diff --git a/src/Base/PlacementPyImp.cpp b/src/Base/PlacementPyImp.cpp
index 76a19833a5..8607364822 100644
--- a/src/Base/PlacementPyImp.cpp
+++ b/src/Base/PlacementPyImp.cpp
@@ -247,8 +247,20 @@ void PlacementPy::setRotation(Py::Object arg)
     throw Py::TypeError("either Rotation or tuple of four floats expected");
 }
 
-PyObject *PlacementPy::getCustomAttributes(const char* /*attr*/) const
+PyObject *PlacementPy::getCustomAttributes(const char* attr) const
 {
+    // for backward compatibility
+    if (strcmp(attr, "isNull") == 0) {
+        PyObject *w, *res;
+#if PY_MAJOR_VERSION >= 3
+        w = PyUnicode_InternFromString("isIdentity");
+#else
+        w = PyString_InternFromString("isIdentity");
+#endif
+        res = PyObject_GenericGetAttr(const_cast<PlacementPy *>(this), w);
+        Py_XDECREF(w);
+        return res;
+    }
     return 0;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/Mod/Arch/ArchComponent.py b/src/Mod/Arch/ArchComponent.py
index 1a61bb7be2..aa6dc86a20 100644
--- a/src/Mod/Arch/ArchComponent.py
+++ b/src/Mod/Arch/ArchComponent.py
@@ -491,7 +491,7 @@ class Component:
         #print("Processing subshapes of ",obj.Label, " : ",obj.Additions)
 
         if placement:
-            if placement.isNull():
+            if placement.isIdentity():
                 placement = None
             else:
                 placement = FreeCAD.Placement(placement)
@@ -625,19 +625,19 @@ class Component:
                         else:
                             shape = r
                         obj.Shape = self.spread(obj,shape,placement)
-                        if not placement.isNull():
+                        if not placement.isIdentity():
                             obj.Placement = placement
                     else:
                         if allownosolid:
                             obj.Shape = self.spread(obj,shape,placement)
-                            if not placement.isNull():
+                            if not placement.isIdentity():
                                 obj.Placement = placement
                         else:
                             FreeCAD.Console.PrintWarning(obj.Label + " " + translate("Arch","has no solid")+"\n")
                 else:
                     if allowinvalid:
                         obj.Shape = self.spread(obj,shape,placement)
-                        if not placement.isNull():
+                        if not placement.isIdentity():
                             obj.Placement = placement
                     else:
                         FreeCAD.Console.PrintWarning(obj.Label + " " + translate("Arch","has an invalid shape")+"\n")
diff --git a/src/Mod/Arch/importIFClegacy.py b/src/Mod/Arch/importIFClegacy.py
index c300a0bfb3..24f17d16b8 100644
--- a/src/Mod/Arch/importIFClegacy.py
+++ b/src/Mod/Arch/importIFClegacy.py
@@ -1212,7 +1212,7 @@ def getTuples(data,scale=1,placement=None,normal=None,close=True):
             for v in verts:
                 pt = v.Point
                 if placement:
-                    if not placement.isNull():
+                    if not placement.isIdentity():
                         pt = placement.multVec(pt)
                 if rnd:
                     pt = DraftVecUtils.rounded(pt)