diff --git a/manualTests/test_setBatchCoregistrationFmap.m b/manualTests/test_setBatchCoregistrationFmap.m
index 4d055052..b793c1a4 100644
--- a/manualTests/test_setBatchCoregistrationFmap.m
+++ b/manualTests/test_setBatchCoregistrationFmap.m
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ function test_setBatchCoregistrationFmapBasic()
 
   [~, opt, BIDS] = getData(opt);
 
-  matlabbatch = [];
+  matlabbatch = {};
   matlabbatch = setBatchCoregistrationFmap(matlabbatch, BIDS, opt, subID);
 
   directory = fullfile(opt.derivativesDir, ...
diff --git a/manualTests/test_setBatchCreateVDMs.m b/manualTests/test_setBatchCreateVDMs.m
index e87e6350..01547f35 100644
--- a/manualTests/test_setBatchCreateVDMs.m
+++ b/manualTests/test_setBatchCreateVDMs.m
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ function test_setBatchCreateVDMsBasic()
 
   [~, opt, BIDS] = getData(opt);
 
-  matlabbatch = [];
+  matlabbatch = {};
   matlabbatch = setBatchCreateVDMs(matlabbatch, BIDS, opt, subID);
 
   %   matlabbatch{1}.spm.tools.fieldmap.calculatevdm.subj
diff --git a/src/templates/bidsTemplateWorkflow.m b/src/templates/bidsTemplateWorkflow.m
index 907e68bb..626a5f48 100644
--- a/src/templates/bidsTemplateWorkflow.m
+++ b/src/templates/bidsTemplateWorkflow.m
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ function bidsTemplateWorkflow(opt)
 
     printProcessingSubject(iSub, subLabel);
 
-    matlabbatch = [];
+    matlabbatch = {};
 
     matlabbatch = setBatchSomeBatch(matlabbatch, BIDS, opt, subLabel);
 
diff --git a/src/workflows/bidsConcatBetaTmaps.m b/src/workflows/bidsConcatBetaTmaps.m
index 50b10f30..44c733bf 100644
--- a/src/workflows/bidsConcatBetaTmaps.m
+++ b/src/workflows/bidsConcatBetaTmaps.m
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ function bidsConcatBetaTmaps(opt, funcFWHM, deleteIndBeta, deleteIndTmaps)
     % beta maps
     outputName = ['4D_beta_', num2str(funcFWHM), '.nii'];
 
-    matlabbatch = [];
+    matlabbatch = {};
     matlabbatch = setBatch3Dto4D(matlabbatch, beta_maps, RT, outputName);
 
     % t-maps
diff --git a/src/workflows/bidsCreateVDM.m b/src/workflows/bidsCreateVDM.m
index c235682c..4f18a3f6 100644
--- a/src/workflows/bidsCreateVDM.m
+++ b/src/workflows/bidsCreateVDM.m
@@ -40,11 +40,11 @@ function bidsCreateVDM(opt)
       [fileName, subFuncDataDir] = getBoldFilename(BIDS, subLabel, sessions{1}, runs{1}, opt);
       spmup_basics(fullfile(subFuncDataDir, fileName), 'mean');
 
-      matlabbatch = [];
+      matlabbatch = {};
       matlabbatch = setBatchCoregistrationFmap(matlabbatch, BIDS, opt, subLabel);
       saveAndRunWorkflow(matlabbatch, 'coregister_fmap', opt, subLabel);
 
-      matlabbatch = [];
+      matlabbatch = {};
       matlabbatch = setBatchCreateVDMs(matlabbatch, BIDS, opt, subLabel);
       saveAndRunWorkflow(matlabbatch, 'create_vdm', opt, subLabel);
 
diff --git a/src/workflows/bidsFFX.m b/src/workflows/bidsFFX.m
index ceee4257..a44d1ef1 100644
--- a/src/workflows/bidsFFX.m
+++ b/src/workflows/bidsFFX.m
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ function bidsFFX(action, opt, funcFWHM)
 
     printProcessingSubject(iSub, subLabel);
 
