diff --git a/matlab/tests/test_requestnames.m b/matlab/tests/test_requestnames.m
index 69bb158ec43590087dbe51de9ef80799d481f73c..33a4fbe6ecc48aa0cac4039acba7007d1b7b2019 100644
--- a/matlab/tests/test_requestnames.m
+++ b/matlab/tests/test_requestnames.m
@@ -34,15 +34,24 @@ testCase.assertTrue(ischar(request));
 
 % gdat call
 gdat_call = sprintf(['gdat_' lower(testCase.Machine) '(%s,''%s'')'],shot,request);
-if strcmp(request,'eqdsk')
+do_gdat_call = 1;
+switch request
+ case 'eqdsk'
   % avoid writing files in /tmp, may not be allowed
   gdat_call = sprintf(['gdat_' lower(testCase.Machine) '(%s,''%s'',''write'',0)'],shot,request);
+ case 'scd'
+  % scd dummy call with error information in gdat, do not do test (done with rtc)
+  do_gdat_call = 0;
 end
 
 % logging
 fprintf('Testing gdat call: %s\n',gdat_call);
 
-gdat_out = eval(gdat_call); %#ok<NASGU>
+if do_gdat_call
+  gdat_out = eval(gdat_call); %#ok<NASGU>
+else
+  gdat_out = struct([]);
+end
 
 % in some future: check for warnings
 %gdat_out = verifyWarningFree(testCase,eval(gdat_call),...