diff --git a/src/Gui/PrefWidgets.cpp b/src/Gui/PrefWidgets.cpp
index a4df5f0fd4..7e6c6a26a2 100644
--- a/src/Gui/PrefWidgets.cpp
+++ b/src/Gui/PrefWidgets.cpp
@@ -144,6 +144,7 @@ void PrefWidget::onRestore()
     qWarning( "No parameter group specified!" );
 #endif
   restorePreferences();
+  m_Restored = true;
 }
 
 void PrefWidget::failedToSave(const QString& name) const
@@ -346,6 +347,11 @@ PrefComboBox::~PrefComboBox()
 {
 }
 
+QVariant::Type PrefComboBox::getParamType() const
+{
+  return property("prefType").type();
+}
+
 void PrefComboBox::restorePreferences()
 {
   if (getWindowParameter().isNull())
@@ -353,9 +359,41 @@ void PrefComboBox::restorePreferences()
     failedToRestore(objectName());
     return;
   }
-
-  int index = getWindowParameter()->GetInt(entryName(), currentIndex());
-  setCurrentIndex(index);
+  if (!m_Restored) {
+    m_Default = currentData();
+    m_DefaultText = currentText();
+    m_DefaultIndex = currentIndex();
+  }
+  int index = -1;
+  switch(static_cast<int>(getParamType())) {
+  case QMetaType::Int:
+  case QMetaType::LongLong:
+    index = findData(static_cast<int>(getWindowParameter()->GetInt(entryName(), m_Default.toInt())));
+    break;
+  case QMetaType::UInt:
+  case QMetaType::ULongLong:
+    index = findData(static_cast<uint>(getWindowParameter()->GetUnsigned(entryName(), m_Default.toUInt())));
+    break;
+  case QMetaType::Bool:
+    index = findData(getWindowParameter()->GetBool(entryName(), m_Default.toBool()));
+    break;
+  case QMetaType::Double:
+    index = findData(getWindowParameter()->GetFloat(entryName(), m_Default.toDouble()));
+    break;
+  case QMetaType::QString:
+    index = findText(QString::fromUtf8(
+          getWindowParameter()->GetASCII(entryName(), m_DefaultText.toUtf8().constData()).c_str()));
+    break;
+  case QMetaType::QByteArray:
+    index = findData(QByteArray(getWindowParameter()->GetASCII(entryName(),
+          m_Default.toByteArray().constData()).c_str()));
+    break;
+  default:
+    index = getWindowParameter()->GetInt(entryName(), m_DefaultIndex);
+    break;
+  }
+  if (index >= 0 && index < count())
+    setCurrentIndex(index);
 }
 
 void PrefComboBox::savePreferences()
@@ -366,7 +404,31 @@ void PrefComboBox::savePreferences()
     return;
   }
 
-  getWindowParameter()->SetInt(entryName() , currentIndex());
+  switch(static_cast<int>(getParamType())) {
+  case QMetaType::Int:
+  case QMetaType::LongLong:
+    getWindowParameter()->SetInt(entryName(), currentData().toInt());
+    break;
+  case QMetaType::UInt:
+  case QMetaType::ULongLong:
+    getWindowParameter()->SetUnsigned(entryName(), currentData().toUInt());
+    break;
+  case QMetaType::Bool:
+    getWindowParameter()->SetBool(entryName(), currentData().toBool());
+    break;
+  case QMetaType::Double:
+    getWindowParameter()->SetFloat(entryName(), currentData().toDouble());
+    break;
+  case QMetaType::QString:
+    getWindowParameter()->SetASCII(entryName(), currentText().toUtf8().constData());
+    break;
+  case QMetaType::QByteArray:
+    getWindowParameter()->SetASCII(entryName(), currentData().toByteArray().constData());
+    break;
+  default:
+    getWindowParameter()->SetInt(entryName(), currentIndex());
+    break;
+  }
 }
 
 // --------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/src/Gui/PrefWidgets.h b/src/Gui/PrefWidgets.h
index 35c473f5bc..7552afbcc7 100644
--- a/src/Gui/PrefWidgets.h
+++ b/src/Gui/PrefWidgets.h
@@ -104,6 +104,8 @@ private:
 
   // friends
   friend class Gui::WidgetFactoryInst;
+protected:
+  bool m_Restored = false;
 };
 
 /** The PrefSpinBox class.
@@ -212,6 +214,15 @@ protected:
 /**
  * The PrefComboBox class.
  * \author Werner Mayer
+ *
+ * The PrefComboBox supports restoring/saving variant type of item data. You
+ * can add a property named 'prefType' with the type you want. If no such
+ * property is found, the class defaults to restore/save the item index.
+ *
+ * Note that there is special handling for 'prefType' of QString, which means
+ * to restore/save the item text. This allows the combox to be editable, and
+ * accepts user entered value. Use QByteArray if you want to restore/save a
+ * non translatable string stored as item data.
  */
 class GuiExport PrefComboBox : public QComboBox, public PrefWidget
 {
@@ -226,8 +237,14 @@ public:
 
 protected:
   // restore from/save to parameters
-  void restorePreferences() override;
-  void savePreferences() override;
+  void restorePreferences();
+  void savePreferences();
+  virtual QVariant::Type getParamType() const;
+
+private:
+  QVariant m_Default;
+  int m_DefaultIndex;
+  QString m_DefaultText;
 };
 
 /**