diff --git a/src/Mod/Arch/ArchMaterial.py b/src/Mod/Arch/ArchMaterial.py
index 81b384a58..200bb1e16 100644
--- a/src/Mod/Arch/ArchMaterial.py
+++ b/src/Mod/Arch/ArchMaterial.py
@@ -174,6 +174,7 @@ class _ArchMaterialTaskPanel:
     '''The editmode TaskPanel for MechanicalMaterial objects'''
     def __init__(self,obj=None):
         self.cards = None
+        self.existingmaterials = []
         self.obj = obj
         self.form = FreeCADGui.PySideUic.loadUi(":/ui/ArchMaterial.ui")
         self.color = QtGui.QColor(128,128,128)
@@ -181,10 +182,12 @@ class _ArchMaterialTaskPanel:
         colorPix.fill(self.color)
         self.form.ButtonColor.setIcon(QtGui.QIcon(colorPix))
         QtCore.QObject.connect(self.form.comboBox_MaterialsInDir, QtCore.SIGNAL("currentIndexChanged(QString)"), self.chooseMat)
+        QtCore.QObject.connect(self.form.comboBox_FromExisting, QtCore.SIGNAL("currentIndexChanged(int)"), self.fromExisting)
         QtCore.QObject.connect(self.form.ButtonColor,QtCore.SIGNAL("pressed()"),self.getColor)
         QtCore.QObject.connect(self.form.ButtonUrl,QtCore.SIGNAL("pressed()"),self.openUrl)
         QtCore.QObject.connect(self.form.ButtonEditor,QtCore.SIGNAL("pressed()"),self.openEditor)
         self.fillMaterialCombo()
+        self.fillExistingCombo()
         if self.obj:
             if hasattr(self.obj,"Material"):
                 self.material = self.obj.Material
@@ -234,6 +237,15 @@ class _ArchMaterialTaskPanel:
             import importFCMat
             self.material = importFCMat.read(self.cards[card])
             self.setFields()
+            
+    def fromExisting(self,index):
+        "sets the contents from an existing material"
+        if index > 0:
+            if index <= len(self.existingmaterials):
+                m = self.existingmaterials[index-1]
+                if m.Material:
+                    self.material = m.Material
+                    self.setFields()
 
     def getColor(self):
         "opens a color picker dialog"
@@ -259,6 +271,17 @@ class _ArchMaterialTaskPanel:
         if self.cards:
             for k in sorted(self.cards.keys()):
                 self.form.comboBox_MaterialsInDir.addItem(k)
+                
+    def fillExistingCombo(self):
+        "fills the existing materials combo"
+        self.existingmaterials = []
+        for obj in FreeCAD.ActiveDocument.Objects:
+            if obj.isDerivedFrom("App::MaterialObject"):
+                if obj != self.obj:
+                    self.existingmaterials.append(obj)
+        for m in self.existingmaterials:
+            self.form.comboBox_FromExisting.addItem(m.Label)
+        
 
     def openEditor(self):
         "opens the full material editor from the material module"
diff --git a/src/Mod/Arch/Resources/ui/ArchMaterial.ui b/src/Mod/Arch/Resources/ui/ArchMaterial.ui
index 90789cfc1..cc4e799f1 100644
--- a/src/Mod/Arch/Resources/ui/ArchMaterial.ui
+++ b/src/Mod/Arch/Resources/ui/ArchMaterial.ui
@@ -6,8 +6,8 @@
    <rect>
     <x>0</x>
     <y>0</y>
-    <width>193</width>
-    <height>233</height>
+    <width>216</width>
+    <height>259</height>
    </rect>
   </property>
   <property name="windowTitle">
@@ -27,6 +27,19 @@
      </item>
     </layout>
    </item>
+   <item>
+    <layout class="QHBoxLayout" name="horizontalLayout_7">
+     <item>
+      <widget class="QComboBox" name="comboBox_FromExisting">
+       <item>
+        <property name="text">
+         <string>Copy existing...</string>
+        </property>
+       </item>
+      </widget>
+     </item>
+    </layout>
+   </item>
    <item>
     <layout class="QHBoxLayout" name="horizontalLayout_3">
      <item>