diff --git a/src/Mod/Fem/App/FemMesh.cpp b/src/Mod/Fem/App/FemMesh.cpp
index 9089a0afaa..c7a9e36cd1 100644
--- a/src/Mod/Fem/App/FemMesh.cpp
+++ b/src/Mod/Fem/App/FemMesh.cpp
@@ -1169,6 +1169,42 @@ void FemMesh::readNastran(const std::string &Filename)
 
 }
 
+void FemMesh::readAbaqus(const std::string &FileName)
+{
+    Base::TimeInfo Start;
+    Base::Console().Log("Start: FemMesh::readAbaqus() =================================\n");
+
+    /*
+    Python command to read Abaqus inp mesh file from test suite:
+    from feminout.importInpMesh import read as read_inp
+    femmesh = read_inp(FreeCAD.ConfigGet("AppHomePath") + 'Mod/Fem/femtest/testfiles/mesh/tetra10_mesh.inp')
+    */
+
+    PyObject* module = PyImport_ImportModule("feminout.importInpMesh");
+    if (!module)
+        return;
+    try {
+        Py::Module abaqusmod(module, true);
+        Py::Callable method(abaqusmod.getAttr("read"));
+        Py::Tuple args(1);
+        args.setItem(0, Py::String(FileName));
+        Py::Object mesh(method.apply(args));
+        if (PyObject_TypeCheck(mesh.ptr(), &FemMeshPy::Type)) {
+            FemMeshPy* fempy = static_cast<FemMeshPy*>(mesh.ptr());
+            FemMesh* fem = fempy->getFemMeshPtr();
+            *this = *fem; // the deep copy should be avoided, a pointer swap method could be implemented
+                          // see https://forum.freecadweb.org/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=31999&start=10#p274241
+        }
+        else {
+            throw Base::FileException("Problems reading file");
+        }
+    }
+    catch (Py::Exception& e) {
+        e.clear();
+    }
+    Base::Console().Log("    %f: Done \n",Base::TimeInfo::diffTimeF(Start,Base::TimeInfo()));
+}
+
 void FemMesh::readZ88(const std::string &FileName)
 {
     Base::TimeInfo Start;
@@ -1221,6 +1257,10 @@ void FemMesh::read(const char *FileName)
     else if (File.hasExtension("med") ) {
         myMesh->MEDToMesh(File.filePath().c_str(),File.fileNamePure().c_str());
     }
+    else if (File.hasExtension("inp") ) {
+        // read Abaqus inp mesh file
+        readAbaqus(File.filePath());
+    }
     else if (File.hasExtension("stl") ) {
         // read brep-file
         myMesh->STLToMesh(File.filePath().c_str());
diff --git a/src/Mod/Fem/App/FemMesh.h b/src/Mod/Fem/App/FemMesh.h
index 28654fa4a5..e48fee2245 100644
--- a/src/Mod/Fem/App/FemMesh.h
+++ b/src/Mod/Fem/App/FemMesh.h
@@ -158,6 +158,7 @@ private:
     void copyMeshData(const FemMesh&);
     void readNastran(const std::string &Filename);
     void readZ88(const std::string &Filename);
+    void readAbaqus(const std::string &Filename);
 
 private:
     /// positioning matrix
diff --git a/src/Mod/Fem/App/FemMeshPy.xml b/src/Mod/Fem/App/FemMeshPy.xml
index fcd24c0057..a834a10fef 100755
--- a/src/Mod/Fem/App/FemMeshPy.xml
+++ b/src/Mod/Fem/App/FemMeshPy.xml
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@
             <Documentation>
                 <UserDocu>Read in a various FEM mesh file formats.
                     read(file.endingToExportTo)
-                    supported formats: DAT, MED, STL, UNV, VTK, Z88</UserDocu>
+                    supported formats: DAT, INP, MED, STL, UNV, VTK, Z88</UserDocu>
             </Documentation>
         </Methode>
         <Methode Name="write" Const="true">
diff --git a/src/Mod/Fem/Init.py b/src/Mod/Fem/Init.py
index c64760c0ca..4035e3c875 100644
--- a/src/Mod/Fem/Init.py
+++ b/src/Mod/Fem/Init.py
@@ -31,10 +31,9 @@ import FreeCAD
 FreeCAD.addExportType("FEM mesh TetGen (*.poly)", "feminout.convert2TetGen")
 
 # see FemMesh::read() and FemMesh::write() methods in src/Mod/Fem/App/FemMesh.cpp
-FreeCAD.addImportType("FEM mesh formats (*.unv *.med *.dat *.bdf *.vtk *.vtu *.z88)", "Fem")
+FreeCAD.addImportType("FEM mesh formats (*.unv *.med *.dat *.bdf *.inp *.vtk *.vtu *.z88)", "Fem")
 FreeCAD.addExportType("FEM mesh formats (*.unv *.med *.stl *.dat *.inp *.vtk *.vtu *.z88)", "Fem")
 
-FreeCAD.addImportType("FEM mesh CalculiX/Abaqus (*.inp)", "feminout.importInpMesh")
 FreeCAD.addImportType("FEM result CalculiX (*.frd)", "feminout.importCcxFrdResults")
 
 FreeCAD.addImportType("FEM mesh Fenics (*.xml *.xdmf)", "feminout.importFenicsMesh")
diff --git a/src/Mod/Fem/femtest/testmesh.py b/src/Mod/Fem/femtest/testmesh.py
index 0c80d5fbbe..75bbd6f347 100644
--- a/src/Mod/Fem/femtest/testmesh.py
+++ b/src/Mod/Fem/femtest/testmesh.py
@@ -223,9 +223,8 @@ class TestMeshEleTetra10(unittest.TestCase):
         # fcc_print(outfile)
         # fcc_print(testfile)
         self.femmesh.writeABAQUS(outfile, 1, False)  # write the mesh
-        from feminout.importInpMesh import read as read_inp
-        femmesh_outfile = read_inp(outfile)  # read the mesh from written mesh
-        femmesh_testfile = read_inp(testfile)  # read the mesh from test mesh
+        femmesh_outfile = Fem.read(outfile)  # read the mesh from written mesh
+        femmesh_testfile = Fem.read(testfile)  # read the mesh from test mesh
         # reading the test mesh
         # fcc_print([femmesh_testfile.Volumes[0], femmesh_testfile.getElementNodes(femmesh_outfile.Volumes[0])])
         self.assertEqual(