-    matlabbatch = [];
+    matlabbatch = {};
 
     switch action
 
diff --git a/src/workflows/bidsLesionAbnormalitiesDetection.m b/src/workflows/bidsLesionAbnormalitiesDetection.m
index 40ec5092..198c1ea3 100755
--- a/src/workflows/bidsLesionAbnormalitiesDetection.m
+++ b/src/workflows/bidsLesionAbnormalitiesDetection.m
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ function bidsLesionAbnormalitiesDetection(opt)
     end
   end
 
-  matlabbatch = [];
+  matlabbatch = {};
   matlabbatch = setBatchLesionAbnormalitiesDetection(matlabbatch, opt, images);
 
   saveAndRunWorkflow(matlabbatch, 'LesionAbnormalitiesDetection', opt, subLabel);
diff --git a/src/workflows/bidsLesionOverlapMap.m b/src/workflows/bidsLesionOverlapMap.m
index aa06214d..2a762445 100755
--- a/src/workflows/bidsLesionOverlapMap.m
+++ b/src/workflows/bidsLesionOverlapMap.m
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ function bidsLesionOverlapMap(opt)
 
     printProcessingSubject(iSub, subLabel);
 
-    matlabbatch = [];
+    matlabbatch = {};
     matlabbatch = setBatchLesionOverlapMap(matlabbatch, BIDS, opt, subLabel);
 
     saveAndRunWorkflow(matlabbatch, 'LesionOverlapMap', opt, subLabel);
diff --git a/src/workflows/bidsLesionSegmentation.m b/src/workflows/bidsLesionSegmentation.m
index a1071951..27ca6cb8 100755
--- a/src/workflows/bidsLesionSegmentation.m
+++ b/src/workflows/bidsLesionSegmentation.m
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ function bidsLesionSegmentation(opt)
 
     printProcessingSubject(iSub, subLabel);
 
-    matlabbatch = [];
+    matlabbatch = {};
     matlabbatch = setBatchLesionSegmentation(matlabbatch, BIDS, opt, subLabel);
 
     saveAndRunWorkflow(matlabbatch, 'LesionSegmentation', opt, subLabel);
diff --git a/src/workflows/bidsRFX.m b/src/workflows/bidsRFX.m
index fcb7e5cc..1dbc0e2c 100644
--- a/src/workflows/bidsRFX.m
+++ b/src/workflows/bidsRFX.m
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ function bidsRFX(action, opt, funcFWHM, conFWHM)
 
     case 'smoothContrasts'
 
-      matlabbatch = [];
+      matlabbatch = {};
       matlabbatch = setBatchSmoothConImages(matlabbatch, opt, funcFWHM, conFWHM);
 
       saveAndRunWorkflow(matlabbatch, ...
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ function bidsRFX(action, opt, funcFWHM, conFWHM)
       % - needs to be improved (maybe??) as the structural and mask may vary for
       %   different analysis
       % ------
-      matlabbatch = [];
+      matlabbatch = {};
       matlabbatch = setBatchMeanAnatAndMask(matlabbatch, ...
                                             opt, ...
                                             funcFWHM, ...
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ function bidsRFX(action, opt, funcFWHM, conFWHM)
 
       % TODO
       % saving needs to be improved (maybe??) as the name may vary with FXHM and contrast
-      matlabbatch = [];
+      matlabbatch = {};
       matlabbatch = setBatchFactorialDesign(matlabbatch, opt, funcFWHM, conFWHM);
 
