diff --git a/src/MATLAB.jl b/src/MATLAB.jl
index f2c8667..68046e5 100644
--- a/src/MATLAB.jl
+++ b/src/MATLAB.jl
@@ -66,15 +66,12 @@ end
 
 function __init__()
 
-    if matlabcmd != matlab_cmd()
-        error("MATLAB.jl built with version at $(matlabcmd), but detected new installation at $(matlab_cmd()).\nRun `import Pkg; Pkg.build(\"MATLAB\")` and restart Julia.")
-    end
 
     # load libraries
 
-    libmx[]  = Libdl.dlopen(joinpath(matlablibpath, "libmx"), Libdl.RTLD_GLOBAL)
-    libmat[] = Libdl.dlopen(joinpath(matlablibpath, "libmat"), Libdl.RTLD_GLOBAL)
-    libeng[] = Libdl.dlopen(joinpath(matlablibpath, "libeng"), Libdl.RTLD_GLOBAL)
+    libmx[]  = Libdl.dlopen(joinpath(matlab_libpath(), "libmx"), Libdl.RTLD_GLOBAL)
+    libmat[] = Libdl.dlopen(joinpath(matlab_libpath(), "libmat"), Libdl.RTLD_GLOBAL)
+    libeng[] = Libdl.dlopen(joinpath(matlab_libpath(), "libeng"), Libdl.RTLD_GLOBAL)
 
     # engine functions
 
diff --git a/src/engine.jl b/src/engine.jl
index 6c741a5..ec78c74 100644
--- a/src/engine.jl
+++ b/src/engine.jl
@@ -5,11 +5,11 @@
 #   Session open & close
 #
 ###########################################################
-const default_matlabcmd = matlabcmd * " -nosplash"
-const default_startflag = "-nosplash"
+const default_startflag = "" # no additional flags
+default_matlabcmd() = matlab_cmd() * " -nosplash"
 # pass matlab flags directly or as a Vector of flags, i.e. "-a" or ["-a", "-b", "-c"]
-startcmd(flag::AbstractString = default_startflag) = default_matlabcmd * " " * flag
-startcmd(flags::AbstractVector{T}) where {T<:AbstractString} = default_matlabcmd * " " * join(flags, " ")
+startcmd(flag::AbstractString = default_startflag) = isempty(flag) ? default_matlabcmd() : default_matlabcmd() * " " * flag
+startcmd(flags::AbstractVector{T}) where {T<:AbstractString} = isempty(flags) ? default_matlabcmd() : default_matlabcmd() * " " * join(flags, " ")
 
 # 64 K buffer should be sufficient to store the output text in most cases
 const default_output_buffer_size = 64 * 1024
diff --git a/src/mxbase.jl b/src/mxbase.jl
index 4e320d0..2855e63 100644
--- a/src/mxbase.jl
+++ b/src/mxbase.jl
@@ -67,9 +67,6 @@ function matlab_cmd()
 end
 
 
-const matlablibpath = matlab_libpath()
-const matlabcmd = matlab_cmd()
-
 # helper library access function
 
 engfunc(fun::Symbol) = Libdl.dlsym(libeng[], fun)