diff --git a/matlab/DsgeLikelihood.m b/matlab/DsgeLikelihood.m
index 45f1b11a8..587e2fb05 100644
--- a/matlab/DsgeLikelihood.m
+++ b/matlab/DsgeLikelihood.m
@@ -54,14 +54,14 @@ end
 %------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 % 1. Get the structural parameters & define penalties
 %------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-if options_.mode_compute ~= 1 && any(xparam1 < bayestopt_.lb)
+if ~isequal(options_.mode_compute,1) && any(xparam1 < bayestopt_.lb)
     k = find(xparam1 < bayestopt_.lb);
     fval = bayestopt_.penalty+sum((bayestopt_.lb(k)-xparam1(k)).^2);
     cost_flag = 0;
     info = 41;
     return;
 end
-if options_.mode_compute ~= 1 && any(xparam1 > bayestopt_.ub)
+if ~isequal(options_.mode_compute,1) && any(xparam1 > bayestopt_.ub)
     k = find(xparam1 > bayestopt_.ub);
     fval = bayestopt_.penalty+sum((xparam1(k)-bayestopt_.ub(k)).^2);
     cost_flag = 0;
diff --git a/matlab/DsgeLikelihood_hh.m b/matlab/DsgeLikelihood_hh.m
index 9f091fcd9..2713681fb 100644
--- a/matlab/DsgeLikelihood_hh.m
+++ b/matlab/DsgeLikelihood_hh.m
@@ -48,14 +48,14 @@ llik=NaN;
 %------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 % 1. Get the structural parameters & define penalties
 %------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-if options_.mode_compute ~= 1 && any(xparam1 < bayestopt_.lb)
+if ~isequal(options_.mode_compute,1) && any(xparam1 < bayestopt_.lb)
     k = find(xparam1 < bayestopt_.lb);
     fval = bayestopt_.penalty+sum((bayestopt_.lb(k)-xparam1(k)).^2);
     cost_flag = 0;
     info = 41;
     return;
 end
-if options_.mode_compute ~= 1 && any(xparam1 > bayestopt_.ub)
+if ~isequal(options_.mode_compute,1) && any(xparam1 > bayestopt_.ub)
     k = find(xparam1 > bayestopt_.ub);
     fval = bayestopt_.penalty+sum((xparam1(k)-bayestopt_.ub(k)).^2);
     cost_flag = 0;
diff --git a/matlab/DsgeVarLikelihood.m b/matlab/DsgeVarLikelihood.m
index d4ce41fe8..0762b11c1 100644
--- a/matlab/DsgeVarLikelihood.m
+++ b/matlab/DsgeVarLikelihood.m
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ mXX = evalin('base', 'mXX');
 fval = [];
 cost_flag = 1;
 
-if options_.mode_compute ~= 1 && any(xparam1 < bayestopt_.lb)
+if ~isequal(options_.mode_compute,1) && any(xparam1 < bayestopt_.lb)
     k = find(xparam1 < bayestopt_.lb);
     fval = bayestopt_.penalty+sum((bayestopt_.lb(k)-xparam1(k)).^2);
     cost_flag = 0;
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ if options_.mode_compute ~= 1 && any(xparam1 < bayestopt_.lb)
     return;
 end
 
-if options_.mode_compute ~= 1 && any(xparam1 > bayestopt_.ub)
+if ~isequal(options_.mode_compute,11) && any(xparam1 > bayestopt_.ub)
     k = find(xparam1 > bayestopt_.ub);
     fval = bayestopt_.penalty+sum((xparam1(k)-bayestopt_.ub(k)).^2);
     cost_flag = 0;
diff --git a/matlab/dsge_posterior_kernel.m b/matlab/dsge_posterior_kernel.m
index 51147f035..049e986bb 100644
--- a/matlab/dsge_posterior_kernel.m
+++ b/matlab/dsge_posterior_kernel.m
@@ -47,14 +47,14 @@ nobs            = size(options_.varobs,1);
 %------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 % 1. Get the structural parameters & define penalties
 %------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-if options_.mode_compute ~= 1 && any(xparam1 < bayestopt_.lb)
+if ~isequal(options_.mode_compute,1) && any(xparam1 < bayestopt_.lb)
     k = find(xparam1 < bayestopt_.lb);
     fval = bayestopt_.penalty+sum((bayestopt_.lb(k)-xparam1(k)).^2);
     cost_flag = 0;
     info = 41;
     return;
 end
-if options_.mode_compute ~= 1 && any(xparam1 > bayestopt_.ub)
+if ~isequal(options_.mode_compute,1) && any(xparam1 > bayestopt_.ub)
     k = find(xparam1 > bayestopt_.ub);
     fval = bayestopt_.penalty+sum((xparam1(k)-bayestopt_.ub(k)).^2);
     cost_flag = 0;