diff --git a/src/App/Application.h b/src/App/Application.h
index 264254df3..dd109789e 100644
--- a/src/App/Application.h
+++ b/src/App/Application.h
@@ -279,6 +279,7 @@ private:
     static PyObject* sAddExportType     (PyObject *self,PyObject *args,PyObject *kwd);
     static PyObject* sGetExportType     (PyObject *self,PyObject *args,PyObject *kwd);
     static PyObject* sGetResourceDir    (PyObject *self,PyObject *args,PyObject *kwd);
+    static PyObject* sGetUserAppDataDir (PyObject *self,PyObject *args,PyObject *kwd);
     static PyObject* sGetHomePath       (PyObject *self,PyObject *args,PyObject *kwd);
 
     static PyObject* sLoadFile          (PyObject *self,PyObject *args,PyObject *kwd);
diff --git a/src/App/ApplicationPy.cpp b/src/App/ApplicationPy.cpp
index cda2a80fd..8d13296c5 100644
--- a/src/App/ApplicationPy.cpp
+++ b/src/App/ApplicationPy.cpp
@@ -80,6 +80,8 @@ PyMethodDef Application::Methods[] = {
      "Get the name of the module that can export the filetype"},
     {"getResourceDir", (PyCFunction) Application::sGetResourceDir  ,1,
      "Get the root directory of all resources"},
+    {"getUserAppDataDir", (PyCFunction) Application::sGetUserAppDataDir  ,1,
+     "Get the root directory of user settings"},
     {"getHomePath",    (PyCFunction) Application::sGetHomePath  ,1,
      "Get the home path, i.e. the parent directory of the executable"},
 
@@ -525,6 +527,15 @@ PyObject* Application::sGetResourceDir(PyObject * /*self*/, PyObject *args,PyObj
     return Py::new_reference_to(datadir);
 }
 
+PyObject* Application::sGetUserAppDataDir(PyObject * /*self*/, PyObject *args,PyObject * /*kwd*/)
+{
+    if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(args, ""))     // convert args: Python->C
+        return NULL;                       // NULL triggers exception
+
+    Py::String user_data_dir(Application::getUserAppDataDir(),"utf-8");
+    return Py::new_reference_to(user_data_dir);
+}
+
 PyObject* Application::sGetHomePath(PyObject * /*self*/, PyObject *args,PyObject * /*kwd*/)
 {
     if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(args, ""))     // convert args: Python->C
diff --git a/src/Mod/Fem/MechanicalMaterial.py b/src/Mod/Fem/MechanicalMaterial.py
index a90d43845..5d9086f76 100644
--- a/src/Mod/Fem/MechanicalMaterial.py
+++ b/src/Mod/Fem/MechanicalMaterial.py
@@ -139,6 +139,10 @@ class _MechanicalMaterialTaskPanel:
             if new_index != -1:
                 self.form.comboBox_MaterialsInDir.setCurrentIndex(new_index)
                 self.set_mat_params_in_combo_box(matmap)
+            else:
+                print "Cannot find previously used material \'{}\' - setting to \'None\'".format(material_name)
+                i = self.form.comboBox_MaterialsInDir.findText('None')
+                self.chooseMat(i)
 
     def print_mat_data(self, matmap):
         print 'material data:'
@@ -197,5 +201,11 @@ class _MechanicalMaterialTaskPanel:
             material_name = os.path.basename(i[:-l])
             self.form.comboBox_MaterialsInDir.addItem(material_name)
 
+        user_mat_dir = FreeCAD.getUserAppDataDir() + "/Materials"
+        user_mat_path_list = glob.glob(user_mat_dir + '/*' + mat_file_extension)
+        for i in user_mat_path_list:
+            material_name = os.path.basename(i[:-l])
+            self.form.comboBox_MaterialsInDir.addItem(material_name)
+        self.pathList = self.pathList + user_mat_path_list
 
 FreeCADGui.addCommand('Fem_MechanicalMaterial',_CommandMechanicalMaterial())