diff --git a/dumux/io/gnuplotinterface.hh b/dumux/io/gnuplotinterface.hh
index 7e8f4fed09e2802544a22c47a02832de3a0c4729..ea23705a49f63f8168d300f5838e7b71ef23431d 100644
--- a/dumux/io/gnuplotinterface.hh
+++ b/dumux/io/gnuplotinterface.hh
@@ -63,17 +63,16 @@ public:
 
     //! \brief The constructor
     GnuplotInterface(bool persist = true) :
-        plotStyle_("lines"), pipe_(0),
+        pipe_(0), openPlotWindow_(true), persist_(persist),
+        datafileSeparator_(' '), plotStyle_("lines"),
         curveFile_(0), curveOptions_(0), curveTitle_(0),
-        interaction_(true),
         xRangeMin_(1e100), xRangeMax_(-1e100),
         yRangeMin_(1e100), yRangeMax_(-1e100),
         xLabel_(""), yLabel_(""),
         plotOptions_(""),
-        datafileSeparator_(' '),
         gnuplotPath_(GNUPLOT_EXECUTABLE)
     {
-        open(persist);
+        open(persist_);
     }
 
     //! \brief The destructor
@@ -126,7 +125,7 @@ public:
 
         // live plot of the results if gnuplot is installed
 #ifdef HAVE_GNUPLOT
-        if (interaction_)
+        if (openPlotWindow_)
             executeGnuplot(plot.c_str());
 #endif
 
@@ -265,9 +264,10 @@ public:
      *
      * \param interaction Open window or not
      */
+    DUNE_DEPRECATED_MSG("setInteraction() is deprecated. Use setOpenPlotWindow() instead.")
     void setInteraction(bool interaction)
     {
-        interaction_ = interaction;
+        setOpenPlotWindow(interaction);
     }
 
     /*!
@@ -324,6 +324,16 @@ public:
         plotOptions_ += option + "\n";
     }
 
+    /*!
+     * \brief Define whether the gnuplot window should be opened
+     *
+     * \param openPlotWindow Open gnuplot or not
+     */
+    void setOpenPlotWindow(bool openPlotWindow)
+    {
+        openPlotWindow_ = openPlotWindow;
+    }
+
     /*!
      * \brief Sets the datafile separator
      *
@@ -360,8 +370,11 @@ private:
         return stream.str();
     }
 
-    std::string plotStyle_;
     std::FILE * pipe_;
+    bool openPlotWindow_;
+    bool persist_;
+    char datafileSeparator_;
+    std::string plotStyle_;
     StringVector curveFile_;
     StringVector curveOptions_;
     StringVector curveTitle_;
@@ -373,7 +386,6 @@ private:
     std::string xLabel_;
     std::string yLabel_;
     std::string plotOptions_;
-    char datafileSeparator_;
     std::string gnuplotPath_;
 };
 } // end of namespace
diff --git a/dumux/io/ploteffectivediffusivitymodel.hh b/dumux/io/ploteffectivediffusivitymodel.hh
index 0ec3c5a08272b10479c97e6371b33a54d903cb8d..d850723b747178197ad6fdcd80a97482d6041f46 100644
--- a/dumux/io/ploteffectivediffusivitymodel.hh
+++ b/dumux/io/ploteffectivediffusivitymodel.hh
@@ -49,12 +49,18 @@ class PlotEffectiveDiffusivityModel
 
 public:
     //! Constructor
-    PlotEffectiveDiffusivityModel(bool interaction = true)
+    DUNE_DEPRECATED_MSG("PlotEffectiveDiffusivityModel(bool) is deprecated. Use PlotEffectiveDiffusivityModel() instead.")
+    PlotEffectiveDiffusivityModel(bool interaction)
     : numIntervals_(1000)
     {
         gnuplot_.setInteraction(interaction);
     }
 
