diff --git a/matlab/masterParallel.m b/matlab/masterParallel.m
index 12c15c11806c0902de0b10216a042a67e9792c74..9b4e698ef348ca6ecd1f949c7afc5fc734ecb087 100644
--- a/matlab/masterParallel.m
+++ b/matlab/masterParallel.m
@@ -221,6 +221,7 @@ t00=cputime;
 hh=NaN(1,nBlock);
 if exist('OCTAVE_VERSION'),
     diary off;
+    printf('\n');
 else
     hfigstatus = figure('name',['Parallel ',fname],...
                         'MenuBar', 'none', ...
@@ -248,7 +249,7 @@ while (1)
             load(stax(j).name)
             pcerdone(j) = prtfrc;
             if exist('OCTAVE_VERSION'),
-                statusString = [statusString, waitbarString, ', %3.f%% done! '];
+                statusString = [statusString, int2str(j), ' %3.f%% done! '];
             else
                 status_String{j} = waitbarString;  
                 status_Title{j} = waitbarTitle;  
diff --git a/matlab/masterParallelMan.m b/matlab/masterParallelMan.m
index 668a2b4904523479a6a7bb2150dc0a5d29f57a75..d4bd67b23c198dc8bb4675ec8c7ce8b17b38ea32 100644
--- a/matlab/masterParallelMan.m
+++ b/matlab/masterParallelMan.m
@@ -265,6 +265,7 @@ t00=cputime;
 hh=NaN(1,nBlock);
 if exist('OCTAVE_VERSION'),
     diary off;
+    printf('\n');
 else
     hfigstatus = figure('name',['Parallel ',fname],...
                         'MenuBar', 'none', ...
@@ -292,7 +293,7 @@ while (1)
             load(stax(j).name)
             pcerdone(j) = prtfrc;
             if exist('OCTAVE_VERSION'),
-                statusString = [statusString, waitbarString, ', %3.f%% done! '];
+                statusString = [statusString, int2str(j), ' %3.f%% done! '];
             else
                 status_String{j} = waitbarString;  
                 status_Title{j} = waitbarTitle;