diff --git a/src/gui_project.m b/src/gui_project.m
index d382af11e093ef5449bdc96491772051a9ed33a1..be5ab1d5c35e7a93506124a48ca9f841583a867f 100644
--- a/src/gui_project.m
+++ b/src/gui_project.m
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ function gui_project(tabId, oid)
 % SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS
 %   none
 
-% Copyright (C) 2003-2019 Dynare Team
+% Copyright (C) 2003-2020 Dynare Team
 %
 % This file is part of Dynare.
 %
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ uicontrol(tabId, ...
                             gui_tools.project_log_entry('Creating new project', ['project_name: ' project_info.project_name]);
                         end
                         gui_tools.save_project();
-                        set(handles.project_name, 'Enable', 'Off');
+                        handles.project_name.Enable = 'Off';
                         gui_tabs.rename_tab(tabId, ['Project: ' project_info.project_name]);
                     end
                 elseif strcmp(oid,'Save') || strcmp(oid,'Open')
@@ -142,8 +142,7 @@ uicontrol(tabId, ...
                 end
 
                 if strcmp(oid,'New') || strcmp(oid,'Open') || strcmp(oid,'Save As') || ~strcmp(project_info.project_folder, old_project_folder)
-                    % change current folder to project folder
-                    eval(sprintf('cd ''%s'' ',project_info.project_folder));
+                    cd(project_info.project_folder);
                 end
                 % close tab on successful save and prompt to load .mod file
                 gui_load_mod_file(tabId)