diff --git a/src/Mod/Sketcher/Gui/CommandCreateGeo.cpp b/src/Mod/Sketcher/Gui/CommandCreateGeo.cpp
index 9a1ee5713e..95212cc61a 100644
--- a/src/Mod/Sketcher/Gui/CommandCreateGeo.cpp
+++ b/src/Mod/Sketcher/Gui/CommandCreateGeo.cpp
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@
 #include <Gui/SelectionFilter.h>
 #include <Gui/View3DInventor.h>
 #include <Gui/View3DInventorViewer.h>
+#include <Gui/Window.h>
 #include <Mod/Part/App/DatumFeature.h>
 #include <Mod/Part/App/Geometry2d.h>
 #include <Mod/Sketcher/App/Constraint.h>
@@ -1515,7 +1516,11 @@ CONSTRUCTION_UPDATE_ACTION(CmdSketcherProjection, "Sketcher_Projection")
 void CmdSketcherProjection::activated(int iMsg)
 {
     Q_UNUSED(iMsg);
-    ActivateHandler(getActiveGuiDocument(), std::make_unique<DrawSketchHandlerExternal>());
+    bool extGeoRef = Gui::WindowParameter::getDefaultParameter()
+                         ->GetGroup("Mod/Sketcher/General")
+                         ->GetBool("AlwaysExtGeoReference", false);
+    ActivateHandler(getActiveGuiDocument(),
+                    std::make_unique<DrawSketchHandlerExternal>(extGeoRef, false));
 }
 
 bool CmdSketcherProjection::isActive()
@@ -1546,12 +1551,17 @@ CmdSketcherIntersection::CmdSketcherIntersection()
 
 CONSTRUCTION_UPDATE_ACTION(CmdSketcherIntersection, "Sketcher_Intersection")
 
-void CmdSketcherIntersection::activated(int)
+void CmdSketcherIntersection::activated(int iMsg)
 {
-    ActivateHandler(getActiveGuiDocument(), std::make_unique<DrawSketchHandlerExternal>(true));
+    Q_UNUSED(iMsg);
+    bool extGeoRef = Gui::WindowParameter::getDefaultParameter()
+                         ->GetGroup("Mod/Sketcher/General")
+                         ->GetBool("AlwaysExtGeoReference", false);
+    ActivateHandler(getActiveGuiDocument(),
+                    std::make_unique<DrawSketchHandlerExternal>(extGeoRef, true));
 }
 
-bool CmdSketcherIntersection::isActive(void)
+bool CmdSketcherIntersection::isActive()
 {
     return isCommandActive(getActiveGuiDocument());
 }
diff --git a/src/Mod/Sketcher/Gui/DrawSketchHandlerExternal.h b/src/Mod/Sketcher/Gui/DrawSketchHandlerExternal.h
index d7bc44bc6a..5739156809 100644
--- a/src/Mod/Sketcher/Gui/DrawSketchHandlerExternal.h
+++ b/src/Mod/Sketcher/Gui/DrawSketchHandlerExternal.h
@@ -116,8 +116,9 @@ public:
 class DrawSketchHandlerExternal: public DrawSketchHandler
 {
 public:
-    DrawSketchHandlerExternal(bool intersection = false)
-        : intersection(intersection)
+    DrawSketchHandlerExternal(bool alwaysReference, bool intersection)
+        : alwaysReference {alwaysReference}
+        , intersection {intersection}
     {}
     ~DrawSketchHandlerExternal() override
     {
@@ -168,7 +169,8 @@ public:
                                           "addExternal(\"%s\",\"%s\", %s, %s)",
                                           msg.pObjectName,
                                           msg.pSubName,
-                                          isConstructionMode() ? "False" : "True",
+                                          alwaysReference || isConstructionMode() ? "False"
+                                                                                  : "True",
                                           intersection ? "True" : "False");
 
                     Gui::Command::commitCommand();
@@ -229,6 +231,7 @@ private:
         setAxisPickStyle(true);
     }
 
+    bool alwaysReference;
     bool intersection;
 };
 
diff --git a/src/Mod/Sketcher/Gui/SketcherSettings.cpp b/src/Mod/Sketcher/Gui/SketcherSettings.cpp
index c74c9e32f8..ca48c9f242 100644
--- a/src/Mod/Sketcher/Gui/SketcherSettings.cpp
+++ b/src/Mod/Sketcher/Gui/SketcherSettings.cpp
@@ -112,6 +112,7 @@ void SketcherSettings::saveSettings()
     ui->checkBoxAutoRemoveRedundants->onSave();
     ui->checkBoxUnifiedCoincident->onSave();
     ui->checkBoxHorVerAuto->onSave();
+    ui->checkBoxAddExtGeo->onSave();
 
     enum
     {
@@ -186,6 +187,7 @@ void SketcherSettings::loadSettings()
     setProperty("checkBoxUnifiedCoincident", ui->checkBoxUnifiedCoincident->isChecked());
     ui->checkBoxHorVerAuto->onRestore();
     setProperty("checkBoxHorVerAuto", ui->checkBoxHorVerAuto->isChecked());
+    ui->checkBoxAddExtGeo->onRestore();
 
     // Dimensioning constraints mode
     ui->dimensioningMode->clear();
diff --git a/src/Mod/Sketcher/Gui/SketcherSettings.ui b/src/Mod/Sketcher/Gui/SketcherSettings.ui
index 134703a284..f465cba556 100644
--- a/src/Mod/Sketcher/Gui/SketcherSettings.ui
+++ b/src/Mod/Sketcher/Gui/SketcherSettings.ui
@@ -216,6 +216,25 @@ Requires to re-enter edit mode to take effect.</string>
         </property>
        </widget>
       </item>
+      <item>
+       <widget class="Gui::PrefCheckBox" name="checkBoxAddExtGeo">
+        <property name="toolTip">
+         <string>If checked then external geometry is always added as reference, otherwise it's added according to the current construction mode.</string>
+        </property>
+        <property name="text">
+         <string>Always add external geometry as reference</string>
+        </property>
+        <property name="checked">
+         <bool>false</bool>
+        </property>
+        <property name="prefEntry" stdset="0">
+         <cstring>AlwaysExtGeoReference</cstring>
+        </property>
+        <property name="prefPath" stdset="0">
+         <cstring>Mod/Sketcher/General</cstring>
+        </property>
+       </widget>
+      </item>
      </layout>
     </widget>
    </item>