       % Load the list of contrasts of interest for the RFX
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ function bidsRFX(action, opt, funcFWHM, conFWHM)
       % TODO
       % saving needs to be improved (maybe??) as the name may vary with FXHM and contrast
       rfxDir = getRFXdir(opt, funcFWHM, conFWHM);
-      matlabbatch = [];
+      matlabbatch = {};
       matlabbatch = setBatchGroupLevelContrasts(matlabbatch, grpLvlCon, rfxDir);
       saveAndRunWorkflow(matlabbatch, 'contrasts_rfx', opt);
 
diff --git a/src/workflows/bidsRealignReslice.m b/src/workflows/bidsRealignReslice.m
index 0b90bb8d..631411ac 100644
--- a/src/workflows/bidsRealignReslice.m
+++ b/src/workflows/bidsRealignReslice.m
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ function bidsRealignReslice(opt)
 
     printProcessingSubject(iSub, subLabel);
 
-    matlabbatch = [];
+    matlabbatch = {};
     [matlabbatch, ~] = setBatchRealign( ...
                                        matlabbatch, ...
                                        BIDS, ...
diff --git a/src/workflows/bidsRealignUnwarp.m b/src/workflows/bidsRealignUnwarp.m
index c56387a6..f90fbcd8 100644
--- a/src/workflows/bidsRealignUnwarp.m
+++ b/src/workflows/bidsRealignUnwarp.m
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ function bidsRealignUnwarp(opt)
 
     printProcessingSubject(iSub, subLabel);
 
-    matlabbatch = [];
+    matlabbatch = {};
     [matlabbatch, ~] = setBatchRealign( ...
                                        matlabbatch, ...
                                        BIDS, ...
diff --git a/src/workflows/bidsResliceTpmToFunc.m b/src/workflows/bidsResliceTpmToFunc.m
index 3394c54f..6d85c181 100644
--- a/src/workflows/bidsResliceTpmToFunc.m
+++ b/src/workflows/bidsResliceTpmToFunc.m
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ function bidsResliceTpmToFunc(opt)
     [anatImage, anatDataDir] = getAnatFilename(BIDS, subLabel, opt);
     TPMs = validationInputFile(anatDataDir, anatImage, 'c[123]');
 
-    matlabbatch = [];
+    matlabbatch = {};
     matlabbatch = setBatchReslice(matlabbatch, ...
                                   fullfile(meanFuncDir, meanImage), ...
                                   cellstr(TPMs));
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ function bidsResliceTpmToFunc(opt)
 
     expression = sprintf('(i1+i2+i3)>%f', opt.skullstrip.threshold);
 
-    matlabbatch = [];
+    matlabbatch = {};
     matlabbatch = setBatchImageCalculation(matlabbatch, input, output, meanFuncDir, expression);
 
     saveAndRunWorkflow(matlabbatch, 'create_functional_brain_mask', opt, subLabel);
diff --git a/src/workflows/bidsResults.m b/src/workflows/bidsResults.m
index c914a88a..e8c79095 100644
--- a/src/workflows/bidsResults.m
+++ b/src/workflows/bidsResults.m
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ function bidsResults(opt, funcFWHM, conFWHM)
       case 'run'
         warning('run level not implemented yet');
 
-        % matlabbatch = [];
+        % matlabbatch = {};
         % saveMatlabBatch(matlabbatch, 'computeFfxResults', opt, subID);
 
       case 'subject'
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ function bidsResults(opt, funcFWHM, conFWHM)
         % For each subject
         for iSub = 1:numel(opt.subjects)
 
-          matlabbatch = [];
+          matlabbatch = {};
 
           subLabel = opt.subjects{iSub};
 
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ function bidsResults(opt, funcFWHM, conFWHM)
 
       case 'dataset'
 
-        matlabbatch = [];
+        matlabbatch = {};
 
         results.dir = getRFXdir(opt, funcFWHM, conFWHM);
         results.contrastNb = 1;
diff --git a/src/workflows/bidsRoiBasedGLM.m b/src/workflows/bidsRoiBasedGLM.m
index 948a5a96..2e07f05d 100644
--- a/src/workflows/bidsRoiBasedGLM.m
+++ b/src/workflows/bidsRoiBasedGLM.m
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ function bidsRoiBasedGLM(opt)
 
     printProcessingSubject(iSub, subLabel);
 
