diff --git a/AUG/loadAUGdata.m b/AUG/loadAUGdata.m
index 5de09317787f4beb226d37aa9bd1fa1f9fa8d466..208fa2efb6130445481c21271ab97df8932b228b 100644
--- a/AUG/loadAUGdata.m
+++ b/AUG/loadAUGdata.m
@@ -296,6 +296,11 @@ switch AUGkeywrdcase{index}
     else
       timerange=[1 7];
     end
+    if  nargin>=7 & ~isempty(varargin{5})
+      nth=varargin{5};
+    else
+      nth=13;
+    end
     trace.t=[];
     trace.x=[];
     ppftype='SXR';
@@ -308,7 +313,6 @@ switch AUGkeywrdcase{index}
     trace.units='W/m^2';
     trace.name=[num2str(shot) '/' ppftype '/' tracename];
     % keep only nth points
-    nth=13;
     trace.t=trace.t(1:nth:end);
     trace.data=trace.data(:,1:nth:end);
     trace.dim{2}=trace.t;
diff --git a/gdat.m b/gdat.m
index 590c32e0c88862fd29a77cb034f58291921e8467..a0943271992a520ce9e1f02c4db2818e2830f0f7 100644
--- a/gdat.m
+++ b/gdat.m
@@ -112,6 +112,8 @@ machine='TCV';
 a=which('sawteeth');
 if ~isempty(findstr('ipp',a)) | ~isempty(findstr('/u/osauter',a));
   machine='AUG';
+  global usemdsplus; % so far from AUG, do not use mdsplus
+  usemdsplus=0;
 elseif ~isempty(findstr('/home/osauter',a));
   machine='JET';
 end