diff --git a/src/libgap-api.c b/src/libgap-api.c
index 2bb0483fc5..24117d8c85 100644
--- a/src/libgap-api.c
+++ b/src/libgap-api.c
@@ -412,6 +412,7 @@ Obj GAP_NewPlist(Int capacity)
 ////
 
 static Obj IsMatrixOrMatrixObjFilt;
+static Obj IsMatrixFilt;
 static Obj IsMatrixObjFilt;
 static Obj NrRowsAttr;
 static Obj NrColsAttr;
@@ -419,13 +420,19 @@ static Obj NrColsAttr;
 // Returns 1 if <obj> is a GAP matrix or matrix obj, 0 if not.
 int GAP_IsMatrixOrMatrixObj(Obj obj)
 {
-    return obj && DoFilter(IsMatrixOrMatrixObjFilt, obj) == True;
+    return obj && CALL_1ARGS(IsMatrixOrMatrixObjFilt, obj) == True;
+}
+
+// Returns 1 if <obj> is a GAP matrix, 0 if not.
+int GAP_IsMatrix(Obj obj)
+{
+    return obj && CALL_1ARGS(IsMatrixFilt, obj) == True;
 }
 
 // Returns 1 if <obj> is a GAP matrix obj, 0 if not.
 int GAP_IsMatrixObj(Obj obj)
 {
-    return obj && DoFilter(IsMatrixObjFilt, obj) == True;
+    return obj && CALL_1ARGS(IsMatrixObjFilt, obj) == True;
 }
 
 // Returns the number of rows of the given GAP matrix obj.
@@ -436,17 +443,17 @@ UInt GAP_NrRows(Obj mat)
     return UInt_ObjInt(nrows);
 }
 
-// Returns the number of columns of the given GAP matrix obj.
-// If <mat> is not a GAP matrix obj, an error may be raised.
+// Returns the number of columns of the given GAP matrix or matrix obj.
+// If <mat> is not a GAP matrix or matrix obj, an error may be raised.
 UInt GAP_NrCols(Obj mat)
 {
     Obj ncols = CALL_1ARGS(NrColsAttr, mat);
     return UInt_ObjInt(ncols);
 }
 
-// Assign <val> at position <pos> into the GAP matrix obj <mat>.
+// Assign <val> at the <row>, <col> into the GAP matrix or matrix obj <mat>.
 // If <val> is zero, then this unbinds the list entry.
-// If <mat> is not a GAP matrix obj, an error may be raised.
+// If <mat> is not a GAP matrix or matrix obj, an error may be raised.
 void GAP_AssMat(Obj mat, UInt row, UInt col, Obj val)
 {
     Obj r = ObjInt_UInt(row);
@@ -456,8 +463,8 @@ void GAP_AssMat(Obj mat, UInt row, UInt col, Obj val)
 
 // Returns the element at the <row>, <col> in the GAP matrix obj <mat>.
 // Returns 0 if <row> or <col> are out of bounds, i.e., if either
-// is zero, or larger than the number of rows respectively columns of the list.
-// If <mat> is not a GAP matrix obj, an error may be raised.
+// is zero, or larger than the number of rows respectively columns of <mat>.
+// If <mat> is not a GAP matrix or matrix obj, an error may be raised.
 Obj GAP_ElmMat(Obj mat, UInt row, UInt col)
 {
     Obj r = ObjInt_UInt(row);
@@ -616,6 +623,7 @@ void GAP_Error_Postjmp_Returning_(void)
 static Int InitKernel(StructInitInfo * module)
 {
     InitFopyGVar("IsMatrixOrMatrixObj", &IsMatrixOrMatrixObjFilt);
+    InitFopyGVar("IsMatrix", &IsMatrixFilt);
     InitFopyGVar("IsMatrixObj", &IsMatrixObjFilt);
     InitFopyGVar("NrRows", &NrRowsAttr);
     InitFopyGVar("NrCols", &NrColsAttr);
diff --git a/src/libgap-api.h b/src/libgap-api.h
index d15068ee04..1d5d814425 100644
--- a/src/libgap-api.h
+++ b/src/libgap-api.h
@@ -374,18 +374,31 @@ Obj GAP_NewPlist(Int capacity);
 //// matrix obj
 ////
 
+// Note that the meaning of the following filters is not self-explanatory,
+// see the chapter "Vector and Matrix Objects" in the GAP Reference Manual.
+// `GAP_IsMatrixOrMatrixObj` checks whether the argument is an abstract
+// 2-dim. array; such objects admit access to entries via `GAP_ElmMat`,
+// one can ask for the numbers of rows and columns via `GAP_NrRows` and
+// `GAP_NrCols`, respectively, etc.
+// `GAP_IsMatrix` checks for special cases that are nonempty list of lists
+// with additional properties; often these are plain lists.
+// `GAP_IsMatrixObj` checks for special cases that are not plain lists.
+
 // Returns 1 if <obj> is a GAP matrix or matrix obj, 0 if not.
 int GAP_IsMatrixOrMatrixObj(Obj obj);
 
+// Returns 1 if <obj> is a GAP matrix, 0 if not.
+int GAP_IsMatrix(Obj obj);
+
 // Returns 1 if <obj> is a GAP matrix obj, 0 if not.
 int GAP_IsMatrixObj(Obj obj);
 
-// Returns the number of rows of the given GAP matrix obj.
-// If <mat> is not a GAP matrix obj, an error may be raised.
+// Returns the number of rows of the given GAP matrix or matrix obj.
+// If <mat> is not a GAP matrix or matrix obj, an error may be raised.
 UInt GAP_NrRows(Obj mat);
 
-// Returns the number of columns of the given GAP matrix obj.
-// If <mat> is not a GAP matrix obj, an error may be raised.
+// Returns the number of columns of the given GAP matrix or matrix obj.
+// If <mat> is not a GAP matrix or matrix obj, an error may be raised.
 UInt GAP_NrCols(Obj mat);
 
 // Assign <val> at position <pos> into the GAP matrix obj <mat>.
diff --git a/tst/testlibgap/api.c b/tst/testlibgap/api.c
index c11c45bc41..d6314d8a8a 100644
--- a/tst/testlibgap/api.c
+++ b/tst/testlibgap/api.c
@@ -68,10 +68,13 @@ void matrices(void)
 
     assert(!GAP_IsMatrixOrMatrixObj(mat));   // empty list, not yet a matrix
     assert(!GAP_IsMatrixObj(mat));
+    assert(!GAP_IsMatrix(mat));
     assert(!GAP_IsMatrixOrMatrixObj(0));
     assert(!GAP_IsMatrixObj(0));
+    assert(!GAP_IsMatrix(0));
     assert(!GAP_IsMatrixOrMatrixObj(val));
     assert(!GAP_IsMatrixObj(val));
+    assert(!GAP_IsMatrix(val));
 
     row = GAP_NewPlist(2);
     GAP_AssList(row, 1, INTOBJ_INT(1));
@@ -79,8 +82,10 @@ void matrices(void)
     GAP_AssList(mat, 1, row);
     assert(!GAP_IsMatrixOrMatrixObj(row));
     assert(!GAP_IsMatrixObj(row));
+    assert(!GAP_IsMatrix(row));
     assert(GAP_IsMatrixOrMatrixObj(mat));
     assert(!GAP_IsMatrixObj(mat));   // list of lists, not proper matrix object
+    assert(GAP_IsMatrix(mat));
 
     GAP_AssMat(mat, 1, 1, val);
     ret = GAP_ElmMat(mat, 1, 1);