diff --git a/src/Mod/Fem/Gui/DlgSettingsFem.ui b/src/Mod/Fem/Gui/DlgSettingsFem.ui
index faf303e618..0469d81c14 100644
--- a/src/Mod/Fem/Gui/DlgSettingsFem.ui
+++ b/src/Mod/Fem/Gui/DlgSettingsFem.ui
@@ -189,10 +189,29 @@
             </property>
            </widget>
           </item>
+          <item>
+           <widget class="Gui::PrefCheckBox" name="cb_use_mat_from_custom_dir">
+            <property name="text">
+             <string>Use materials from user defined directory</string>
+            </property>
+            <property name="checked">
+             <bool>true</bool>
+            </property>
+            <property name="prefEntry" stdset="0">
+             <cstring>UseMaterialsFromCustomDir</cstring>
+            </property>
+            <property name="prefPath" stdset="0">
+             <cstring>Mod/Fem</cstring>
+            </property>
+           </widget>
+          </item>
           <item>
            <layout class="QGridLayout" name="gridLayout">
             <item row="1" column="1">
              <widget class="Gui::PrefFileChooser" name="fc_custom_mat_dir">
+              <property name="enabled">
+               <bool>true</bool>
+              </property>
               <property name="sizePolicy">
                <sizepolicy hsizetype="Preferred" vsizetype="Preferred">
                 <horstretch>0</horstretch>
@@ -218,6 +237,9 @@
             </item>
             <item row="1" column="0">
              <widget class="QLabel" name="l_custom_mat_dir">
+              <property name="enabled">
+               <bool>true</bool>
+              </property>
               <property name="minimumSize">
                <size>
                 <width>100</width>
@@ -339,5 +361,69 @@
     </hint>
    </hints>
   </connection>
+  <connection>
+   <sender>cb_use_mat_from_custom_dir</sender>
+   <signal>toggled(bool)</signal>
+   <receiver>l_custom_mat_dir</receiver>
+   <slot>setDisabled(bool)</slot>
+   <hints>
+    <hint type="sourcelabel">
+     <x>93</x>
+     <y>262</y>
+    </hint>
+    <hint type="destinationlabel">
+     <x>89</x>
+     <y>289</y>
+    </hint>
+   </hints>
+  </connection>
+  <connection>
+   <sender>cb_use_mat_from_custom_dir</sender>
+   <signal>toggled(bool)</signal>
+   <receiver>fc_custom_mat_dir</receiver>
+   <slot>setDisabled(bool)</slot>
+   <hints>
+    <hint type="sourcelabel">
+     <x>240</x>
+     <y>258</y>
+    </hint>
+    <hint type="destinationlabel">
+     <x>241</x>
+     <y>285</y>
+    </hint>
+   </hints>
+  </connection>
+  <connection>
+   <sender>cb_use_mat_from_custom_dir</sender>
+   <signal>toggled(bool)</signal>
+   <receiver>l_custom_mat_dir</receiver>
+   <slot>setEnabled(bool)</slot>
+   <hints>
+    <hint type="sourcelabel">
+     <x>123</x>
+     <y>266</y>
+    </hint>
+    <hint type="destinationlabel">
+     <x>122</x>
+     <y>297</y>
+    </hint>
+   </hints>
+  </connection>
+  <connection>
+   <sender>cb_use_mat_from_custom_dir</sender>
+   <signal>toggled(bool)</signal>
+   <receiver>fc_custom_mat_dir</receiver>
+   <slot>setEnabled(bool)</slot>
+   <hints>
+    <hint type="sourcelabel">
+     <x>380</x>
+     <y>266</y>
+    </hint>
+    <hint type="destinationlabel">
+     <x>380</x>
+     <y>293</y>
+    </hint>
+   </hints>
+  </connection>
  </connections>
 </ui>
diff --git a/src/Mod/Fem/Gui/DlgSettingsFemImp.cpp b/src/Mod/Fem/Gui/DlgSettingsFemImp.cpp
index b749251626..dba1a46c8d 100644
--- a/src/Mod/Fem/Gui/DlgSettingsFemImp.cpp
+++ b/src/Mod/Fem/Gui/DlgSettingsFemImp.cpp
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ void DlgSettingsFemImp::saveSettings()
     fc_ccx_binary->onSave();
     cb_use_built_in_materials->onSave();
     cb_use_mat_from_config_dir->onSave();
+    cb_use_mat_from_custom_dir->onSave();
     fc_custom_mat_dir->onSave();
 }
 
@@ -58,6 +59,7 @@ void DlgSettingsFemImp::loadSettings()
     fc_ccx_binary->onRestore();
     cb_use_built_in_materials->onRestore();
     cb_use_mat_from_config_dir->onRestore();
+    cb_use_mat_from_custom_dir->onRestore();
     fc_custom_mat_dir->onRestore();
 }
 
diff --git a/src/Mod/Fem/MechanicalMaterial.py b/src/Mod/Fem/MechanicalMaterial.py
index a714c9f12a..cb0730d14e 100644
--- a/src/Mod/Fem/MechanicalMaterial.py
+++ b/src/Mod/Fem/MechanicalMaterial.py
@@ -257,9 +257,10 @@ class _MechanicalMaterialTaskPanel:
             user_mat_dirname = FreeCAD.getUserAppDataDir() + "Materials"
             self.add_mat_dir(user_mat_dirname, ":/icons/preferences-general.svg")
 
-        self.fem_preferences = FreeCAD.ParamGet("User parameter:BaseApp/Preferences/Mod/Fem")
-        custom_mat_dir = self.fem_preferences.GetString("CustomMaterialsDir","")
-        self.add_mat_dir(custom_mat_dir, ":/icons/user.svg")
+        use_mat_from_custom_dir = self.fem_preferences.GetBool("UseMaterialsFromCustomDir")
+        if use_mat_from_custom_dir:
+            custom_mat_dir = self.fem_preferences.GetString("CustomMaterialsDir","")
+            self.add_mat_dir(custom_mat_dir, ":/icons/user.svg")
 
 
 FreeCADGui.addCommand('Fem_MechanicalMaterial',_CommandMechanicalMaterial())