diff --git a/src/Mod/Fem/Gui/DlgSettingsFemGeneral.ui b/src/Mod/Fem/Gui/DlgSettingsFemGeneral.ui
index 9826424ff5..c501f868d5 100644
--- a/src/Mod/Fem/Gui/DlgSettingsFemGeneral.ui
+++ b/src/Mod/Fem/Gui/DlgSettingsFemGeneral.ui
@@ -364,6 +364,73 @@
        </layout>
       </widget>
      </item>
+     <item>
+      <widget class="QGroupBox" name="gb_6_defaults">
+       <property name="title">
+        <string>Defaults</string>
+       </property>
+       <layout class="QHBoxLayout" name="horizontalLayout_6">
+        <item>
+         <layout class="QGridLayout" name="gl_3">
+          <item row="0" column="0">
+           <widget class="QLabel" name="l_def_solver">
+            <property name="enabled">
+             <bool>true</bool>
+            </property>
+            <property name="text">
+             <string>Default solver</string>
+            </property>
+           </widget>
+          </item>
+          <item row="0" column="1">
+           <widget class="Gui::PrefComboBox" name="cmb_def_solver">
+            <property name="enabled">
+             <bool>true</bool>
+            </property>
+            <property name="editable">
+             <bool>false</bool>
+            </property>
+            <property name="toolTip">
+             <string>Default solver used by the analysis container</string>
+            </property>
+            <property name="prefEntry" stdset="0">
+             <cstring>DefaultSolver</cstring>
+            </property>
+            <property name="prefPath" stdset="0">
+             <cstring>Mod/Fem/General</cstring>
+            </property>
+            <item>
+             <property name="text">
+              <string>None</string>
+             </property>
+            </item>
+            <item>
+             <property name="text">
+              <string>CalculiX</string>
+             </property>
+            </item>
+            <item>
+             <property name="text">
+              <string>Elmer</string>
+             </property>
+            </item>
+            <item>
+             <property name="text">
+              <string>Mystran</string>
+             </property>
+            </item>
+            <item>
+             <property name="text">
+              <string>Z88</string>
+             </property>
+            </item>
+           </widget>
+          </item>
+         </layout>
+        </item>
+       </layout>
+      </widget>
+     </item>
     </layout>
    </item>
    <item row="2" column="0">
@@ -403,6 +470,11 @@
    <extends>QCheckBox</extends>
    <header>Gui/PrefWidgets.h</header>
   </customwidget>
+  <customwidget>
+   <class>Gui::PrefComboBox</class>
+   <extends>QComboBox</extends>
+   <header>Gui/PrefWidgets.h</header>
+  </customwidget>
  </customwidgets>
  <resources>
   <include location="Resources/Fem.qrc"/>
diff --git a/src/Mod/Fem/Gui/DlgSettingsFemGeneralImp.cpp b/src/Mod/Fem/Gui/DlgSettingsFemGeneralImp.cpp
index 960e33dae7..5a5bc62444 100644
--- a/src/Mod/Fem/Gui/DlgSettingsFemGeneralImp.cpp
+++ b/src/Mod/Fem/Gui/DlgSettingsFemGeneralImp.cpp
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@ void DlgSettingsFemGeneralImp::saveSettings()
     ui->cb_wd_custom->onSave();
     ui->le_wd_custom->onSave();
     ui->cb_overwrite_solver_working_directory->onSave();
+    ui->cmb_def_solver->onSave();
 }
 
 void DlgSettingsFemGeneralImp::loadSettings()
@@ -70,6 +71,7 @@ void DlgSettingsFemGeneralImp::loadSettings()
     ui->cb_wd_custom->onRestore();
     ui->le_wd_custom->onRestore();
     ui->cb_overwrite_solver_working_directory->onRestore();
+    ui->cmb_def_solver->onRestore();
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/src/Mod/Fem/femcommands/commands.py b/src/Mod/Fem/femcommands/commands.py
index 66f1673248..2055459c9b 100644
--- a/src/Mod/Fem/femcommands/commands.py
+++ b/src/Mod/Fem/femcommands/commands.py
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ from .manager import CommandManager
 from femsolver import settings
 from femtools.femutils import expandParentObject
 from femtools.femutils import is_of_type
-
+from femsolver.settings import get_default_solver
 
 # Python command definitions:
 # for C++ command definitions see src/Mod/Fem/Command.cpp
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ class _Analysis(CommandManager):
         self.accel = "S, A"
         self.tooltip = Qt.QT_TRANSLATE_NOOP(
             "FEM_Analysis",
-            "Creates an analysis container with standard solver CalculiX"
+            "Creates an analysis container with default solver"
         )
         self.is_active = "with_document"
 
@@ -69,16 +69,12 @@ class _Analysis(CommandManager):
         FreeCADGui.addModule("ObjectsFem")
         FreeCADGui.doCommand("ObjectsFem.makeAnalysis(FreeCAD.ActiveDocument, 'Analysis')")
         FreeCADGui.doCommand("FemGui.setActiveAnalysis(FreeCAD.ActiveDocument.ActiveObject)")
-        # if there is no Elmer or Z88 binary create a CalculiX ccx tools solver for
-        # new analysis to be on the safe side for new users
-        binary = settings.get_binary("ElmerSolver")
-        if binary is None:
-            binary = settings.get_binary("Z88")
-        if binary is None:
-            FreeCADGui.doCommand("ObjectsFem.makeSolverCalculixCcxTools(FreeCAD.ActiveDocument)")
+        if get_default_solver():
+            FreeCADGui.doCommand("ObjectsFem.makeSolver{}(FreeCAD.ActiveDocument)"
+                .format(get_default_solver()))
             FreeCADGui.doCommand(
-                "FemGui.getActiveAnalysis().addObject(FreeCAD.ActiveDocument.ActiveObject)"
-            )
+                "FemGui.getActiveAnalysis().addObject(FreeCAD.ActiveDocument.ActiveObject)")
+
         FreeCAD.ActiveDocument.recompute()
 
 
diff --git a/src/Mod/Fem/femsolver/settings.py b/src/Mod/Fem/femsolver/settings.py
index 317e80455d..ff89ea5bf3 100644
--- a/src/Mod/Fem/femsolver/settings.py
+++ b/src/Mod/Fem/femsolver/settings.py
@@ -165,6 +165,12 @@ def get_dir_setting():
         return DirSetting.CUSTOM
     return DirSetting.TEMPORARY
 
+def get_default_solver():
+    """ Return default solver name.
+    """
+    solver_map = {0: None, 1: "CalculixCcxTools", 2: "Elmer", 3: "Mystran", 4: "Z88"}
+    param_group = FreeCAD.ParamGet(_GENERAL_PARAM)
+    return solver_map[param_group.GetInt("DefaultSolver", 0)]
 
 class _SolverDlg(object):
     """ Internal query logic for solver specific settings.