diff --git a/preprocessor/ModFile.cc b/preprocessor/ModFile.cc
index f6b409bd1eeede523d69437911534ed51f316421..d327cf5238cc9ba89b503fe2feb577d8eda2786d 100644
--- a/preprocessor/ModFile.cc
+++ b/preprocessor/ModFile.cc
@@ -387,7 +387,7 @@ ModFile::writeOutputFiles(const string &basename, bool clear_all, bool console,
     {
       mOutputFile << "clear all" << endl
 	// this is a work-around for a bug in Octave 3.2
-		  << "clear globals" << endl;
+		  << "clear global" << endl;
     }
 
   mOutputFile << "tic;" << endl