diff --git a/nipype/interfaces/matlab.py b/nipype/interfaces/matlab.py
index fe9d4457a6..a81076b31f 100644
--- a/nipype/interfaces/matlab.py
+++ b/nipype/interfaces/matlab.py
@@ -168,9 +168,9 @@ def _gen_matlab_command(self, argstr, script_lines):
         prescript = self.inputs.prescript
         postscript = self.inputs.postscript
 
-        # postcript takes different default value depending on the mfile argument
+        # prescript takes different default value depending on the mfile argument
         if mfile:
-            prescript.insert(0, "fprintf(1,'Executing %s at %s:\\n',mfilename,datestr(now));")
+            prescript.insert(0, "fprintf(1,'Executing %s at %s:\\n',mfilename(),datestr(now));")
         else:
             prescript.insert(0, "fprintf(1,'Executing code at %s:\\n',datestr(now));")
         for path in paths: