diff --git a/src/Gui/DlgAddPropertyVarSet.cpp b/src/Gui/DlgAddPropertyVarSet.cpp
index 8f1576abd9..ad6cf93376 100644
--- a/src/Gui/DlgAddPropertyVarSet.cpp
+++ b/src/Gui/DlgAddPropertyVarSet.cpp
@@ -46,6 +46,8 @@ using namespace Gui::Dialog;
 
 const std::string DlgAddPropertyVarSet::GROUP_BASE = "Base";
 
+const bool CLEAR_NAME = true;
+
 DlgAddPropertyVarSet::DlgAddPropertyVarSet(QWidget* parent,
                                            ViewProviderVarSet* viewProvider)
     : QDialog(parent),
@@ -65,7 +67,7 @@ DlgAddPropertyVarSet::~DlgAddPropertyVarSet() = default;
 void DlgAddPropertyVarSet::initializeGroup()
 {
     connect(&comboBoxGroup, &EditFinishedComboBox::editFinished,
-            this, &DlgAddPropertyVarSet::onGroupDetermined);
+            this, &DlgAddPropertyVarSet::onEditFinished);
     comboBoxGroup.setObjectName(QString::fromUtf8("comboBoxGroup"));
     comboBoxGroup.setInsertPolicy(QComboBox::InsertAtTop);
     comboBoxGroup.setSizePolicy(QSizePolicy::Preferred, QSizePolicy::Preferred);
@@ -138,8 +140,8 @@ void DlgAddPropertyVarSet::initializeTypes()
     ui->comboBoxType->setCompleter(&completerType);
     ui->comboBoxType->setInsertPolicy(QComboBox::NoInsert);
 
-    connect(ui->comboBoxType, qOverload<int>(&QComboBox::currentIndexChanged),
-            this, &DlgAddPropertyVarSet::onTypePropertyDetermined);
+    connect(ui->comboBoxType, &QComboBox::currentTextChanged,
+            this, &DlgAddPropertyVarSet::onEditFinished);
 }
 
 /*
@@ -149,12 +151,12 @@ static void printFocusChain(QWidget *widget) {
     QWidget* start = widget;
     int i = 0;
     do {
-        FC_ERR(" " << widget->objectName().toUtf8().constData());
+        FC_ERR(" " << widget->objectName().toStdString();
         widget = widget->nextInFocusChain();
         i++;
     } while (widget != nullptr && i < 30 && start != widget);
     QWidget *currentWidget = QApplication::focusWidget();
-    FC_ERR("  Current focus widget:" << (currentWidget ? currentWidget->objectName().toUtf8().constData() : "None") << std::endl << std::endl);
+    FC_ERR("  Current focus widget:" << (currentWidget ? currentWidget->objectName().toStdString() : "None") << std::endl << std::endl);
 }
 */
 
@@ -165,8 +167,10 @@ void DlgAddPropertyVarSet::initializeWidgets(ViewProviderVarSet* viewProvider)
 
     connect(this, &QDialog::finished,
             this, [viewProvider](int result) { viewProvider->onFinished(result); });
+    connect(ui->lineEditName, &QLineEdit::editingFinished,
+            this, &DlgAddPropertyVarSet::onEditFinished);
     connect(ui->lineEditName, &QLineEdit::textChanged,
-            this, &DlgAddPropertyVarSet::onNamePropertyDetermined);
+            this, &DlgAddPropertyVarSet::onNamePropertyChanged);
 
     std::string title = "Add a property to " + varSet->getFullName();
     setWindowTitle(QString::fromStdString(title));
@@ -188,11 +192,13 @@ void DlgAddPropertyVarSet::setOkEnabled(bool enabled)
     okButton->setEnabled(enabled);
 }
 
-void DlgAddPropertyVarSet::clearEditors()
+void DlgAddPropertyVarSet::clearEditors(bool clearName)
 {
-    bool beforeBlocked = ui->lineEditName->blockSignals(true);
-    ui->lineEditName->clear();
-    ui->lineEditName->blockSignals(beforeBlocked);
+    if (clearName) {
+        bool beforeBlocked = ui->lineEditName->blockSignals(true);
+        ui->lineEditName->clear();
+        ui->lineEditName->blockSignals(beforeBlocked);
+    }
     removeEditor();
     setOkEnabled(false);
     namePropertyToAdd.clear();
@@ -249,9 +255,11 @@ bool DlgAddPropertyVarSet::isTypeWithEditor(const std::string& type)
     return typesWithoutEditor.find(type) == typesWithoutEditor.end();
 }
 
-void DlgAddPropertyVarSet::createProperty(std::string& name, std::string& group)
+void DlgAddPropertyVarSet::createProperty()
 {
-    std::string type = ui->comboBoxType->currentText().toUtf8().constData();
+    std::string name = ui->lineEditName->text().toStdString();
+    std::string group = comboBoxGroup.currentText().toStdString();
+    std::string type = ui->comboBoxType->currentText().toStdString();
 
     App::Property* prop;
     try {
@@ -285,60 +293,81 @@ void DlgAddPropertyVarSet::createProperty(std::string& name, std::string& group)
     setOkEnabled(true);
 }
 
-void DlgAddPropertyVarSet::onNamePropertyDetermined(const QString& text)
-{
-    if (!namePropertyToAdd.empty()) {
-        // We were already adding a property with this name.  We have to remove
-        // the property, the editor because it is associated with the property,
-        // and we have to abort the transaction.
+void DlgAddPropertyVarSet::changePropertyToAdd() {
+    // we were already adding a new property, the only option to get here
+    // is a change of type or group.
+
+    std::string name = ui->lineEditName->text().toStdString();
+    assert(name == namePropertyToAdd);
+
+    App::Property* prop = varSet->getPropertyByName(namePropertyToAdd.c_str());
+
+    std::string group = comboBoxGroup.currentText().toStdString();
+    if (prop->getGroup() != group) {
+        varSet->changeDynamicProperty(prop, group.c_str(), nullptr);
+    }
+
+    std::string type = ui->comboBoxType->currentText().toStdString();
+    if (prop->getTypeId() != Base::Type::fromName(type.c_str())) {
+        // the property should have a different type
         varSet->removeDynamicProperty(namePropertyToAdd.c_str());
-        removeEditor();
-        App::Document* doc = varSet->getDocument();
-        if (doc->hasPendingTransaction()) {
-            doc->abortTransaction();
-        }
-        namePropertyToAdd.clear();
+        createProperty();
     }
-    if (text.isEmpty()) {
-        // We can not define a property, so we should not have an editor for the value.
-        clearEditors();
-        return;
-    }
-    std::string name = text.toUtf8().constData();
-    std::string group = comboBoxGroup.currentText().toUtf8().constData();
-    if(name.empty() || group.empty()
-       || name != Base::Tools::getIdentifier(name)
-       || group != Base::Tools::getIdentifier(group)) {
-        QMessageBox::critical(getMainWindow(),
-                              QObject::tr("Invalid name"),
-                              QObject::tr("The property name or group name must only contain alpha numericals,\n"
-                                          "underscore, and must not start with a digit."));
-        clearEditors();
-        return;
-    }
-
-    auto prop = varSet->getPropertyByName(name.c_str());
-    if(prop && prop->getContainer() == varSet) {
-        QMessageBox::critical(this,
-                              QObject::tr("Invalid name"),
-                              QObject::tr("The property '%1' already exists in '%2'").arg(
-                                      QString::fromLatin1(name.c_str()),
-                                      QString::fromLatin1(varSet->getFullName().c_str())));
-        clearEditors();
-        return;
-    }
-
-    App::Document* doc = varSet->getDocument();
-    doc->openTransaction("Add property VarSet");
-    createProperty(name, group);
-
-    // FC_ERR("chain onNameDetermined");
-    // printFocusChain(ui->lineEditName);
 }
 
-void DlgAddPropertyVarSet::onGroupDetermined()
+
+void DlgAddPropertyVarSet::clearCurrentProperty()
 {
-    std::string group = comboBoxGroup.currentText().toUtf8().constData();
+    removeEditor();
+    varSet->removeDynamicProperty(namePropertyToAdd.c_str());
+    App::Document* doc = varSet->getDocument();
+    if (doc->hasPendingTransaction()) {
+        doc->abortTransaction();
+    }
+    setOkEnabled(false);
+    namePropertyToAdd.clear();
+}
+
+class CreatePropertyException : public std::exception {
+public:
+    explicit CreatePropertyException(const std::string& message) : msg(message) {}
+
+    const char* what() const noexcept override {
+        return msg.c_str();
+    }
+
+private:
+    std::string msg;
+};
+
+void DlgAddPropertyVarSet::checkName() {
+    std::string name = ui->lineEditName->text().toStdString();
+    if(name.empty() || name != Base::Tools::getIdentifier(name)) {
+        QMessageBox::critical(getMainWindow(),
+                              QObject::tr("Invalid name"),
+                              QObject::tr("The property name must only contain alpha numericals,\n"
+                                          "underscore, and must not start with a digit."));
+        clearEditors(!CLEAR_NAME);
+        throw CreatePropertyException("Invalid name");
+    }
+
+    if (namePropertyToAdd.empty()) {
+        // we are adding a new property, check whether it doesn't already exist
+        auto prop = varSet->getPropertyByName(name.c_str());
+        if(prop && prop->getContainer() == varSet) {
+            QMessageBox::critical(this,
+                                  QObject::tr("Invalid name"),
+                                  QObject::tr("The property '%1' already exists in '%2'").arg(
+                                          QString::fromLatin1(name.c_str()),
+                                          QString::fromLatin1(varSet->getFullName().c_str())));
+            clearEditors(!CLEAR_NAME);
+            throw CreatePropertyException("Invalid name");
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+void DlgAddPropertyVarSet::checkGroup() {
+    std::string group = comboBoxGroup.currentText().toStdString();
 
