diff --git a/src/Mod/Fem/MechanicalMaterial.py b/src/Mod/Fem/MechanicalMaterial.py
index 4e7f04e6a..e2669d49f 100644
--- a/src/Mod/Fem/MechanicalMaterial.py
+++ b/src/Mod/Fem/MechanicalMaterial.py
@@ -39,7 +39,8 @@ def makeMechanicalMaterial(name):
     name there fore is a material name or an file name for a FCMat file'''
     obj = FreeCAD.ActiveDocument.addObject("App::MaterialObjectPython", name)
     _MechanicalMaterial(obj)
-    _ViewProviderMechanicalMaterial(obj.ViewObject)
+    if FreeCAD.GuiUp:
+        _ViewProviderMechanicalMaterial(obj.ViewObject)
     # FreeCAD.ActiveDocument.recompute()
     return obj