms = n * Range::TICS_PER_STEP_INV * Range::MS_PER_STEP;
   if ( ms < t.t )
   {
     n += Range::TICS_PER_STEP;
@@ -203,11 +202,11 @@ Time::reset_to_defaults()
 
 std::ostream& operator<<( std::ostream& strm, const Time& t )
 {
-  if ( t.tics == Time::LIM_NEG_INF.tics )
+  if ( t.is_neg_inf() )
   {
     strm << "-INF";
   }
-  else if ( t.tics == Time::LIM_POS_INF.tics )
+  else if ( t.is_pos_inf() )
   {
     strm << "+INF";
   }
diff --git a/nestkernel/nest_time.h b/nestkernel/nest_time.h
index 7fde72d49e..2672f4c8d5 100644
--- a/nestkernel/nest_time.h
+++ b/nestkernel/nest_time.h
@@ -388,7 +388,22 @@ class Time
   bool
   is_neg_inf() const
   {
-    return tics == LIM_NEG_INF.tics;
+    return tics <= LIM_NEG_INF.tics; // currently tics can never
+                                     // become smaller than
+                                     // LIM_NEG_INF.tics. however if
+                                     // LIM_NEG_INF.tics represent
+                                     // negative infinity, any smaller
+                                     // value cannot be larger and
+                                     // thus must be infinity as
+                                     // well. to be on the safe side
+                                     // we use less-or-equal instead
+                                     // of just equal.
+  }
+
+  bool
+  is_pos_inf() const
+  {
+    return tics >= LIM_POS_INF.tics; // see comment for is_neg_inf()
   }
 
   bool
@@ -493,11 +508,11 @@ class Time
   double
   get_ms() const
   {
-    if ( tics == LIM_POS_INF.tics )
+    if ( is_pos_inf() )
     {
       return LIM_POS_INF_ms;
     }
-    if ( tics == LIM_NEG_INF.tics )
+    if ( is_neg_inf() )
     {
       return LIM_NEG_INF_ms;
     }
@@ -507,11 +522,11 @@ class Time
   delay
   get_steps() const
   {
-    if ( tics == LIM_POS_INF.tics )
+    if ( is_pos_inf() )
     {
       return LIM_POS_INF.steps;
     }
-    if ( tics == LIM_NEG_INF.tics )
+    if ( is_neg_inf() )
     {
       return LIM_NEG_INF.steps;
     }