diff --git a/examples/make_spectrum.py b/examples/make_spectrum.py
index 3b99216..b258186 100755
--- a/examples/make_spectrum.py
+++ b/examples/make_spectrum.py
@@ -23,6 +23,8 @@ import ctools
 import cscripts
 try:
     import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
+    plt.figure()
+    plt.close()
     has_matplotlib = True
 except:
     has_matplotlib = False
diff --git a/examples/show_butterfly.py b/examples/show_butterfly.py
index 875afe5..1704df5 100755
--- a/examples/show_butterfly.py
+++ b/examples/show_butterfly.py
@@ -22,6 +22,8 @@ import sys
 import gammalib
 try:
     import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
+    plt.figure()
+    plt.close()
 except:
     print('This script needs the "matplotlib" module')
     sys.exit()
diff --git a/examples/show_model.py b/examples/show_model.py
index d92a6cc..d8e0792 100755
--- a/examples/show_model.py
+++ b/examples/show_model.py
@@ -23,6 +23,8 @@ import math
 import gammalib
 try:
     import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
+    plt.figure()
+    plt.close()
 except:
     print('This script needs the "matplotlib" module')
     sys.exit()
diff --git a/examples/show_pha.py b/examples/show_pha.py
index b68c14c..c770b66 100755
--- a/examples/show_pha.py
+++ b/examples/show_pha.py
@@ -23,6 +23,8 @@ import math
 import gammalib
 try:
     import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
+    plt.figure()
+    plt.close()
 except:
     print('This script needs the "matplotlib" module')
     sys.exit()
@@ -68,7 +70,7 @@ def show_pha(pha, plotfile=''):
         plt.semilogy(energy, counts, 'ro')
     else:
         plt.loglog(energy, counts, 'ro')
-    plt.errorbar(energy, counts, error, fmt=None, ecolor='r')
+    plt.errorbar(energy, counts, error, fmt='none', ecolor='r')
 
     # Set axes
     if channels:
diff --git a/examples/show_pull_evolution.py b/examples/show_pull_evolution.py
index 22a47ec..8715dcd 100755
--- a/examples/show_pull_evolution.py
+++ b/examples/show_pull_evolution.py
@@ -24,6 +24,8 @@ try:
     import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
 except:
     print('This script needs the "matplotlib" module')
+    plt.figure()
+    plt.close()
     sys.exit()
 try:
     import numpy as np
diff --git a/examples/show_pull_histogram.py b/examples/show_pull_histogram.py
index 957cced..ccd2311 100755
--- a/examples/show_pull_histogram.py
+++ b/examples/show_pull_histogram.py
@@ -23,6 +23,8 @@ import csv
 try:
     import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
     import matplotlib.mlab as mlab
+    plt.figure()
+    plt.close()
 except:
     print('This script needs the "matplotlib" module')
     sys.exit()