+    //! Constructor
+    PlotEffectiveDiffusivityModel()
+    : numIntervals_(1000)
+    { }
+
     /*!
      * \brief Add a effective diffusion factor-saturation data set to the plot
      *
diff --git a/dumux/io/plotmateriallaw.hh b/dumux/io/plotmateriallaw.hh
index 78e5b8132239470375a3d47bcfa768a580313346..a94f3814875314dcf84a87a57dd4eeec859a1eef 100644
--- a/dumux/io/plotmateriallaw.hh
+++ b/dumux/io/plotmateriallaw.hh
@@ -51,7 +51,8 @@ class PlotMaterialLaw
 
 public:
     //! Constructor
-    PlotMaterialLaw(bool interaction = true)
+    DUNE_DEPRECATED_MSG("PlotMaterialLaw(bool) is deprecated. Use PlotMaterialLaw() instead.")
+    PlotMaterialLaw(bool interaction)
     : numIntervals_(1000)
     {
         gnuplotpcsw_.setInteraction(interaction);
@@ -62,6 +63,11 @@ public:
         gnuplotkrdsw_.setInteraction(interaction);
     }
 
+    //! Constructor
+    PlotMaterialLaw()
+    : numIntervals_(1000)
+    { }
+
     /*!
      * \brief Add a capillary pressure-saturation data set to the plot
      *
diff --git a/dumux/io/plotmateriallaw3p.hh b/dumux/io/plotmateriallaw3p.hh
index 2dc8e41eea239b352d2403e33dbc7ceca64ac3aa..444fa69748bd42d5632d9e72e23c2c666bc6a9ec 100644
--- a/dumux/io/plotmateriallaw3p.hh
+++ b/dumux/io/plotmateriallaw3p.hh
@@ -54,10 +54,10 @@ public:
     PlotMaterialLaw(bool interaction = true)
     : numIntervals_(1000)
     {
-        gnuplotpc_.setInteraction(interaction);
-        gnuplotpcAlpha_.setInteraction(interaction);
-        gnuplotkr_.setInteraction(interaction);
-        gnuplotkrn_.setInteraction(interaction);
+        gnuplotpc_.setOpenPlotWindow(interaction);
+        gnuplotpcAlpha_.setOpenPlotWindow(interaction);
+        gnuplotkr_.setOpenPlotWindow(interaction);
+        gnuplotkrn_.setOpenPlotWindow(interaction);
     }
 
     /*!
diff --git a/dumux/io/plotthermalconductivitymodel.hh b/dumux/io/plotthermalconductivitymodel.hh
index b608716a0505394db7892d3788f21b44cff44949..45d934bbc9903bf8990cd77e539dcbce4d7f5ce6 100644
--- a/dumux/io/plotthermalconductivitymodel.hh
+++ b/dumux/io/plotthermalconductivitymodel.hh
@@ -70,9 +70,10 @@ public:
      * \param pressure reference pressure in \f$\mathrm{[Pa]}\f$
      * \param interaction Specifies whether a live output via a gnuplot window is wanted
      */
-    PlotThermalConductivityModel(Scalar temperature = 283.15,
-                                 Scalar pressure = 1e5,
-                                 bool interaction = true)
+    DUNE_DEPRECATED_MSG("PlotThermalConductivityModel(Scalar, Scalar, bool) is deprecated. Use PlotThermalConductivityModel(Scalar, Scalar) instead.")
+    PlotThermalConductivityModel(Scalar temperature,
+                                 Scalar pressure,
+                                 bool interaction)
     : numIntervals_(1000)
     {
         FluidState fluidstate;
@@ -84,6 +85,26 @@ public:
         gnuplot_.setInteraction(interaction);
     }
 
