diff --git a/src/Mod/Part/App/PartFeatures.cpp b/src/Mod/Part/App/PartFeatures.cpp
index 5c9a081c5..bdcdebb0d 100644
--- a/src/Mod/Part/App/PartFeatures.cpp
+++ b/src/Mod/Part/App/PartFeatures.cpp
@@ -31,9 +31,11 @@
 # include <TopoDS.hxx>
 # include <TopoDS_Face.hxx>
 # include <TopoDS_Shell.hxx>
+# include <TopTools_HSequenceOfShape.hxx>
 # include <BRepBuilderAPI_MakeWire.hxx>
 # include <BRepOffsetAPI_MakePipeShell.hxx>
 # include <ShapeAnalysis.hxx>
+# include <ShapeAnalysis_FreeBounds.hxx>
 # include <TopTools_ListIteratorOfListOfShape.hxx>
 # include <TopoDS_Iterator.hxx>
 # include <TopExp_Explorer.hxx>
@@ -339,14 +341,14 @@ App::DocumentObjectExecReturn *Sweep::execute(void)
     const Part::TopoShape& shape = static_cast<Part::Feature*>(spine)->Shape.getValue();
     if (!shape._Shape.IsNull()) {
         try {
-            BRepBuilderAPI_MakeWire mkWire;
-            for (std::vector<std::string>::const_iterator it = subedge.begin(); it != subedge.end(); ++it) {
-                TopoDS_Shape subshape = shape.getSubShape(it->c_str());
-                mkWire.Add(TopoDS::Edge(subshape));
+            if (!subedge.empty()) {
+                BRepBuilderAPI_MakeWire mkWire;
+                for (std::vector<std::string>::const_iterator it = subedge.begin(); it != subedge.end(); ++it) {
+                    TopoDS_Shape subshape = shape.getSubShape(it->c_str());
+                    mkWire.Add(TopoDS::Edge(subshape));
+                }
+                path = mkWire.Wire();
             }
-            path = mkWire.Wire();
-        }
-        catch (Standard_Failure) {
             if (shape._Shape.ShapeType() == TopAbs_EDGE) {
                 path = shape._Shape;
             }
@@ -354,10 +356,35 @@ App::DocumentObjectExecReturn *Sweep::execute(void)
                 BRepBuilderAPI_MakeWire mkWire(TopoDS::Wire(shape._Shape));
                 path = mkWire.Wire();
             }
+            else if (shape._Shape.ShapeType() == TopAbs_COMPOUND) {
+                TopoDS_Iterator it(shape._Shape);
+                for (; it.More(); it.Next()) {
+                    if (it.Value().IsNull())
+                        return new App::DocumentObjectExecReturn("In valid element in spine.");
+                    if ((it.Value().ShapeType() != TopAbs_EDGE) &&
+                        (it.Value().ShapeType() != TopAbs_WIRE)) {
+                        return new App::DocumentObjectExecReturn("Element in spine is neither an edge nor a wire.");
+                    }
+                }
+
+                Handle(TopTools_HSequenceOfShape) hEdges = new TopTools_HSequenceOfShape();
+                Handle(TopTools_HSequenceOfShape) hWires = new TopTools_HSequenceOfShape();
+                for (TopExp_Explorer xp(shape._Shape, TopAbs_EDGE); xp.More(); xp.Next())
+                    hEdges->Append(xp.Current());
+
+                ShapeAnalysis_FreeBounds::ConnectEdgesToWires(hEdges, Precision::Confusion(), Standard_True, hWires);
+                int len = hWires->Length();
+                if (len != 1)
+                    return new App::DocumentObjectExecReturn("Spine is not connected.");
+                path = hWires->Value(1);
+            }
             else {
                 return new App::DocumentObjectExecReturn("Spine is neither an edge nor a wire.");
             }
         }
+        catch (Standard_Failure) {
+            return new App::DocumentObjectExecReturn("Invalid spine.");
+        }
     }
 
