diff --git a/src/Mod/Mesh/Gui/MeshSelection.cpp b/src/Mod/Mesh/Gui/MeshSelection.cpp
index 7cb5e3af1..fce098476 100644
--- a/src/Mod/Mesh/Gui/MeshSelection.cpp
+++ b/src/Mod/Mesh/Gui/MeshSelection.cpp
@@ -80,6 +80,7 @@ MeshSelection::MeshSelection()
   , onlyVisibleTriangles(false)
   , activeCB(0)
   , selectionCB(0)
+  , ivViewer(0)
 {
     setCallback(selectGLCallback);
 }
@@ -139,8 +140,17 @@ std::list<ViewProviderMesh*> MeshSelection::getViewProviders() const
     return vps;
 }
 
+void MeshSelection::setViewer(Gui::View3DInventorViewer* v)
+{
+    ivViewer = v;
+}
+
 Gui::View3DInventorViewer* MeshSelection::getViewer() const
 {
+    // if a special viewer was set from outside then use this
+    if (ivViewer)
+        return ivViewer;
+
     Gui::Document* doc = Gui::Application::Instance->activeDocument();
     if (!doc) return 0;
     Gui::MDIView* view = doc->getActiveView();
diff --git a/src/Mod/Mesh/Gui/MeshSelection.h b/src/Mod/Mesh/Gui/MeshSelection.h
index 2aaecf266..749f7c96d 100644
--- a/src/Mod/Mesh/Gui/MeshSelection.h
+++ b/src/Mod/Mesh/Gui/MeshSelection.h
@@ -67,6 +67,7 @@ public:
     void setRemoveComponentOnClick(bool);
     void setObjects(const std::vector<Gui::SelectionObject>&);
     std::vector<App::DocumentObject*> getObjects() const;
+    void setViewer(Gui::View3DInventorViewer* v);
 
 protected:
     void setCallback(SoEventCallbackCB *cb);
@@ -86,6 +87,7 @@ private:
     bool addToSelection, addComponent, removeComponent;
     SoEventCallbackCB *activeCB;
     SoEventCallbackCB *selectionCB;
+    Gui::View3DInventorViewer* ivViewer;
     mutable std::vector<Gui::SelectionObject> meshObjects;
 
     static unsigned char cross_bitmap[];