diff --git a/gdat.m b/gdat.m
index 1c56ff610a48197337aa695d3a4d3ad90d8f7e5f..e6956d3c624a68da4a820585c510268737bada73 100644
--- a/gdat.m
+++ b/gdat.m
@@ -20,12 +20,12 @@ function [trace,error,varargout] = gdat(shot,data_type,varargin)
 % shot: shot number
 % data_type: type of the required data.( see above)
 %
-% optional arguments valid for all values of data_type:
+% optional arguments valid for all values of data_type (not passed on to loadMACHINEdata function):
 %
 % varargin{1}:  0 => no plot (default), 1 => plot 
 % varargin{2}:  machine name 'JET', 'TCV' (default)
 %
-% Additional input arguments for specific traces
+% Additional input arguments for specific traces (passed on to loadMACHINEdata function)
 %
 % data_type=sxr or ece:
 %                  varargin{3}:  channel status 1= unread yet, 0= read
@@ -78,10 +78,10 @@ machine='TCV';
 if (nargineff>=4 & ~isempty(varargin{2})); machine=varargin{2}; end
 
 % load data from specified machine
-if nargineff<=2
+if nargineff<=4
   eval(['[trace,error,varargout] = load' machine 'data(shot,data_type);']);
 else
-  eval(['[trace,error,varargout] = load' machine 'data(shot,data_type,varargin);']);
+  eval(['[trace,error,varargout] = load' machine 'data(shot,data_type,varargin(3:end));']);
 end
 
 % PLOT DATA (if required)