diff --git a/preprocessor/ModFile.cc b/preprocessor/ModFile.cc
index b1a747c97d5788e7cbfbdf787a2bcd3b4063f3eb..b066ed877074e6e23edcebe917fc0acc8fc8348a 100644
--- a/preprocessor/ModFile.cc
+++ b/preprocessor/ModFile.cc
@@ -445,7 +445,7 @@ 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