diff --git a/interfaces/matlab/testpath.m b/interfaces/matlab/testpath.m
index 7b90a512b..1f16b0f03 100644
--- a/interfaces/matlab/testpath.m
+++ b/interfaces/matlab/testpath.m
@@ -34,7 +34,8 @@ end
 
 % Set path to Python module
 setenv('PYTHONPATH', fullfile(cantera_root, 'interfaces', 'python'))
-setenv('CANTERA_DATA', fullfile(cantera_root, 'data', 'inputs'))
 
 % A simple test to make sure that the ctmethods.mex file is present and working
 f = Func('polynomial', 3, [1,2,3,4])
+
+adddir(fullfile(cantera_root, 'data', 'inputs'))
diff --git a/src/clib/ct.cpp b/src/clib/ct.cpp
index 2a08ea044..84e420ff9 100644
--- a/src/clib/ct.cpp
+++ b/src/clib/ct.cpp
@@ -403,7 +403,7 @@ extern "C" {
 
     //-------------- Thermo --------------------//
 
-    size_t newThermoFromXML(int mxml)
+    int newThermoFromXML(int mxml)
     {
         try {
             XML_Node& x = XmlCabinet::item(mxml);
diff --git a/src/clib/ct.h b/src/clib/ct.h
index 5db664d60..59b7b7ca1 100644
--- a/src/clib/ct.h
+++ b/src/clib/ct.h
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ extern "C" {
                                       double charge, double weight);
 
     //int newThermo(char* model);
-    CANTERA_CAPI size_t newThermoFromXML(int mxml);
+    CANTERA_CAPI int newThermoFromXML(int mxml);
     CANTERA_CAPI int th_thermoIndex(char* id);
     CANTERA_CAPI int th_phase(int n);
     CANTERA_CAPI size_t th_nSpecies(size_t n);
diff --git a/src/matlab/ctfunctions.cpp b/src/matlab/ctfunctions.cpp
index f56326e2f..61d2c31b9 100644
--- a/src/matlab/ctfunctions.cpp
+++ b/src/matlab/ctfunctions.cpp
@@ -28,8 +28,8 @@ void ctfunctions(int nlhs, mxArray* plhs[],
     int job = getInt(prhs[1]);
     int iok, dbg, validate;
     char* infile, *dbfile, *trfile, *idtag;
-    int buflen;
-    char* output_buf;
+    int buflen = 0;
+    char* output_buf = 0;
 
     switch (job) {
 
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ void ctfunctions(int nlhs, mxArray* plhs[],
 
         // get Cantera error
     case 2:
-        buflen = 300;
+        buflen = getCanteraError(buflen, output_buf) + 1;
         output_buf = (char*)mxCalloc(buflen, sizeof(char));
         iok = getCanteraError(buflen, output_buf);
         plhs[0] = mxCreateString(output_buf);
diff --git a/src/matlab/ctmethods.cpp b/src/matlab/ctmethods.cpp
index 7ab6c8191..47a50824b 100644
--- a/src/matlab/ctmethods.cpp
+++ b/src/matlab/ctmethods.cpp
@@ -79,8 +79,7 @@ void initLogger()
     if (!_logger) {
         _logger = new Cantera::ML_Logger;
         // Call the DLL program to set the logger
-        void* vl = (void*) _logger;
-        int retn = setLogWriter(vl);
+        int retn = setLogWriter(_logger);
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/matlab/mllogger.h b/src/matlab/mllogger.h
index e2016c7b8..6669ca646 100644
--- a/src/matlab/mllogger.h
+++ b/src/matlab/mllogger.h
@@ -7,10 +7,6 @@
 #include "ctmatutils.h"
 #include "cantera/base/logger.h"
 
-#include <iostream>
-
-static std::string ss = "disp(' ";
-
 namespace Cantera
 {
 
@@ -20,25 +16,8 @@ public:
     ML_Logger() {}
     virtual ~ML_Logger() {}
 
-
     virtual void write(const std::string& s) {
-        char ch = s[0];
-        int n = 0;
-        while (ch != '\0') {
-            if (ch =='\n') {
-                ss += "');";
-
-                mexEvalString(ss.c_str());
-                ss = "disp(' ";
-            } else {
-                ss += ch;
-            }
-            if (ch == '\'') {
-                ss += ch;
-            }
-            n++;
-            ch = s[n];
-        }
+        mexPrintf("%s", s.c_str());
     }
 
     virtual void writeendl(const std::string& msg) {
@@ -46,9 +25,7 @@ public:
     }
 
     virtual void error(const std::string& msg) {
-        std::string err = "error("+msg+");";
-        //mexEvalString(err.c_str());
-        mexErrMsgTxt(err.c_str());
+        mexErrMsgTxt(msg.c_str());
     }
 
     DEPRECATED(virtual int env()) {