     if (group.empty() || group != Base::Tools::getIdentifier(group)) {
         QMessageBox::critical(this,
@@ -346,36 +375,58 @@ void DlgAddPropertyVarSet::onGroupDetermined()
             QObject::tr("The group name must only contain alpha numericals,\n"
                         "underscore, and must not start with a digit."));
         comboBoxGroup.setEditText(QString::fromUtf8("Base"));
+        throw CreatePropertyException("Invalid name");
+    }
+}
+
+void DlgAddPropertyVarSet::checkType() {
+    std::string type = ui->comboBoxType->currentText().toStdString();
+
+    if (Base::Type::fromName(type.c_str()) == Base::Type::badType()) {
+        throw CreatePropertyException("Invalid name");
+    }
+}
+
+void DlgAddPropertyVarSet::onEditFinished() {
+    /* The editor for the value is dynamically created if 1) the name has been
+     * determined and 2) if the type of the property has been determined.  The
+     * group of the property is important too, but it is not essential, because
+     * we can change the group after the property has been created.
+     *
+     * In this function we check whether we can create a property and therefore
+     * an editor.
+     */
+
+    try {
+        checkName();
+        checkGroup();
+        checkType();
+    }
+    catch (const CreatePropertyException& e) {
+        if (!namePropertyToAdd.empty()) {
+            clearCurrentProperty();
+        }
         return;
     }
 
-    if (!namePropertyToAdd.empty()) {
-        // we were already adding a property
-        App::Property* prop = varSet->getPropertyByName(namePropertyToAdd.c_str());
-        if (prop->getGroup() != group) {
-            varSet->changeDynamicProperty(prop, group.c_str(), nullptr);
-        }
+    if (namePropertyToAdd.empty()) {
+        // we are adding a new property
+        App::Document* doc = varSet->getDocument();
+        doc->openTransaction("Add property VarSet");
+        createProperty();
+    }
+    else {
+        // we were already adding a new property that should now be changed
+        changePropertyToAdd();
     }
-
-    // FC_ERR("chain onGroupDetermined");
-    // printFocusChain(&comboBoxGroup);
-    ui->comboBoxType->setFocus();
 }
 
-void DlgAddPropertyVarSet::onTypePropertyDetermined()
+void DlgAddPropertyVarSet::onNamePropertyChanged(const QString& text)
 {
-    std::string type = ui->comboBoxType->currentText().toUtf8().constData();
-
-    if (!namePropertyToAdd.empty()) {
-        // we were already adding a name, so check this property
-        App::Property* prop = varSet->getPropertyByName(namePropertyToAdd.c_str());
-
-        if (prop->getTypeId() != Base::Type::fromName(type.c_str())) {
-            // the property should have a different type
-            std::string group = prop->getGroup();
-            varSet->removeDynamicProperty(namePropertyToAdd.c_str());
-            createProperty(namePropertyToAdd, group);
-        }
+    if (!namePropertyToAdd.empty() && text.toStdString() != namePropertyToAdd) {
+        // The user decided to change the name of the property.  This
+        // invalidates the editor that is strictly associated with the property.
+        clearCurrentProperty();
     }
 }
 
@@ -398,8 +449,8 @@ void DlgAddPropertyVarSet::accept()
         return;
     }
 
-    std::string group = comboBoxGroup.currentText().toUtf8().constData();
-    std::string type = ui->comboBoxType->currentText().toUtf8().constData();
+    std::string group = comboBoxGroup.currentText().toStdString();
+    std::string type = ui->comboBoxType->currentText().toStdString();
     auto paramGroup = App::GetApplication().GetParameterGroupByPath(
             "User parameter:BaseApp/Preferences/PropertyView");
     paramGroup->SetASCII("NewPropertyType", type.c_str());
diff --git a/src/Gui/DlgAddPropertyVarSet.h b/src/Gui/DlgAddPropertyVarSet.h
index 5db09b6b05..59059a6a37 100644
--- a/src/Gui/DlgAddPropertyVarSet.h
+++ b/src/Gui/DlgAddPropertyVarSet.h
@@ -79,17 +79,21 @@ private:
     void initializeWidgets(ViewProviderVarSet* viewProvider);
 
     void setOkEnabled(bool enabled);
-    void clearEditors();
+    void clearEditors(bool clearName = true);
+    void clearCurrentProperty();
 
     void removeEditor();
     void addEditor(PropertyEditor::PropertyItem* propertyItem, std::string& type);
 
     bool isTypeWithEditor(const std::string& type);
-    void createProperty(std::string& name, std::string& group);
+    void createProperty();
+    void changePropertyToAdd();
 
-    void onNamePropertyDetermined(const QString& text);
-    void onGroupDetermined();
-    void onTypePropertyDetermined();
+    void checkName();
+    void checkGroup();
+    void checkType();
+    void onEditFinished();
+    void onNamePropertyChanged(const QString& text);
 
     void getSupportedTypes(std::vector<Base::Type>& types);