diff --git a/swfiles/sw_status.m b/swfiles/sw_status.m
index bf80b2203..3ff9b18c9 100644
--- a/swfiles/sw_status.m
+++ b/swfiles/sw_status.m
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ function sw_status(percent,varargin)
     return
 end
 
-if nargin > 2 && ~isempty(varargin{2})
+if nargin > 2 && ~isempty(varargin{2}) && ~ischar(varargin{2})
     fid = varargin{2};
 else
     fid = swpref.getpref('tid',[]);
diff --git a/swfiles/sw_version.m b/swfiles/sw_version.m
index 8e6a40214..3c687affc 100644
--- a/swfiles/sw_version.m
+++ b/swfiles/sw_version.m
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-function varargout = sw_version()
+function outStr = sw_version()
 % returns the installed version of SpinW
 %
 % SW_VERSION()
@@ -105,12 +105,12 @@
         if any(revNum)
             ver0.Revision = num2str(revNum);
         end
-        varargout{1} = ver0;
+        outStr = ver0;
     else
         if isempty(fieldnames(verStruct))
-            varargout{1} = ver0;
+            outStr = ver0;
         else
-            varargout{1} = verStruct;
+            outStr = verStruct;
         end
     end
 end