diff --git a/src/Mod/TechDraw/App/Cosmetic.cpp b/src/Mod/TechDraw/App/Cosmetic.cpp
index 8004c01f28..c2e9fe24a4 100644
--- a/src/Mod/TechDraw/App/Cosmetic.cpp
+++ b/src/Mod/TechDraw/App/Cosmetic.cpp
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ CosmeticEdge::CosmeticEdge(const Base::Vector3d& pt1, const Base::Vector3d& pt2)
 }
 
 CosmeticEdge::CosmeticEdge(const TopoDS_Edge& e) :
-        CosmeticEdge(TechDraw::BaseGeom::baseFactory(e))
+        CosmeticEdge(TechDraw::BaseGeom::baseFactory(e, true))
 {
 }
 
diff --git a/src/Mod/TechDraw/App/DrawUtil.cpp b/src/Mod/TechDraw/App/DrawUtil.cpp
index 78970cc23a..c20de049ea 100644
--- a/src/Mod/TechDraw/App/DrawUtil.cpp
+++ b/src/Mod/TechDraw/App/DrawUtil.cpp
@@ -1130,6 +1130,8 @@ PyObject* DrawUtil::colorToPyTuple(App::Color color)
 }
 
 //check for crazy edge.  This is probably a geometry error of some sort.
+// note that cosmetic edges are stored as unscaled, so this test will be checking 1:1 lengths.
+// a 1:1 length of > 10m is perfectly reasonable, so this check causes trouble with cosmetics.
 bool DrawUtil::isCrazy(TopoDS_Edge e)
 {
 
diff --git a/src/Mod/TechDraw/App/Geometry.cpp b/src/Mod/TechDraw/App/Geometry.cpp
index 865ef3346d..504bea6d07 100644
--- a/src/Mod/TechDraw/App/Geometry.cpp
+++ b/src/Mod/TechDraw/App/Geometry.cpp
@@ -474,13 +474,16 @@ std::string BaseGeom::geomTypeName()
 }
 
 //! Convert 1 OCC edge into 1 BaseGeom (static factory method)
-BaseGeomPtr BaseGeom::baseFactory(TopoDS_Edge edge)
+// this should not return nullptr as things will break later on.
+// regular geometry is stored scaled, but cosmetic geometry is stored in 1:1 scale, so the crazy edge
+// check is not appropriate.
+BaseGeomPtr BaseGeom::baseFactory(TopoDS_Edge edge, bool isCosmetic)
 {
     if (edge.IsNull()) {
         Base::Console().Message("BG::baseFactory - input edge is NULL \n");
     }
     //weed out rubbish edges before making geometry
-    if (!validateEdge(edge)) {
+    if (!isCosmetic && !validateEdge(edge)) {
         return nullptr;
     }
 
diff --git a/src/Mod/TechDraw/App/Geometry.h b/src/Mod/TechDraw/App/Geometry.h
index e503193b93..e87949e6dc 100644
--- a/src/Mod/TechDraw/App/Geometry.h
+++ b/src/Mod/TechDraw/App/Geometry.h
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ class TechDrawExport BaseGeom : public std::enable_shared_from_this<BaseGeom>
         double minDist(Base::Vector3d p);
         Base::Vector3d nearPoint(Base::Vector3d p);
         Base::Vector3d nearPoint(const BaseGeomPtr p);
-        static BaseGeomPtr baseFactory(TopoDS_Edge edge);
+        static BaseGeomPtr baseFactory(TopoDS_Edge edge, bool isCosmetic=false);
         static bool validateEdge(TopoDS_Edge edge);
         static TopoDS_Edge completeEdge(const TopoDS_Edge &edge);
         bool closed();