diff --git a/matlab/gdat_plot.m b/matlab/gdat_plot.m
index d2a1edeb49a5d93db3dc6bc519a93d9c05180bde..ccbf80d03b49bead91fae55fdf1432a7e4941c77 100644
--- a/matlab/gdat_plot.m
+++ b/matlab/gdat_plot.m
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ elseif isfield(gdat_data,'gdat_params') && isfield(gdat_data.gdat_params,'doplot
 end
 if doplot==0; return; end
 redo_legend_from_Tags = 0;
+do_legend = 1;
 
 if all(isfield(gdat_data,{'data','t'})) && ~isempty(gdat_data.data) && ~isempty(gdat_data.t)
   fighandle = get(0,'CurrentFigure');
@@ -63,6 +64,7 @@ if all(isfield(gdat_data,{'data','t'})) && ~isempty(gdat_data.data) && ~isempty(
     eval(['linehandles{end+1} = plot(gdat_data.eqdsk' endstr '.rlim,gdat_data.eqdsk' endstr '.zlim,''k'');'])
     axis equal;
     title(eval(['gdat_data.eqdsk' endstr '.stitle']));
+    do_legend = 0;
   elseif any(find(size(gdat_data.data)==length(gdat_data.t)))
     try
       if length(size(gdat_data.data))<=2
@@ -154,8 +156,10 @@ if all(isfield(gdat_data,{'data','t'})) && ~isempty(gdat_data.data) && ~isempty(
     zoom on;
   end
   maxnblines = 1;
-  if redo_legend_from_Tags || any(strcmp(gdat_data.gdat_params.data_request,'powers')) || (numel(ab)==numel(gdat_data.label) && numel(ab)>1)
-    % keep legend from label
+  if ~exist('ab','var'), ab=get(gca,'children'); end
+  if do_legend==0 || redo_legend_from_Tags || any(strcmp(gdat_data.gdat_params.data_request,'powers'))  ...
+      || (numel(ab)==numel(gdat_data.label) && numel(ab)>1)
+    % keep legend as is
   else
     for i=1:numel(linehandles)
       maxnblines = max(maxnblines,numel(linehandles{i}));
@@ -168,7 +172,7 @@ if all(isfield(gdat_data,{'data','t'})) && ~isempty(gdat_data.data) && ~isempty(
       end
     end
   end
-  if maxnblines==1; legend show; end
+  if do_legend==1 && maxnblines==1; legend show; end
   if strcmp(gdat_data.gdat_request,'mhd')
     % special case, add legend instead of ylabel
     delete(hylabel);