diff --git a/neo/io/neomatlabio.py b/neo/io/neomatlabio.py
index 2d0fe46b8..804b9062f 100644
--- a/neo/io/neomatlabio.py
+++ b/neo/io/neomatlabio.py
@@ -406,7 +406,7 @@ def create_ob_from_struct(self, struct, classname):
                 if len(arr) > 0:
                     data_complement["spatial_scale"] = arr
                 else:
-                    pass  #
+                    data_complement["spatial_scale"] = 1.0
 
             if "times" in (at[0] for at in cl._necessary_attrs) and quantity_attr != "times":
                 # handle IrregularlySampledSignal