+    /*!
+     * \brief Constructor
+     *
+     * Initializes the fluid system.
+     *
+     * \param temperature temperature in \f$\mathrm{[K]}\f$
+     * \param pressure reference pressure in \f$\mathrm{[Pa]}\f$
+     */
+    PlotThermalConductivityModel(Scalar temperature = 283.15,
+                                 Scalar pressure = 1e5)
+    : numIntervals_(1000)
+    {
+        FluidState fluidstate;
+        fluidstate.setTemperature(temperature);
+        fluidstate.setPressure(wPhaseIdx, pressure);
+        fluidstate.setPressure(nPhaseIdx, pressure);
+        lambdaW_ = FluidSystem::template thermalConductivity<FluidState>(fluidstate, wPhaseIdx);
+        lambdaN_ = FluidSystem::template thermalConductivity<FluidState>(fluidstate, nPhaseIdx);
+    }
+
     /*!
      * \brief Add a effective thermal conductivity-saturation curve to the plot
      *
diff --git a/test/io/gnuplotinterface/test_gnuplotinterface.cc b/test/io/gnuplotinterface/test_gnuplotinterface.cc
index 3e6087732c929758cd38e7b8f55ab07f17396b53..7a1d2cdee2d2559757e4f47659853f0fd6e7e617 100644
--- a/test/io/gnuplotinterface/test_gnuplotinterface.cc
+++ b/test/io/gnuplotinterface/test_gnuplotinterface.cc
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@
 int main()
 {
     Dumux::GnuplotInterface<double> gnuplot(false);
+    gnuplot.setOpenPlotWindow(false);
 
     unsigned int numIntervals = 100;
     std::vector<double> x(101);
diff --git a/test/material/fluidmatrixinteractions/2p/thermalconductivityspatialparams.hh b/test/material/fluidmatrixinteractions/2p/thermalconductivityspatialparams.hh
index 8c21280e58139832ccb371f8ec6e869e3f5dfcb0..90ba3d58d7b711d9935728aaef6433c623e8e953 100644
--- a/test/material/fluidmatrixinteractions/2p/thermalconductivityspatialparams.hh
+++ b/test/material/fluidmatrixinteractions/2p/thermalconductivityspatialparams.hh
@@ -50,6 +50,10 @@ SET_TYPE_PROP(ThermalConductivitySpatialParams, SpatialParams, ThermalConductivi
 SET_TYPE_PROP(ThermalConductivitySpatialParams,
               MaterialLaw,
               EffToAbsLaw<RegularizedBrooksCorey<typename GET_PROP_TYPE(TypeTag, Scalar)> >);
+
+// Define whether to open a gnuplot window
+NEW_PROP_TAG(OutputOpenPlotWindow);
+SET_BOOL_PROP(ThermalConductivitySpatialParams, OutputOpenPlotWindow, false);
 }
 
 /*!
@@ -106,11 +110,13 @@ public:
      */
     void plotMaterialLaw()
     {
-        GnuplotInterface<Scalar> gnuplot(false);
+        GnuplotInterface<Scalar> gnuplot;
+        gnuplot.setOpenPlotWindow(GET_PARAM_FROM_GROUP(TypeTag, bool, Output, OpenPlotWindow));
         PlotThermalConductivityModel<TypeTag> plotThermalConductivityModel_(293.15, 1e5);
         std::string fileName = GET_RUNTIME_PARAM_FROM_GROUP(TypeTag, std::string, Conductivity, File);
         plotThermalConductivityModel_.addlambdaeffcurve(gnuplot, porosity_, rhoSolid_, lambdaSolid_,
                                                         0.0, 1.0, fileName);
+        gnuplot.plot("lambda_eff");
     }
 
     /*!
diff --git a/test/material/fluidmatrixinteractions/effectivediffusivityspatialparams.hh b/test/material/fluidmatrixinteractions/effectivediffusivityspatialparams.hh
index be57d35b295325ed190b2aa3fcb418d81673a8d8..038449e6bb5873071e5745c9b9f4f7fb19b76d9f 100644
--- a/test/material/fluidmatrixinteractions/effectivediffusivityspatialparams.hh
+++ b/test/material/fluidmatrixinteractions/effectivediffusivityspatialparams.hh
@@ -50,6 +50,10 @@ SET_TYPE_PROP(EffectiveDiffusivitySpatialParams, SpatialParams, EffectiveDiffusi
 SET_TYPE_PROP(EffectiveDiffusivitySpatialParams,
               MaterialLaw,
               EffToAbsLaw<RegularizedBrooksCorey<typename GET_PROP_TYPE(TypeTag, Scalar)> >);
+
+// Define whether to open a gnuplot window
+NEW_PROP_TAG(OutputOpenPlotWindow);
+SET_BOOL_PROP(EffectiveDiffusivitySpatialParams, OutputOpenPlotWindow, false);
 }
 
