diff --git a/src/Base/Console.h b/src/Base/Console.h
index 51c2ebd80f..6e698fe690 100644
--- a/src/Base/Console.h
+++ b/src/Base/Console.h
@@ -458,7 +458,7 @@ class BaseExport ConsoleObserver
 {
 public:
     ConsoleObserver()
-        :bErr(true),bMsg(true),bLog(true),bWrn(true) {}
+        :bErr(true),bMsg(true),bLog(true),bWrn(true),bShow(true) {}
     virtual ~ConsoleObserver() {}
     /// get calls when a Warning is issued
     virtual void Warning(const char *){}
@@ -470,7 +470,7 @@ public:
     virtual void Log    (const char *){}
 
     virtual const char *Name(void){return 0L;}
-    bool bErr,bMsg,bLog,bWrn;
+    bool bErr,bMsg,bLog,bWrn,bShow;
 };
 
 
diff --git a/src/Gui/DlgReportView.ui b/src/Gui/DlgReportView.ui
index 50503dcf64..52f7f46189 100644
--- a/src/Gui/DlgReportView.ui
+++ b/src/Gui/DlgReportView.ui
@@ -86,6 +86,22 @@
         </property>
        </widget>
       </item>
+      <item row="3" column="0">
+       <widget class="Gui::PrefCheckBox" name="checkShowReportViewOnWarningOrError">
+        <property name="text">
+         <string>Show report view on warning or error</string>
+        </property>
+        <property name="checked">
+         <bool>true</bool>
+        </property>
+        <property name="prefEntry" stdset="0">
+         <cstring>checkShowReportViewOnWarningOrError</cstring>
+        </property>
+        <property name="prefPath" stdset="0">
+         <cstring>OutputWindow</cstring>
+        </property>
+       </widget>
+      </item>
      </layout>
     </widget>
    </item>
@@ -469,6 +485,7 @@ from Python console to Report view panel</string>
   <tabstop>checkLogging</tabstop>
   <tabstop>checkWarning</tabstop>
   <tabstop>checkError</tabstop>
+  <tabstop>checkShowReportViewOnWarningOrError</tabstop>
   <tabstop>colorText</tabstop>
   <tabstop>colorLogging</tabstop>
   <tabstop>colorWarning</tabstop>
diff --git a/src/Gui/DlgReportViewImp.cpp b/src/Gui/DlgReportViewImp.cpp
index ead132d5c9..d6baca83f3 100644
--- a/src/Gui/DlgReportViewImp.cpp
+++ b/src/Gui/DlgReportViewImp.cpp
@@ -59,6 +59,7 @@ void DlgReportViewImp::saveSettings()
     checkLogging->onSave();
     checkWarning->onSave();
     checkError->onSave();
+    checkShowReportViewOnWarningOrError->onSave();
     colorText->onSave();
     colorLogging->onSave();
     colorWarning->onSave();
@@ -72,6 +73,7 @@ void DlgReportViewImp::loadSettings()
     checkLogging->onRestore();
     checkWarning->onRestore();
     checkError->onRestore();
+    checkShowReportViewOnWarningOrError->onRestore();
     colorText->onRestore();
     colorLogging->onRestore();
     colorWarning->onRestore();
diff --git a/src/Gui/ReportView.cpp b/src/Gui/ReportView.cpp
index 79b7d24f63..9850eaff33 100644
--- a/src/Gui/ReportView.cpp
+++ b/src/Gui/ReportView.cpp
@@ -37,6 +37,8 @@
 #include "PythonConsole.h"
 #include "PythonConsolePy.h"
 #include "BitmapFactory.h"
+#include "MainWindow.h"
+#include "Application.h"
 
 using namespace Gui;
 using namespace Gui::DockWnd;
@@ -148,6 +150,8 @@ void ReportHighlighter::highlightBlock (const QString & text)
     ud->block.append(b);
 
     QVector<TextBlockData::State> block = ud->block;
+    bool hasErrors = false;
+    bool hasWarnings = false;
     int start = 0;
     for (QVector<TextBlockData::State>::Iterator it = block.begin(); it != block.end(); ++it) {
         switch (it->type)
@@ -157,9 +161,11 @@ void ReportHighlighter::highlightBlock (const QString & text)
             break;
         case Warning:
             setFormat(start, it->length-start, warnCol);
+            hasWarnings = true;
             break;
         case Error:
             setFormat(start, it->length-start, errCol);
+            hasErrors = true;
             break;
         case LogText:
             setFormat(start, it->length-start, logCol);
@@ -170,6 +176,22 @@ void ReportHighlighter::highlightBlock (const QString & text)
 
         start = it->length;
     }
+    if(hasErrors || hasWarnings){
+        //activate report view unless this is disabled in preferences
+
+        ParameterGrp::handle group = App::GetApplication().GetUserParameter().
+        GetGroup("BaseApp")->GetGroup("Preferences")->GetGroup("OutputWindow");
+        bool showReportViewOnWarningOrError = group->GetBool("checkShowReportViewOnWarningOrError", true);
+        if (showReportViewOnWarningOrError){
+            QWidget* reportView = Gui::getMainWindow()->findChild<QWidget*>(QString::fromLatin1("Report view"));
+            if (reportView){
+                if (!reportView->isVisible()){
+                    reportView->show();
+                }
+            }
+        }
+
+    }
 }
 
 void ReportHighlighter::setParagraphType(ReportHighlighter::Paragraph t)
@@ -470,6 +492,10 @@ void ReportOutput::onToggleError()
     getWindowParameter()->SetBool( "checkError", bErr );
 }
 
+void ReportOutput::onToggleShowReportViewOnWarningOrError(){
+    bShow = bShow ? false : true;
+    getWindowParameter()->SetBool("checkShowReportViewOnWarningOrError", bShow);
+}
 void ReportOutput::onToggleWarning()
 {
     bWrn = bWrn ? false : true;
diff --git a/src/Gui/ReportView.h b/src/Gui/ReportView.h
index 1ab5038d36..9aaeede88d 100644
--- a/src/Gui/ReportView.h
+++ b/src/Gui/ReportView.h
@@ -171,6 +171,8 @@ public Q_SLOTS:
     void onToggleWarning();
     /** Toggles the report of log messages. */
     void onToggleLogging();
+    /** Toggles whether to show report view on warnings or errors */
+    void onToggleShowReportViewOnWarningOrError();
     /** Toggles the redirection of Python stdout. */
     void onToggleRedirectPythonStdout();
     /** Toggles the redirection of Python stderr. */