diff --git a/src/Mod/Path/PathScripts/PathGeom.py b/src/Mod/Path/PathScripts/PathGeom.py
index 448a0dced6..e77030e7c6 100644
--- a/src/Mod/Path/PathScripts/PathGeom.py
+++ b/src/Mod/Path/PathScripts/PathGeom.py
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ from PySide import QtCore
 
 PathGeomTolerance = 0.000001
 
-#PathLog.setLevel(PathLog.Level.DEBUG, PathLog.thisModule())
+PathLog.setLevel(PathLog.Level.INFO, PathLog.thisModule())
 
 # Qt tanslation handling
 def translate(context, text, disambig=None):
@@ -444,3 +444,23 @@ class PathGeom:
             aes = cls.splitArcAt(arc, Vector(pt.x, pt.y, 0))
             return [cls.arcToHelix(aes[0], p1.z, p2.z), cls.arcToHelix(aes[1], p2.z, p3.z)]
 
+    @classmethod
+    def combineConnectedShapes(cls, shapes):
+        done = False
+        while not done:
+            done = True
+            combined = []
+            PathLog.debug("shapes: {}".format(shapes))
+            for shape in shapes:
+                connected = [f for f in combined if cls.isRoughly(shape.distToShape(f)[0], 0.0)]
+                PathLog.debug("  {}: connected: {} dist: {}".format(len(combined), connected, [shape.distToShape(f)[0] for f in combined]))
+                if connected:
+                    combined = [f for f in combined if f not in connected]
+                    connected.append(shape)
+                    combined.append(Part.makeCompound(connected))
+                    done = False
+                else:
+                    combined.append(shape)
+            shapes = combined
+        return shapes
+
diff --git a/src/Mod/Path/PathScripts/PathPocketShape.py b/src/Mod/Path/PathScripts/PathPocketShape.py
index 24a9d16a03..16f048c0ae 100644
--- a/src/Mod/Path/PathScripts/PathPocketShape.py
+++ b/src/Mod/Path/PathScripts/PathPocketShape.py
@@ -60,30 +60,13 @@ class ObjectPocket(PathPocketBase.ObjectPocket):
     def pocketInvertExtraOffset(self):
         return False
 
-    def combineConnectedShapes(self, shapes):
-        done = False
-        while not done:
-            done = True
-            combined = []
-            for shape in shapes:
-                connected = [f for f in combined if PathGeom.isRoughly(shape.distToShape(f)[0], 0,0)]
-                if connected:
-                    combined = [f for f in combined if f not in connected]
-                    connected.append(shape)
-                    combined.append(Part.makeCompound(connected))
-                    done = False
-                else:
-                    combined.append(shape)
-            shapes = combined
-        return shapes
-
     def areaOpShapes(self, obj):
         '''areaOpShapes(obj) ... return shapes representing the solids to be removed.'''
         PathLog.track()
 
         if obj.Base:
             PathLog.debug("base items exist.  Processing...")
-            removalshapes = []
+            self.removalshapes = []
             horizontal = []
             vertical = []
             for o in obj.Base:
@@ -110,8 +93,8 @@ class ObjectPocket(PathPocketBase.ObjectPocket):
                         else:
                             PathLog.error(translate('PathPocket', "Pocket does not support shape %s.%s") % (base.Label, sub))
 
-            vertical = self.combineConnectedShapes(vertical)
-            vWires = [TechDraw.findShapeOutline(shape, 1, FreeCAD.Vector(0, 0, 1)) for shape in vertical]
+            self.vertical = PathGeom.combineConnectedShapes(vertical)
+            vWires = [TechDraw.findShapeOutline(shape, 1, FreeCAD.Vector(0, 0, 1)) for shape in self.vertical]
             for wire in vWires:
                 face = Part.Face(wire)
                 if PathGeom.isRoughly(face.Area, 0):
@@ -125,11 +108,11 @@ class ObjectPocket(PathPocketBase.ObjectPocket):
                 face.translate(FreeCAD.Vector(0, 0, obj.FinalDepth.Value - face.BoundBox.ZMin))
 
             # check all faces and see if they are touching/overlapping and combine those into a compound
-            horizontal = self.combineConnectedShapes(horizontal)
+            self.horizontal = PathGeom.combineConnectedShapes(horizontal)
 
             # extrude all faces up to StartDepth and those are the removal shapes
             extent = FreeCAD.Vector(0, 0, obj.StartDepth.Value - obj.FinalDepth.Value)
-            removalshapes = [(face.extrude(extent), False) for face in horizontal]
+            self.removalshapes = [(face.extrude(extent), False) for face in self.horizontal]
 
         else:  # process the job base object as a whole
             PathLog.debug("processing the whole job base object")
@@ -139,9 +122,12 @@ class ObjectPocket(PathPocketBase.ObjectPocket):
             self.outline.translate(FreeCAD.Vector(0, 0, stockBB.ZMin - 1))
             self.body  = self.outline.extrude(FreeCAD.Vector(0, 0, stockBB.ZLength + 2))
             obj.removalshape = self.stock.Shape.cut(self.body)
-            obj.removalshape.tessellate(0.1)
-            removalshapes = [(obj.removalshape, False)]
-        return removalshapes
+            self.removalshapes = [(obj.removalshape, False)]
+
+        for (shape,hole) in self.removalshapes:
+            shape.tessellate(0.1)
+
+        return self.removalshapes
 
     def areaOpSetDefaultValues(self, obj):
         '''areaOpSetDefaultValues(obj) ... set default values'''