     try {
diff --git a/src/Mod/Part/App/TopoShapeCompoundPy.xml b/src/Mod/Part/App/TopoShapeCompoundPy.xml
index eebec76d5..2439bfc7f 100644
--- a/src/Mod/Part/App/TopoShapeCompoundPy.xml
+++ b/src/Mod/Part/App/TopoShapeCompoundPy.xml
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@
         <UserDocu>Add a shape to the compound.</UserDocu>
       </Documentation>
     </Methode>
-    <Methode Name="connectEdgesToWires">
+    <Methode Name="connectEdgesToWires" Const="true">
       <Documentation>
         <UserDocu>Build a compound of wires out of the edges of this compound.</UserDocu>
       </Documentation>
diff --git a/src/Mod/Part/Gui/TaskSweep.cpp b/src/Mod/Part/Gui/TaskSweep.cpp
index e21ea8157..6326f5517 100644
--- a/src/Mod/Part/Gui/TaskSweep.cpp
+++ b/src/Mod/Part/Gui/TaskSweep.cpp
@@ -28,8 +28,12 @@
 # include <QMessageBox>
 # include <QTextStream>
 # include <BRepBuilderAPI_MakeWire.hxx>
+# include <Precision.hxx>
+# include <ShapeAnalysis_FreeBounds.hxx>
+# include <TopExp_Explorer.hxx>
 # include <TopoDS.hxx>
 # include <TopoDS_Iterator.hxx>
+# include <TopTools_HSequenceOfShape.hxx>
 #endif
 
 #include "ui_TaskSweep.h"
@@ -41,6 +45,7 @@
 #include <Gui/Selection.h>
 #include <Gui/SelectionFilter.h>
 #include <Gui/ViewProvider.h>
+#include <Gui/WaitCursor.h>
 
 #include <Base/Console.h>
 #include <Base/Interpreter.h>
@@ -81,10 +86,27 @@ public:
                     // shape is an edge or wire we can use it completely.
                     const TopoDS_Shape& shape = static_cast<Part::Feature*>(pObj)->Shape.getValue();
                     if (!shape.IsNull()) {
-                        if (shape.ShapeType() == TopAbs_EDGE)
+                        // a single edge
+                        if (shape.ShapeType() == TopAbs_EDGE) {
                             return true;
-                        if (shape.ShapeType() == TopAbs_WIRE)
+                        }
+                        // a single wire
+                        if (shape.ShapeType() == TopAbs_WIRE) {
                             return true;
+                        }
+                        // a compound of only edges or wires
+                        if (shape.ShapeType() == TopAbs_COMPOUND) {
+                            TopoDS_Iterator it(shape);
+                            for (; it.More(); it.Next()) {
+                                if (it.Value().IsNull())
+                                    return false;
+                                if ((it.Value().ShapeType() != TopAbs_EDGE) &&
+                                    (it.Value().ShapeType() != TopAbs_WIRE))
+                                    return false;
+                            }
+
+                            return true;
+                        }
                     }
                 }
                 else {
@@ -199,6 +221,30 @@ bool SweepWidget::isPathValid(const Gui::SelectionObject& sel) const
         BRepBuilderAPI_MakeWire mkWire(TopoDS::Wire(shape._Shape));
         pathShape = mkWire.Wire();
     }
+    else if (shape._Shape.ShapeType() == TopAbs_COMPOUND) {
+        try {
+            TopoDS_Iterator it(shape._Shape);
+            for (; it.More(); it.Next()) {
+                if ((it.Value().ShapeType() != TopAbs_EDGE) &&
+                    (it.Value().ShapeType() != TopAbs_WIRE)) {
+                    return false;
+                }
+            }
+            Handle(TopTools_HSequenceOfShape) hEdges = new TopTools_HSequenceOfShape();
+            Handle(TopTools_HSequenceOfShape) hWires = new TopTools_HSequenceOfShape();
+            for (TopExp_Explorer xp(shape._Shape, TopAbs_EDGE); xp.More(); xp.Next())
+                hEdges->Append(xp.Current());
+
+            ShapeAnalysis_FreeBounds::ConnectEdgesToWires(hEdges, Precision::Confusion(), Standard_True, hWires);
+            int len = hWires->Length();
+            if (len != 1)
+                return false;
+            pathShape = hWires->Value(1);
+        }
+        catch (...) {
+            return false;
+        }
+    }
 
     return (!pathShape.IsNull());
 }
@@ -255,6 +301,7 @@ bool SweepWidget::accept()
     }
 
     try {
+        Gui::WaitCursor wc;
         QString cmd;
         cmd = QString::fromAscii(
             "App.getDocument('%5').addObject('Part::Sweep','Sweep')\n"