diff --git a/src/clos/kernel.lsp b/src/clos/kernel.lsp
index 4735fb5a8..a0b9b2ed2 100644
--- a/src/clos/kernel.lsp
+++ b/src/clos/kernel.lsp
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@
 ;;; name to class.
 ;;; 
 ;;; This is only used during boot. The real one is in built-in.
-(eval-when (compile)
+(eval-when (:compile-toplevel)
   (defun setf-find-class (new-value class &optional errorp env)
     (warn "Ignoring class definition for ~S" class)))
 
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@
 
 (defun install-method (name qualifiers specializers lambda-list fun &rest options)
   (declare (notinline ensure-generic-function))
-;  (record-definition 'method `(method ,name ,@qualifiers ,specializers))
+  ;;(record-definition 'method `(method ,name ,@qualifiers ,specializers))
   (let* ((gf (ensure-generic-function name))
          (fun (wrapped-method-function fun))
          (specializers (mapcar #'(lambda (x)
diff --git a/src/clos/method.lsp b/src/clos/method.lsp
index 5f6fcda3f..12765e48f 100644
--- a/src/clos/method.lsp
+++ b/src/clos/method.lsp
@@ -47,6 +47,19 @@
   (when *clos-booted*
     (class-prototype (generic-function-method-class generic-function))))
 
+(defun prototypes-for-make-method-lambda (name)
+  (if (not *clos-booted*)
+      (values nil nil)
+      (let ((gf? (and (fboundp name)
+                      (fdefinition name))))
+        (if (or (null gf?)
+                (not (si:instancep gf?)))
+            (values (class-prototype (find-class 'standard-generic-function))
+                    (class-prototype (find-class 'standard-method)))
+            (values gf?
+                    (class-prototype (or (generic-function-method-class gf?)
+                                         (find-class 'standard-method))))))))
+
 (defmacro defmethod (&whole whole name &rest args &environment env)
   (declare (notinline make-method-lambda))
   (multiple-value-bind (qualifiers specialized-lambda-list body)
@@ -55,10 +68,10 @@
         (parse-specialized-lambda-list specialized-lambda-list)
       (multiple-value-bind (lambda-form declarations documentation)
           (make-raw-lambda name lambda-list required-parameters specializers body env)
-        (let* ((generic-function (ensure-generic-function name))
-               (method (method-prototype-for-gf generic-function)))
+        (multiple-value-bind (proto-gf proto-method)
+            (prototypes-for-make-method-lambda name)
           (multiple-value-bind (fn-form options)
-              (make-method-lambda generic-function method lambda-form env)
+              (make-method-lambda proto-gf proto-method lambda-form env)
             (when documentation
               (setf options (list* :documentation documentation options)))
             (ext:register-with-pde
diff --git a/src/tests/normal-tests/metaobject-protocol.lsp b/src/tests/normal-tests/metaobject-protocol.lsp
index 10460c83d..c7b7efcd6 100644
--- a/src/tests/normal-tests/metaobject-protocol.lsp
+++ b/src/tests/normal-tests/metaobject-protocol.lsp
@@ -661,6 +661,6 @@ the metaclass")
 (ext:with-clean-symbols (foo1 foo2)
   (test mop.0024.frc
     (finishes (defclass foo1 (foo2) ()))
-    (signals (make-instance 'foo1))
-    (finishes (defclass foo2 (foo) ()))
+    (signals error (make-instance 'foo1))
+    (finishes (defclass foo2 () ()))
     (finishes (make-instance 'foo1))))