diff --git a/Examples/test-suite/scilab/Makefile.in b/Examples/test-suite/scilab/Makefile.in
index 198da2e9e..a82f0877d 100644
--- a/Examples/test-suite/scilab/Makefile.in
+++ b/Examples/test-suite/scilab/Makefile.in
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ CPP_TEST_CASES += \
 	primitive_types \
 	inout \
   scilab_li_matrix \
+  scilab_pointer_conversion_functions \
 
 CPP_STD_TEST_CASES += \
 	li_std_container_typemaps \
diff --git a/Examples/test-suite/scilab/scilab_pointer_conversion_functions_runme.sci b/Examples/test-suite/scilab/scilab_pointer_conversion_functions_runme.sci
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a15e169d3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Examples/test-suite/scilab/scilab_pointer_conversion_functions_runme.sci
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+exec("swigtest.start", -1);
+
+// Test on NULL
+null = getNull();
+checkequal(swig_this(null), 0, "swig_this(null)");
+
+null = swig_ptr(0);
+checkequal(isNull(null), %T, "func(null)");
+
+// Test on variable
+expected_foo_addr = getFooAddress();
+foo_addr = swig_this(pfoo_get());
+checkequal(uint32(foo_addr), expected_foo_addr, "swig_this(pfoo_get())");
+
+pfoo = swig_ptr(foo_addr);
+checkequal(equalFooPointer(pfoo), %T, "equalFooPointer(pfoo)");
+
+exec("swigtest.quit", -1);
diff --git a/Examples/test-suite/scilab_pointer_conversion_functions.i b/Examples/test-suite/scilab_pointer_conversion_functions.i
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..58e9b7471
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Examples/test-suite/scilab_pointer_conversion_functions.i
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+%module scilab_pointer_conversion_functions
+
+%inline %{
+
+void* getNull() { return NULL; }
+bool isNull(void *p) { return p == NULL; }
+
+int foo = 3;
+int *pfoo = &foo;
+
+unsigned long getFooAddress() { return (unsigned long) pfoo; }
+bool equalFooPointer(void *p) { return p == pfoo; }
+
+%}
+
+
diff --git a/Lib/scilab/scirun.swg b/Lib/scilab/scirun.swg
index 73e690daa..f6e3c0958 100644
--- a/Lib/scilab/scirun.swg
+++ b/Lib/scilab/scirun.swg
@@ -115,11 +115,6 @@ SwigScilabPtrToObject(void *_pvApiCtx, int _iVar, void **_pObjValue, swig_type_i
       return SWIG_ERROR;
     }
   }
-  else if (iType == sci_matrix) {
-    if (!isEmptyMatrix(_pvApiCtx, piAddrVar)) {
-      return SWIG_ERROR;
-    }
-  }
   else {
     return SWIG_ERROR;
   }
@@ -131,7 +126,7 @@ SWIGRUNTIMEINLINE int
 SwigScilabPtrFromObject(void *_pvApiCtx, int _iVarOut, void *_object, swig_type_info *_descriptor, int _flags) {
   SciErr sciErr;
 
-  sciErr = createPointer(pvApiCtx, SWIG_NbInputArgument(_pvApiCtx) + _iVarOut, (void *)_object);
+  sciErr = createPointer(_pvApiCtx, SWIG_NbInputArgument(_pvApiCtx) + _iVarOut, (void *)_object);
   if (sciErr.iErr) {
     printError(&sciErr, 0);
     return SWIG_ERROR;
@@ -147,7 +142,7 @@ SWIG_Scilab_ConvertPacked(void *_pvApiCtx, int _iVar, void *_ptr, int sz, swig_t
   char *pstStrings = NULL;
   SciErr sciErr;
 
-  sciErr = getVarAddressFromPosition(pvApiCtx, _iVar, &piAddrVar);
+  sciErr = getVarAddressFromPosition(_pvApiCtx, _iVar, &piAddrVar);
   if (sciErr.iErr) {
     printError(&sciErr, 0);
     return SWIG_ERROR;
@@ -251,3 +246,54 @@ SwigScilabRaise(const char *type) {
 #define Scilab_Error_Occurred() 0
 #define SWIG_Scilab_AddErrorMsg(msg) {;}
 
