diff --git a/src/initialize_dseries_class.m b/src/initialize_dseries_class.m
index 4a276fd7663560a508d626f11ba2e4e152d6ddb4..9e702f5a889904ec95c29827bf9dbcec5f0d040d 100644
--- a/src/initialize_dseries_class.m
+++ b/src/initialize_dseries_class.m
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 function initialize_dseries_class()
 
-% Copyright (C) 2015-2019 Dynare Team
+% Copyright © 2015-2020 Dynare Team
 %
 % This code is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
 % it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
@@ -16,7 +16,11 @@ function initialize_dseries_class()
 % along with Dynare.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 
 % Get the path to the dseries toolbox.
-dseries_src_root = strrep(which('initialize_dseries_class'),'initialize_dseries_class.m','');
+dseries_src_root = strrep(which('initialize_dseries_class'), 'initialize_dseries_class.m', '');
+
+% Is the dseries package used as a standalone?
+dseries_src_path_s = strsplit(dseries_src_root, filesep());
+isstandalone = ~isequal(dseries_src_path_s(end-3:end), {'matlab', 'modules', 'dseries', 'src'}) & isempty(which('dynare'));
 
 % Set the subfolders to be added in the path.
 p = {'read'; ...
@@ -58,7 +62,7 @@ if ~exist('ndim','file')
     p{end+1} = 'utilities/missing/ndim';
 end
 
-if ~exist('OCTAVE_VERSION') && (~exist('rows','file') || ~exist('columns','file'))
+if ~exist('OCTAVE_VERSION') && isstandalone
     p{end+1} = 'utilities/missing/dims';
 end