diff --git a/src/Mod/Arch/Resources/ui/preferences-ifc.ui b/src/Mod/Arch/Resources/ui/preferences-ifc.ui
index 21a2c28a9..cba316bc8 100644
--- a/src/Mod/Arch/Resources/ui/preferences-ifc.ui
+++ b/src/Mod/Arch/Resources/ui/preferences-ifc.ui
@@ -248,6 +248,26 @@
         </item>
        </layout>
       </item>
+      <item>
+       <layout class="QHBoxLayout" name="horizontalLayout_17">
+        <item>
+         <widget class="Gui::PrefCheckBox" name="checkBox_11">
+          <property name="toolTip">
+           <string>Split walls made of multiple layers</string>
+          </property>
+          <property name="text">
+           <string>Split multilayer walls</string>
+          </property>
+          <property name="prefEntry" stdset="0">
+           <cstring>ifcSplitLayers</cstring>
+          </property>
+          <property name="prefPath" stdset="0">
+           <cstring>Mod/Arch</cstring>
+          </property>
+         </widget>
+        </item>
+       </layout>
+      </item>
       <item>
        <layout class="QHBoxLayout" name="horizontalLayout_12">
         <item>
diff --git a/src/Mod/Arch/importIFC.py b/src/Mod/Arch/importIFC.py
index 116c3c236..3af495357 100644
--- a/src/Mod/Arch/importIFC.py
+++ b/src/Mod/Arch/importIFC.py
@@ -126,6 +126,7 @@ def getPreferences():
     global ROOT_ELEMENT, GET_EXTRUSIONS, MERGE_MATERIALS
     global MERGE_MODE_ARCH, MERGE_MODE_STRUCT, CREATE_CLONES
     global FORCE_BREP, IMPORT_PROPERTIES, STORE_UID, SERIALIZE
+    global SPLIT_LAYERS
     p = FreeCAD.ParamGet("User parameter:BaseApp/Preferences/Mod/Arch")
     if FreeCAD.GuiUp and p.GetBool("ifcShowDialog",False):
         import FreeCADGui
@@ -149,6 +150,7 @@ def getPreferences():
     IMPORT_PROPERTIES = p.GetBool("ifcImportProperties",False)
     STORE_UID = p.GetBool("ifcStoreUid",True)
     SERIALIZE = p.GetBool("ifcSerialize",False)
+    SPLIT_LAYERS = p.GetBool("ifcSplitLayers",False)
 
 
 def explore(filename=None):
@@ -354,6 +356,8 @@ def insert(filename,docname,skip=[],only=[],root=None):
     settings.set(settings.USE_WORLD_COORDS,True)
     if SEPARATE_OPENINGS:
         settings.set(settings.DISABLE_OPENING_SUBTRACTIONS,True)
+    if SPLIT_LAYERS and hasattr(settings,"APPLY_LAYERSETS"):
+        settings.set(settings.APPLY_LAYERSETS,True)
     sites = ifcfile.by_type("IfcSite")
     buildings = ifcfile.by_type("IfcBuilding")
     floors = ifcfile.by_type("IfcBuildingStorey")