diff --git a/src/Base/Vector3D.cpp b/src/Base/Vector3D.cpp
index 4054ccb6e..fbc197f55 100644
--- a/src/Base/Vector3D.cpp
+++ b/src/Base/Vector3D.cpp
@@ -218,6 +218,28 @@ _Precision Vector3<_Precision>::DistanceToLine (const Vector3<_Precision> &rclBa
     return (_Precision) fabs((rclDirect % Vector3(*this - rclBase)).Length() / rclDirect.Length());
 }
 
+template <class _Precision>
+Vector3<_Precision> Vector3<_Precision>::DistanceToLineSegment (const Vector3& rclP1,
+                                                                const Vector3& rclP2) const
+{
+    Vector3<_Precision> dir = rclP2-rclP1;
+    Vector3<_Precision> beg = *this-rclP1;
+    Vector3<_Precision> end = beg+dir;
+
+    Vector3<_Precision> proj, len;
+    proj.ProjToLine(beg, dir);
+    len = proj + beg;
+    if (len * dir < 0 || len.Length() > dir.Length()) {
+        if (beg.Length() < end.Length())
+            return beg;
+        else
+            return end;
+    }
+    else {
+        return proj;
+    }
+}
+
 template <class _Precision>
 Vector3<_Precision>& Vector3<_Precision>::ProjToLine (const Vector3<_Precision> &rclPoint,
                                                       const Vector3<_Precision> &rclLine)
diff --git a/src/Base/Vector3D.h b/src/Base/Vector3D.h
index 57418d359..395d5afe6 100644
--- a/src/Base/Vector3D.h
+++ b/src/Base/Vector3D.h
@@ -180,6 +180,12 @@ public:
     _Precision DistanceToPlane (const Vector3 &rclBase, const Vector3 &rclNorm) const;
     /// Computes the distance from this point to the line given by \a rclBase and \a rclDirect.
     _Precision DistanceToLine (const Vector3 &rclBase, const Vector3 &rclDirect) const;
+    /** Computes the vector from this point to the point on the line segment with the shortest
+     * distance. The line segment is defined by \a rclP1 and \a rclP2.
+     * Note: If the projection of this point is outside the segment then the shortest distance
+     * to \a rclP1 or \a rclP2 is computed.
+     */
+    Vector3 DistanceToLineSegment (const Vector3& rclP1, const Vector3& rclP2) const;
     //@}
 };