-    matlabbatch = [];
+    matlabbatch = {};
 
     matlabbatch = setBatchSubjectLevelGLMSpec(matlabbatch, BIDS, opt, subLabel, funcFWHM);
 
diff --git a/src/workflows/bidsSTC.m b/src/workflows/bidsSTC.m
index 76c19eb5..33f94533 100644
--- a/src/workflows/bidsSTC.m
+++ b/src/workflows/bidsSTC.m
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ function bidsSTC(opt)
 
     printProcessingSubject(iSub, subLabel);
 
-    matlabbatch = [];
+    matlabbatch = {};
     matlabbatch = setBatchSTC(matlabbatch, BIDS, opt, subLabel);
 
     saveAndRunWorkflow(matlabbatch, 'STC', opt, subLabel);
diff --git a/src/workflows/bidsSegmentSkullStrip.m b/src/workflows/bidsSegmentSkullStrip.m
index 978e2b0c..826cb3ea 100644
--- a/src/workflows/bidsSegmentSkullStrip.m
+++ b/src/workflows/bidsSegmentSkullStrip.m
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ function bidsSegmentSkullStrip(opt)
 
     printProcessingSubject(iSub, subLabel);
 
-    matlabbatch = [];
+    matlabbatch = {};
     matlabbatch = setBatchSelectAnat(matlabbatch, BIDS, opt, subLabel);
 
     % dependency from file selector ('Anatomical')
diff --git a/src/workflows/bidsSmoothing.m b/src/workflows/bidsSmoothing.m
index ceaa5710..68aa6d81 100644
--- a/src/workflows/bidsSmoothing.m
+++ b/src/workflows/bidsSmoothing.m
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ function bidsSmoothing(funcFWHM, opt)
 
     printProcessingSubject(iSub, subLabel);
 
-    matlabbatch = [];
+    matlabbatch = {};
     matlabbatch = setBatchSmoothingFunc(matlabbatch, BIDS, opt, subLabel, funcFWHM);
 
     saveAndRunWorkflow(matlabbatch, ['smoothing_FWHM-' num2str(funcFWHM)], opt, subLabel);
diff --git a/src/workflows/bidsSpatialPrepro.m b/src/workflows/bidsSpatialPrepro.m
index b144192c..86c90294 100644
--- a/src/workflows/bidsSpatialPrepro.m
+++ b/src/workflows/bidsSpatialPrepro.m
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ function bidsSpatialPrepro(opt)
 
   parfor iSub = 1:numel(opt.subjects)
 
-    matlabbatch = [];
+    matlabbatch = {};
 
     subLabel = opt.subjects{iSub};
 
diff --git a/src/workflows/bidsWholeBrainFuncMask.m b/src/workflows/bidsWholeBrainFuncMask.m
index 4ab9d5ea..28e88652 100644
--- a/src/workflows/bidsWholeBrainFuncMask.m
+++ b/src/workflows/bidsWholeBrainFuncMask.m
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@
       opt.orderBatches.skullStripping = 2;
 
       % make matlab batch for segment and skullstip
-      matlabbatch = [];
+      matlabbatch = {};
       matlabbatch = setBatchSegmentation(matlabbatch, opt, meanFuncFileName);
 
       matlabbatch = setBatchSkullStripping(matlabbatch, BIDS, opt, subLabel);
diff --git a/tests/test_setBatch3Dto4D.m b/tests/test_setBatch3Dto4D.m
index cd21d71f..6c9d7f34 100644
--- a/tests/test_setBatch3Dto4D.m
+++ b/tests/test_setBatch3Dto4D.m
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ function test_setBatch3Dto4DBasic()
 
   RT = 2;
 
