diff --git a/src/Mod/Import/App/AppImportPy.cpp b/src/Mod/Import/App/AppImportPy.cpp
index 92e4418a7f..5ab4743854 100644
--- a/src/Mod/Import/App/AppImportPy.cpp
+++ b/src/Mod/Import/App/AppImportPy.cpp
@@ -209,12 +209,14 @@ private:
         std::string name8bit = Part::encodeFilename(Utf8Name);
 
         try {
+            Py::Sequence list(object);
             Handle(XCAFApp_Application) hApp = XCAFApp_Application::GetApplication();
             Handle(TDocStd_Document) hDoc;
             hApp->NewDocument(TCollection_ExtendedString("MDTV-CAF"), hDoc);
-            Import::ExportOCAF ocaf(hDoc);
 
-            Py::Sequence list(object);
+            bool keepExplicitPlacement = list.size() > 1;
+            Import::ExportOCAF ocaf(hDoc, keepExplicitPlacement);
+
             for (Py::Sequence::iterator it = list.begin(); it != list.end(); ++it) {
                 PyObject* item = (*it).ptr();
                 if (PyObject_TypeCheck(item, &(App::DocumentObjectPy::Type))) {
diff --git a/src/Mod/Import/App/ImportOCAF.cpp b/src/Mod/Import/App/ImportOCAF.cpp
index 84306b24f9..7f94ed8ad8 100644
--- a/src/Mod/Import/App/ImportOCAF.cpp
+++ b/src/Mod/Import/App/ImportOCAF.cpp
@@ -344,18 +344,20 @@ void ImportOCAF::createShape(const TopoDS_Shape& aShape, const TopLoc_Location&
 
 // ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-ExportOCAF::ExportOCAF(Handle_TDocStd_Document h)
+ExportOCAF::ExportOCAF(Handle_TDocStd_Document h, bool explicitPlacement)
     : pDoc(h)
+    , keepExplicitPlacement(explicitPlacement)
 {
     aShapeTool = XCAFDoc_DocumentTool::ShapeTool(pDoc->Main());
     aColorTool = XCAFDoc_DocumentTool::ColorTool(pDoc->Main());
 
-#if defined(OCAF_KEEP_PLACEMENT)
-    rootLabel = aShapeTool->NewShape();
-    TDataStd_Name::Set(rootLabel, "ASSEMBLY");
-#else
-    rootLabel = TDF_TagSource::NewChild(pDoc->Main());
-#endif
+    if (keepExplicitPlacement) {
+        rootLabel = aShapeTool->NewShape();
+        TDataStd_Name::Set(rootLabel, "ASSEMBLY");
+    }
+    else {
+        rootLabel = TDF_TagSource::NewChild(pDoc->Main());
+    }
 }
 
 void ExportOCAF::saveShape(Part::Feature* part, const std::vector<App::Color>& colors)
@@ -364,13 +366,16 @@ void ExportOCAF::saveShape(Part::Feature* part, const std::vector<App::Color>& c
     if (shape.IsNull())
         return;
 
-#if defined(OCAF_KEEP_PLACEMENT)
-    // http://www.opencascade.org/org/forum/thread_18813/?forum=3
-    TopLoc_Location aLoc = shape.Location();
-    TopoDS_Shape baseShape = shape.Located(TopLoc_Location());
-#else
-    TopoDS_Shape baseShape = shape;
-#endif
+    TopoDS_Shape baseShape;
+    TopLoc_Location aLoc;
+    if (keepExplicitPlacement) {
+        // http://www.opencascade.org/org/forum/thread_18813/?forum=3
+        aLoc = shape.Location();
+        baseShape = shape.Located(TopLoc_Location());
+    }
+    else {
+        baseShape = shape;
+    }
 
     // Add shape and name
     TDF_Label shapeLabel = aShapeTool->NewShape();
@@ -378,9 +383,9 @@ void ExportOCAF::saveShape(Part::Feature* part, const std::vector<App::Color>& c
 
     TDataStd_Name::Set(shapeLabel, TCollection_ExtendedString(part->Label.getValue(), 1));
 
-#if defined(OCAF_KEEP_PLACEMENT)
-    aShapeTool->AddComponent(rootLabel, shapeLabel, aLoc);
-#endif
+    if (keepExplicitPlacement) {
+        aShapeTool->AddComponent(rootLabel, shapeLabel, aLoc);
+    }
 
     // Add color information
     Quantity_Color col;
diff --git a/src/Mod/Import/App/ImportOCAF.h b/src/Mod/Import/App/ImportOCAF.h
index 595e2ee7d8..eb46a5e88f 100644
--- a/src/Mod/Import/App/ImportOCAF.h
+++ b/src/Mod/Import/App/ImportOCAF.h
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ private:
 class ImportExport ExportOCAF
 {
 public:
-    ExportOCAF(Handle_TDocStd_Document h);
+    ExportOCAF(Handle_TDocStd_Document h, bool explicitPlacement);
     void saveShape(Part::Feature* part, const std::vector<App::Color>&);
 
 private:
@@ -85,6 +85,7 @@ private:
     Handle_XCAFDoc_ShapeTool aShapeTool;
     Handle_XCAFDoc_ColorTool aColorTool;
     TDF_Label rootLabel;
+    bool keepExplicitPlacement;
 };
 
 
diff --git a/src/Mod/Import/Gui/AppImportGuiPy.cpp b/src/Mod/Import/Gui/AppImportGuiPy.cpp
index ff51957c9c..2d51059da1 100644
--- a/src/Mod/Import/Gui/AppImportGuiPy.cpp
+++ b/src/Mod/Import/Gui/AppImportGuiPy.cpp
@@ -431,12 +431,14 @@ private:
         std::string name8bit = Part::encodeFilename(Utf8Name);
 
         try {
+            Py::Sequence list(object);
             Handle(XCAFApp_Application) hApp = XCAFApp_Application::GetApplication();
             Handle(TDocStd_Document) hDoc;
             hApp->NewDocument(TCollection_ExtendedString("MDTV-CAF"), hDoc);
-            Import::ExportOCAF ocaf(hDoc);
 
-            Py::Sequence list(object);
+            bool keepExplicitPlacement = list.size() > 1;
+            Import::ExportOCAF ocaf(hDoc, keepExplicitPlacement);
+
             for (Py::Sequence::iterator it = list.begin(); it != list.end(); ++it) {
                 PyObject* item = (*it).ptr();
                 if (PyObject_TypeCheck(item, &(App::DocumentObjectPy::Type))) {