 /*!
@@ -106,10 +110,12 @@ public:
      */
     void plotMaterialLaw()
     {
-        GnuplotInterface<Scalar> gnuplot(false);
+        GnuplotInterface<Scalar> gnuplot;
+        gnuplot.setOpenPlotWindow(GET_PARAM_FROM_GROUP(TypeTag, bool, Output, OpenPlotWindow));
         PlotEffectiveDiffusivityModel<TypeTag> plotEffectiveDiffusivityModel;
         std::string fileName = GET_RUNTIME_PARAM_FROM_GROUP(TypeTag, std::string, Diffusivity, File);
         plotEffectiveDiffusivityModel.adddeffcurve(gnuplot, porosity_, 0.0, 1.0, fileName);
+        gnuplot.plot("d_eff");
     }
 
     /*!
diff --git a/test/multidomain/2cnistokes2p2cni/2p2cnisubproblem.hh b/test/multidomain/2cnistokes2p2cni/2p2cnisubproblem.hh
index 7ed89c2aa520ffe9dd8d08de2d95893f02a2189e..45d19fe9ea4094622073c2965df3f989015da2db 100644
--- a/test/multidomain/2cnistokes2p2cni/2p2cnisubproblem.hh
+++ b/test/multidomain/2cnistokes2p2cni/2p2cnisubproblem.hh
@@ -388,7 +388,7 @@ public:
 
                     evaporationFile << time/86400.0 << " " << storageChange[contiWEqIdx]*86400.0 << std::endl;
                     gnuplot_.resetPlot();
-                    gnuplot_.setInteraction(liveEvaporationRates_);
+                    gnuplot_.setOpenPlotWindow(liveEvaporationRates_);
                     gnuplot_.setXRange(0.0, time/86400.0);
                     gnuplot_.setYRange(0.0, 12.0);
                     gnuplot_.setXlabel("time [d]");
diff --git a/test/porousmediumflow/2p2c/implicit/waterairspatialparams.hh b/test/porousmediumflow/2p2c/implicit/waterairspatialparams.hh
index 68d348e9919878b05a4762252f1bc8bd92632f1d..30a2442084862e093aaa35e1d0315a9ae758836b 100644
--- a/test/porousmediumflow/2p2c/implicit/waterairspatialparams.hh
+++ b/test/porousmediumflow/2p2c/implicit/waterairspatialparams.hh
@@ -128,7 +128,7 @@ public:
     {
         PlotMaterialLaw<TypeTag> plotMaterialLaw;
         GnuplotInterface<Scalar> gnuplot(plotFluidMatrixInteractions_);
-        gnuplot.setInteraction(plotFluidMatrixInteractions_);
+        gnuplot.setOpenPlotWindow(plotFluidMatrixInteractions_);
         plotMaterialLaw.addpcswcurve(gnuplot, fineMaterialParams_, 0.2, 1.0, "fine", "w lp");
         plotMaterialLaw.addpcswcurve(gnuplot, coarseMaterialParams_, 0.2, 1.0, "coarse", "w l");
         gnuplot.setOption("set xrange [0:1]");
diff --git a/test/porousmediumflow/mpnc/implicit/evaporationatmosphereproblem.hh b/test/porousmediumflow/mpnc/implicit/evaporationatmosphereproblem.hh
index 2c682e3b2d94d6ae0ba8823d29183823aa926039..035541d7931dc26d8054583a4e84c7f611bb4369 100644
--- a/test/porousmediumflow/mpnc/implicit/evaporationatmosphereproblem.hh
+++ b/test/porousmediumflow/mpnc/implicit/evaporationatmosphereproblem.hh
@@ -346,7 +346,6 @@ public:
 
         // use gnuplot for plotting the line data
         gnuplot_.resetPlot();
-        gnuplot_.setInteraction(true);
         gnuplot_.setXlabel("xN2w [-]");
         gnuplot_.setYlabel("y [m]");
         std::ostringstream stream;