diff --git a/matlab/fiff_read_bad_channels.m b/matlab/fiff_read_bad_channels.m
index 3003938..089e36b 100644
--- a/matlab/fiff_read_bad_channels.m
+++ b/matlab/fiff_read_bad_channels.m
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@
 
 node = fiff_dir_tree_find(node,FIFF.FIFFB_MNE_BAD_CHANNELS);
 
-bads = [];
+bads = {};
 if ~isempty(node)
     tag = find_tag(node,FIFF.FIFF_MNE_CH_NAME_LIST);
     if ~isempty(tag)
diff --git a/matlab/fiff_read_events.m b/matlab/fiff_read_events.m
index e3511ff..bc753ef 100644
--- a/matlab/fiff_read_events.m
+++ b/matlab/fiff_read_events.m
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@
 
 me='MNE:fiff_read_events';
 
-if nargin ~= 2 & nargin ~= 1
+if nargin ~= 2 && nargin ~= 1
     error(me,'Incorrect number of arguments');
 end