diff --git a/modules/matlab/generator/gen_matlab.py b/modules/matlab/generator/gen_matlab.py
index 9f0975d97..36d588c92 100644
--- a/modules/matlab/generator/gen_matlab.py
+++ b/modules/matlab/generator/gen_matlab.py
@@ -1,4 +1,8 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env python
+import sys, re, os, time
+from string import Template
+from parse_tree import ParseTree, todict, constants
+from filters import *
 
 class MatlabWrapperGenerator(object):
     """
@@ -22,9 +26,14 @@ class MatlabWrapperGenerator(object):
         The output_dir specifies the directory to write the generated sources
         to.
         """
+        # dynamically import the parsers
+        from jinja2 import Environment, FileSystemLoader
+        import hdr_parser
+        import rst_parser
+
         # parse each of the files and store in a dictionary
         # as a separate "namespace"
-        parser = CppHeaderParser()
+        parser = hdr_parser.CppHeaderParser()
         rst    = rst_parser.RstParser(parser)
         rst_parser.verbose = False
         rst_parser.show_warnings = False
@@ -91,13 +100,13 @@ class MatlabWrapperGenerator(object):
         output_class_dir   = output_dir+'/+cv'
         output_map_dir     = output_dir+'/map'
         if not os.path.isdir(output_source_dir):
-          os.mkdir(output_source_dir)
+          os.makedirs(output_source_dir)
         if not os.path.isdir(output_private_dir):
-          os.mkdir(output_private_dir)
+          os.makedirs(output_private_dir)
         if not os.path.isdir(output_class_dir):
-          os.mkdir(output_class_dir)
+          os.makedirs(output_class_dir)
         if not os.path.isdir(output_map_dir):
-          os.mkdir(output_map_dir)
+          os.makedirs(output_map_dir)
 
         # populate templates
         for namespace in parse_tree.namespaces:
@@ -168,7 +177,6 @@ if __name__ == "__main__":
     """
 
     # parse the input options
-    import sys, re, os, time
     from argparse import ArgumentParser
     parser = ArgumentParser()
     parser.add_argument('--jinja2')
@@ -185,13 +193,6 @@ if __name__ == "__main__":
     sys.path.append(args.hdrparser)
     sys.path.append(args.rstparser)
 
-    from string import Template
-    from hdr_parser import CppHeaderParser
-    import rst_parser
-    from parse_tree import ParseTree, todict, constants
-    from filters import *
-    from jinja2 import Environment, FileSystemLoader
-
     # create the generator
     mwg = MatlabWrapperGenerator()
     mwg.gen(args.moduleroot, args.modules, args.extra, args.outdir)