diff --git a/matlab/DsgeLikelihood.m b/matlab/DsgeLikelihood.m
index a58941a5b..a34d264ae 100644
--- a/matlab/DsgeLikelihood.m
+++ b/matlab/DsgeLikelihood.m
@@ -115,8 +115,11 @@ function [fval,cost_flag,ys,trend_coeff,info] = DsgeLikelihood(xparam1,gend,data
   end
   if bayestopt_.with_trend == 1
     trend_coeff = zeros(nobs,1);
+    t = options_.trend_coeffs;
     for i=1:nobs
-      trend_coeff(i) = evalin('base',bayestopt_.trend_coeff{i});
+      if ~isempty(t{i})
+	trend_coeff(i) = evalin('base',t{i});
+      end
     end
     trend = repmat(constant,1,gend)+trend_coeff*[1:gend];
   else
diff --git a/matlab/DsgeLikelihood_hh.m b/matlab/DsgeLikelihood_hh.m
index e02634731..bc7f8c795 100644
--- a/matlab/DsgeLikelihood_hh.m
+++ b/matlab/DsgeLikelihood_hh.m
@@ -121,8 +121,11 @@ function [fval,llik,cost_flag,ys,trend_coeff,info] = DsgeLikelihood(xparam1,gend
   end
   if bayestopt_.with_trend == 1
     trend_coeff = zeros(nobs,1);
+    t = options_.trend_coeffs;
     for i=1:nobs
-      trend_coeff(i) = evalin('base',bayestopt_.trend_coeff{i});
+      if ~isempty(t{i})
+	trend_coeff(i) = evalin('base',t{i});
+      end
     end
     trend = repmat(constant,1,gend)+trend_coeff*[1:gend];
   else
diff --git a/matlab/DsgeSmoother.m b/matlab/DsgeSmoother.m
index 68b32fec6..c765fac90 100644
--- a/matlab/DsgeSmoother.m
+++ b/matlab/DsgeSmoother.m
@@ -51,9 +51,11 @@ function [alphahat,etahat,epsilonhat,ahat,SteadyState,trend_coeff,aK,T,R] = Dsge
   trend_coeff = zeros(nobs,1);
   if bayestopt_.with_trend == 1
     trend_coeff = zeros(nobs,1);
-    nx1 = estim_params_.nvx+estim_params_.nvn+estim_params_.ncx+estim_params_.ncn;
+    t = options_.trend_coeffs;
     for i=1:nobs
-      trend_coeff(i) = evalin('base',bayestopt_.trend_coeff{i});
+      if ~isempty(t{i})
+	trend_coeff(i) = evalin('base',t{i});
+      end
     end
     trend = constant*ones(1,gend)+trend_coeff*(1:gend);
   else