+
+/*
+ *  Helper functions
+ */
+
+#ifdef __cplusplus
+extern "C"
+#endif
+int swig_this(char *fname, unsigned long fname_len) {
+  void *ptrValue = NULL;
+  if (SwigScilabPtrToObject(pvApiCtx, 1, &ptrValue, NULL, 0, fname) == SWIG_OK) {
+    SWIG_Scilab_SetOutputPosition(1);
+    return SWIG_Scilab_SetOutput(pvApiCtx,
+      createScalarDouble(pvApiCtx, SWIG_NbInputArgument(_pvApiCtx) + 1,
+        (double) (unsigned long) ptrValue));
+  }
+  else {
+    Scierror(999, _("%s: Incorrect value for input argument #%d: The value is not a pointer.\n"), fname, 1);
+    return SWIG_ERROR;
+  }
+}
+
+#ifdef __cplusplus
+extern "C"
+#endif
+int swig_ptr(char *fname, unsigned long fname_len) {
+  double dValue = 0;
+  int *piAddr;
+  SciErr sciErr = getVarAddressFromPosition(pvApiCtx, 1, &piAddr);
+	if(sciErr.iErr) {
+		printError(&sciErr, 0);
+		return SWIG_ERROR;
+	}
+  if (getScalarDouble(pvApiCtx, piAddr, &dValue) == 0) {
+    if (dValue != (unsigned long)dValue) {
+      Scierror(999, _("%s: Incorrect value for input argument #%d: The double value cannot be converted to a pointer.\n"), fname, 1);
+      return SWIG_ValueError;
+    }
+    if ((dValue < LONG_MIN) || (dValue > LONG_MAX)) {
+      Scierror(999, _("%s: Overflow error for input argument #%d: The double value cannot be converted to a pointer.\n"), fname, 1);
+      return SWIG_OverflowError;
+    }
+    SWIG_Scilab_SetOutputPosition(1);
+    return SWIG_Scilab_SetOutput(pvApiCtx,
+      SwigScilabPtrFromObject(pvApiCtx, 1, (void *) (unsigned long) dValue, NULL, 0));
+  }
+  else {
+    return SWIG_ERROR;
+  }
+}
+
diff --git a/Source/Modules/scilab.cxx b/Source/Modules/scilab.cxx
index 37fc635d4..6f97c861d 100644
--- a/Source/Modules/scilab.cxx
+++ b/Source/Modules/scilab.cxx
@@ -176,6 +176,9 @@ public:
     /* Add initialization function to builder table */
     addFunctionInBuilder(moduleInitFunctionName, moduleInitFunctionName);
 
+    // Add helper functions to builder table
+    addHelperFunctions();
+
     // Open Scilab wrapper variables creation function
     variablesCode = NewString("");
     Printf(variablesCode, "int %s() {\n", SWIG_CREATE_VARIABLES_FUNCTION_NAME);
@@ -206,6 +209,7 @@ public:
 
     /* Write all to the wrapper file */
     SwigType_emit_type_table(runtimeSection, wrappersSection);	// Declare pointer types, ... (Ex: SWIGTYPE_p_p_double)
+
     Dump(runtimeSection, beginSection);
     Dump(headerSection, beginSection);
     Dump(wrappersSection, beginSection);
@@ -691,6 +695,11 @@ public:
     }
   }
 
+  void addHelperFunctions() {
+    addFunctionInBuilder("swig_this", "swig_this");
+    addFunctionInBuilder("swig_ptr", "swig_ptr");
+  }
+
   void createBuilderFile() {
     String *builderFilename = NewStringf("%sbuilder.sce", SWIG_output_directory());
     builderFile = NewFile(builderFilename, "w", SWIG_output_files());