diff --git a/src/MATLAB.jl b/src/MATLAB.jl
index 2af59ac..4dbf2aa 100644
--- a/src/MATLAB.jl
+++ b/src/MATLAB.jl
@@ -80,7 +80,10 @@ function __init__()
     if libmx_size > 0 # non-zero size library path
 
     # load libraries
-
+    # workaround for https://github.com/JuliaInterop/MATLAB.jl/issues/200
+    if Sys.iswindows()
+        ENV["PATH"] = string(matlab_libpath, ";", ENV["PATH"])
+    end
     libmx[]  = Libdl.dlopen(joinpath(matlab_libpath, "libmx"), Libdl.RTLD_GLOBAL)
     libmat[] = Libdl.dlopen(joinpath(matlab_libpath, "libmat"), Libdl.RTLD_GLOBAL)
     libeng[] = Libdl.dlopen(joinpath(matlab_libpath, "libeng"), Libdl.RTLD_GLOBAL)
diff --git a/src/engine.jl b/src/engine.jl
index 0e83b7c..f0ca5de 100644
--- a/src/engine.jl
+++ b/src/engine.jl
@@ -5,8 +5,8 @@
 #   Session open & close
 #
 ###########################################################
-const default_startflag = "" # no additional flags
-const default_matlabcmd = matlab_cmd * " -nosplash"
+const default_startflag = "-nodisplay -nosplash -nodesktop" # no additional flags
+const default_matlabcmd = matlab_cmd * " -nodisplay -nosplash -nodesktop"
 # pass matlab flags directly or as a Vector of flags, i.e. "-a" or ["-a", "-b", "-c"]
 startcmd(flag::AbstractString = default_startflag) = isempty(flag) ? default_matlabcmd : default_matlabcmd * " " * flag
 startcmd(flags::AbstractVector{<:AbstractString}) = isempty(flags) ? default_matlabcmd : default_matlabcmd * " " * join(flags, " ")