-  matlabbatch = [];
+  matlabbatch = {};
   matlabbatch = setBatch3Dto4D(matlabbatch, volumesList, RT);
 
   expectedBatch{1}.spm.util.cat.vols = volumesList;
diff --git a/tests/test_setBatchComputeVDM.m b/tests/test_setBatchComputeVDM.m
index 0efe5e5e..dc4de15e 100644
--- a/tests/test_setBatchComputeVDM.m
+++ b/tests/test_setBatchComputeVDM.m
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ function test_setBatchComputeVDMBasic()
   fmapType = 'phasediff';
   refImage = fullfile(pwd, 'mean_sub-01-task-rest_bold.nii');
 
-  matlabbatch = [];
+  matlabbatch = {};
   matlabbatch = setBatchComputeVDM(matlabbatch, fmapType, refImage);
 
   expectedBatch = returnExpectedBatch(refImage);
diff --git a/tests/test_setBatchFactorialDesign.m b/tests/test_setBatchFactorialDesign.m
index e5fcd5ba..b3b7f7bd 100644
--- a/tests/test_setBatchFactorialDesign.m
+++ b/tests/test_setBatchFactorialDesign.m
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ function test_setBatchFactorialDesignBasic()
   opt = setOptions('vismotion');
   opt.subjects = {'01' '02'};
 
-  matlabbatch = [];
+  matlabbatch = {};
   matlabbatch = setBatchFactorialDesign(matlabbatch, opt, funcFWHM, conFWHM);
 
   % TODO
diff --git a/tests/test_setBatchMeanAnatAndMask.m b/tests/test_setBatchMeanAnatAndMask.m
index b466469e..4e2bd366 100644
--- a/tests/test_setBatchMeanAnatAndMask.m
+++ b/tests/test_setBatchMeanAnatAndMask.m
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ function test_setBatchMeanAnatAndMaskBasic()
   imcalc.output = 'meanAnat.nii';
   imcalc.outdir{1} = pwd;
   imcalc.expression = '(i1+i2)/2';
-  imcalc.options.dtype = 4;
+  imcalc.options.dtype = 16;
 
   expectedBatch{1}.spm.util.imcalc = imcalc;
 
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ function test_setBatchMeanAnatAndMaskBasic()
   imcalc.output = 'meanMask.nii';
   imcalc.outdir{1} = pwd;
   imcalc.expression = '(i1+i2)>0.75*2';
-  imcalc.options.dtype = 4;
+  imcalc.options.dtype = 16;
 
   expectedBatch{2}.spm.util.imcalc = imcalc;
 
diff --git a/tests/test_setBatchRealign.m b/tests/test_setBatchRealign.m
index cc48d55c..3e4b7c16 100644
--- a/tests/test_setBatchRealign.m
+++ b/tests/test_setBatchRealign.m
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ function test_setBatchRealignBasic()
   opt = setOptions('MoAE', subLabel);
   [BIDS, opt] = getData(opt);
 
-  matlabbatch = [];
+  matlabbatch = {};
   matlabbatch = setBatchRealign(matlabbatch, BIDS, opt, subLabel);
 
   expectedBatch{1}.spm.spatial.realignunwarp.eoptions.weight = {''};
diff --git a/tests/test_setBatchResults.m b/tests/test_setBatchResults.m
index 490577ae..930c43d8 100644
--- a/tests/test_setBatchResults.m
+++ b/tests/test_setBatchResults.m
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ function test_setBatchResultsBasic()
   result.Contrasts.p = 0.05;
   result.Contrasts.k = 0;
 
-  matlabbatch = [];
+  matlabbatch = {};
   matlabbatch = setBatchResults(matlabbatch, result);
 
   expectedBatch = returnBasicExpectedResultsBatch();
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ function test_setBatchResultsExport()
   result.Output =  opt.result.Steps(iStep).Output;
   result.space = opt.space;
 
-  matlabbatch = [];
+  matlabbatch = {};
   matlabbatch = setBatchResults(matlabbatch, result);
 
   expectedBatch = returnBasicExpectedResultsBatch();
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ function test_setBatchResultsMontage()
   result.Output =  opt.result.Steps(iStep).Output;
   result.space = opt.space;
 
