diff --git a/src/Mod/Fem/importZ88Mesh.py b/src/Mod/Fem/importZ88Mesh.py
index 16c4c936a3..724b0673ec 100644
--- a/src/Mod/Fem/importZ88Mesh.py
+++ b/src/Mod/Fem/importZ88Mesh.py
@@ -108,6 +108,7 @@ def read_z88_mesh(z88_mesh_input):
     elements_quad4 = {}
     elements_quad8 = {}
     elements_seg2 = {}
+    elements_seg3 = {}
 
     input_continues = False
     # elem = -1
@@ -304,6 +305,7 @@ def read_z88_mesh(z88_mesh_input):
     return {
         'Nodes': nodes,
         'Seg2Elem': elements_seg2,
+        'Seg3Elem': elements_seg3,
         'Tria3Elem': elements_tria3,
         'Tria6Elem': elements_tria6,
         'Quad4Elem': elements_quad4,
diff --git a/src/Mod/Fem/readFenicsXML.py b/src/Mod/Fem/readFenicsXML.py
index 6b9ec02979..78015295be 100644
--- a/src/Mod/Fem/readFenicsXML.py
+++ b/src/Mod/Fem/readFenicsXML.py
@@ -228,6 +228,7 @@ def read_fenics_mesh_xml(xmlfilename):
     return {
         'Nodes': nodes,
         'Seg2Elem': element_dict['seg2'],
+        'Seg3Elem': {},
         'Tria3Elem': element_dict['tria3'],
         'Tria6Elem': {},
         'Quad4Elem': element_dict['quad4'],