diff --git a/src/Mod/Arch/Resources/ui/preferences-ifc.ui b/src/Mod/Arch/Resources/ui/preferences-ifc.ui
index 8ac01d05c..73fe1a5ad 100644
--- a/src/Mod/Arch/Resources/ui/preferences-ifc.ui
+++ b/src/Mod/Arch/Resources/ui/preferences-ifc.ui
@@ -186,6 +186,26 @@
         </item>
        </layout>
       </item>
+      <item>
+       <layout class="QHBoxLayout" name="horizontalLayout_7">
+        <item>
+         <widget class="Gui::PrefCheckBox" name="checkBox_3">
+          <property name="toolTip">
+           <string>If several materials with the same name are found in the IFC file, they will be treated as one.</string>
+          </property>
+          <property name="text">
+           <string>Merge materials with same name</string>
+          </property>
+          <property name="prefEntry" stdset="0">
+           <cstring>ifcMergeMaterials</cstring>
+          </property>
+          <property name="prefPath" stdset="0">
+           <cstring>Mod/Arch</cstring>
+          </property>
+         </widget>
+        </item>
+       </layout>
+      </item>
       <item>
        <layout class="QHBoxLayout" name="horizontalLayout_13">
         <item>
diff --git a/src/Mod/Arch/importIFC.py b/src/Mod/Arch/importIFC.py
index 90b99fea0..30b210e5c 100644
--- a/src/Mod/Arch/importIFC.py
+++ b/src/Mod/Arch/importIFC.py
@@ -274,6 +274,7 @@ def insert(filename,docname,skip=[],only=[],root=None):
     SEPARATE_OPENINGS = p.GetBool("ifcSeparateOpenings",False)
     ROOT_ELEMENT = p.GetString("ifcRootElement","IfcProduct")
     GET_EXTRUSIONS = p.GetBool("ifcGetExtrusions",False)
+    MERGE_MATERIALS = p.GetBool("ifcMergeMaterials",False)
     if root:
         ROOT_ELEMENT = root
     MERGE_MODE = p.GetInt("ifcImportMode",0)
@@ -340,7 +341,15 @@ def insert(filename,docname,skip=[],only=[],root=None):
                 properties.setdefault(obj.id(),[]).extend([e.id() for e in r.RelatingPropertyDefinition.HasProperties])
     for r in ifcfile.by_type("IfcRelAssociatesMaterial"):
         for o in r.RelatedObjects:
-            mattable[o.id()] = r.RelatingMaterial.id()
+            if MERGE_MATERIALS:
+                for k,v in mattable.items():
+                    if ifcfile[v].Name == r.RelatingMaterial.Name:
+                        mattable[o.id()] = v
+                        break
+                else:
+                    mattable[o.id()] = r.RelatingMaterial.id()
+            else:
+                mattable[o.id()] = r.RelatingMaterial.id()
     for r in ifcfile.by_type("IfcStyledItem"):
         if r.Styles[0].is_a("IfcPresentationStyleAssignment"):
             if r.Styles[0].Styles[0].is_a("IfcSurfaceStyle"):