-  matlabbatch = [];
+  matlabbatch = {};
   matlabbatch = setBatchResults(matlabbatch, result);
 
   expectedBatch = returnBasicExpectedResultsBatch();
diff --git a/tests/test_setBatchSegmentation.m b/tests/test_setBatchSegmentation.m
index 91872c4d..66076a51 100644
--- a/tests/test_setBatchSegmentation.m
+++ b/tests/test_setBatchSegmentation.m
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ function test_setBatchSegmentationPipeline()
 
   opt.orderBatches.selectAnat = 1;
 
-  matlabbatch = [];
+  matlabbatch = {};
   matlabbatch = setBatchSegmentation(matlabbatch, opt);
 
   expectedBatch = returnExpectedBatch(spmLocation);
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ function test_setBatchSegmentationImages()
   anatImage = returnLocalAnatFilename();
 
   % check with one file
-  matlabbatch = [];
+  matlabbatch = {};
   matlabbatch = setBatchSegmentation(matlabbatch, opt, anatImage);
   expectedBatch = returnExpectedBatch(spmLocation);
   expectedBatch{end}.spm.spatial.preproc.channel.vols{1} = anatImage;
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ function test_setBatchSegmentationImages()
   assertEqual(expectedBatch, matlabbatch);
 
   % check with several files passed as a cell
-  matlabbatch = [];
+  matlabbatch = {};
   anatImage = {anatImage; anatImage};
   matlabbatch = setBatchSegmentation(matlabbatch, opt, anatImage);
   expectedBatch{end}.spm.spatial.preproc.channel.vols = anatImage;
diff --git a/tests/test_setBatchSelectAnat.m b/tests/test_setBatchSelectAnat.m
index 083a9c32..19cd1dd2 100644
--- a/tests/test_setBatchSelectAnat.m
+++ b/tests/test_setBatchSelectAnat.m
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ function test_setBatchSelectAnatBasic()
 
   [BIDS, opt] = getData(opt);
 
-  matlabbatch = [];
+  matlabbatch = {};
   matlabbatch = setBatchSelectAnat(matlabbatch, BIDS, opt, subLabel);
 
   expectedBatch{1}.cfg_basicio.cfg_named_file.name = 'Anatomical';
diff --git a/tests/test_setBatchSkullStripping.m b/tests/test_setBatchSkullStripping.m
index d261a053..fe893f8b 100644
--- a/tests/test_setBatchSkullStripping.m
+++ b/tests/test_setBatchSkullStripping.m
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ function test_setBatchSkullStrippingBasic()
   imcalc.output = ['m' strrep(expectedFileName, '.nii', '_skullstripped.nii')];
   imcalc.outdir = {expectedAnatDataDir};
   imcalc.expression = sprintf('i1.*((i2+i3+i4)>%f)', opt.skullstrip.threshold);
-  imcalc.options.dtype = 4;
+  imcalc.options.dtype = 16;
 
   expected_batch = {};
   expected_batch{end + 1}.spm.util.imcalc = imcalc;
diff --git a/tests/test_setBatchSmoothConImages.m b/tests/test_setBatchSmoothConImages.m
index 98357b9c..78247307 100644
--- a/tests/test_setBatchSmoothConImages.m
+++ b/tests/test_setBatchSmoothConImages.m
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ function test_setBatchSmoothConImagesBasic()
 
   [~, opt] = getData(opt);
 
-  matlabbatch = [];
+  matlabbatch = {};
   matlabbatch = setBatchSmoothConImages(matlabbatch, opt, funcFWHM, conFWHM);
 
   expectedBatch{1}.spm.spatial.smooth.fwhm = [6 6 6];
diff --git a/tests/test_setBatchSmoothing.m b/tests/test_setBatchSmoothing.m
index f1016267..8fea8674 100644
--- a/tests/test_setBatchSmoothing.m
+++ b/tests/test_setBatchSmoothing.m
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ function test_setBatchSmoothingBasic()
 
   images = { fullfile(pwd, 'sub-01_T1w.nii') };
 
