diff --git a/src/App/ComplexGeoData.h b/src/App/ComplexGeoData.h
index d5630c3560..0bacdd6229 100644
--- a/src/App/ComplexGeoData.h
+++ b/src/App/ComplexGeoData.h
@@ -265,7 +265,10 @@ public:
      *
      * @return Returns the existing element map.
      */
-    virtual ElementMapPtr resetElementMap(ElementMapPtr elementMap=ElementMapPtr()) {
+    virtual ElementMapPtr resetElementMap(ElementMapPtr elementMap=ElementMapPtr(), bool forceEmpty=false) {
+        if ( ! elementMap && ! forceEmpty ) {
+            elementMap = std::make_shared<Data::ElementMap>();
+        }
         _elementMap.swap(elementMap);
         return elementMap;
     }
diff --git a/tests/src/App/ComplexGeoData.cpp b/tests/src/App/ComplexGeoData.cpp
index 4c344495ea..e7dc527e86 100644
--- a/tests/src/App/ComplexGeoData.cpp
+++ b/tests/src/App/ComplexGeoData.cpp
@@ -444,7 +444,7 @@ TEST_F(ComplexGeoDataTest, saveDocFileWithNoElementMap)
 {
     // Arrange
     Base::StringWriter writer;
-    cgd().resetElementMap();
+    cgd().resetElementMap(nullptr, true);  // Force undefined map
 
     // Act
     cgd().SaveDocFile(writer);