-  matlabbatch = [];
+  matlabbatch = {};
   matlabbatch = setBatchSmoothing(matlabbatch, images, FWHM, prefix);
 
   expectedBatch{1}.spm.spatial.smooth.fwhm = [6 6 6];
diff --git a/tests/test_setBatchSmoothingFunc.m b/tests/test_setBatchSmoothingFunc.m
index 564f93ed..8c1c65d2 100644
--- a/tests/test_setBatchSmoothingFunc.m
+++ b/tests/test_setBatchSmoothingFunc.m
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ function test_setBatchSmoothingFuncBasic()
                        filename ext]);
   system(sprintf('touch %s', fileName));
 
-  matlabbatch = [];
+  matlabbatch = {};
   matlabbatch = setBatchSmoothingFunc(matlabbatch, BIDS, opt, subLabel, funcFWHM);
 
   expectedBatch{1}.spm.spatial.smooth.fwhm = [6 6 6];
diff --git a/tests/test_setBatchSubjectLevelContrasts.m b/tests/test_setBatchSubjectLevelContrasts.m
index e2d3c548..e3fd8af7 100644
--- a/tests/test_setBatchSubjectLevelContrasts.m
+++ b/tests/test_setBatchSubjectLevelContrasts.m
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ function test_setBatchSubjectLevelContrastsBasic()
 
   opt = setOptions('vismotion', subLabel);
 
-  matlabbatch = [];
+  matlabbatch = {};
   matlabbatch = setBatchSubjectLevelContrasts(matlabbatch, opt, subLabel, funcFWHM);
 
   expectedBatch = [];
diff --git a/tests/test_setBatchSubjectLevelGLMSpec.m b/tests/test_setBatchSubjectLevelGLMSpec.m
index 94347c23..d513f245 100644
--- a/tests/test_setBatchSubjectLevelGLMSpec.m
+++ b/tests/test_setBatchSubjectLevelGLMSpec.m
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ function test_setBatchSubjectLevelGLMSpecBasic()
   system(sprintf('touch %s', ...
                  fullfile(subFuncDataDir, ['rp_', strrep(fileName, '.nii', '.txt')])));
 
-  matlabbatch = [];
+  matlabbatch = {};
   matlabbatch = setBatchSubjectLevelGLMSpec(matlabbatch, BIDS, opt, subLabel, funcFWHM);
 
   % TODO add assert
diff --git a/tests/test_setBatchSubjectLevelResults.m b/tests/test_setBatchSubjectLevelResults.m
index 6ca6d728..71650c2b 100644
--- a/tests/test_setBatchSubjectLevelResults.m
+++ b/tests/test_setBatchSubjectLevelResults.m
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ function test_setBatchSubjectLevelResultsBasic()
 
   opt.result.Steps.Contrasts.Name = 'VisMot';
 
-  matlabbatch = [];
+  matlabbatch = {};
   matlabbatch = setBatchSubjectLevelResults(matlabbatch, opt, subLabel, funcFWHM, iStep, iCon);
 
   expectedBatch = {};
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ function test_setBatchSubjectLevelResultsErrorMissingContrastName()
   opt = setOptions('vismotion', subLabel);
   opt.space = 'MNI';
 
-  matlabbatch = [];
+  matlabbatch = {};
   assertExceptionThrown( ...
                         @()setBatchSubjectLevelResults(matlabbatch, ...
                                                        opt, ...
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ function test_setBatchSubjectLevelResultsErrorNoMAtchingContrast()
 
   opt.result.Steps.Contrasts.Name = 'NotAContrast';
 
-  matlabbatch = [];
+  matlabbatch = {};
   assertExceptionThrown( ...
                         @()setBatchSubjectLevelResults(matlabbatch, ...
                                                        opt, ...