diff --git a/src/Mod/PartDesign/App/FeatureSketchBased.cpp b/src/Mod/PartDesign/App/FeatureSketchBased.cpp
index e177b7ffbc..8fe9f1dc58 100644
--- a/src/Mod/PartDesign/App/FeatureSketchBased.cpp
+++ b/src/Mod/PartDesign/App/FeatureSketchBased.cpp
@@ -1092,7 +1092,14 @@ void ProfileBased::getAxis(const App::DocumentObject *pcReferenceAxis, const std
             throw Base::ValueError("No rotation axis reference specified");
         const Part::Feature* refFeature = static_cast<const Part::Feature*>(pcReferenceAxis);
         Part::TopoShape refShape = refFeature->Shape.getShape();
-        TopoDS_Shape ref = refShape.getSubShape(subReferenceAxis[0].c_str());
+        TopoDS_Shape ref;
+        try {
+            // if an exception is raised then convert it into a FreeCAD-specific exception
+            ref = refShape.getSubShape(subReferenceAxis[0].c_str());
+        }
+        catch (const Standard_Failure& e) {
+            throw Base::RuntimeError(e.GetMessageString());
+        }
 
         if (ref.ShapeType() == TopAbs_EDGE) {
             TopoDS_Edge refEdge = TopoDS::Edge(ref);
diff --git a/src/Mod/PartDesign/Gui/ReferenceSelection.cpp b/src/Mod/PartDesign/Gui/ReferenceSelection.cpp
index ee4ab46526..431bb690d9 100644
--- a/src/Mod/PartDesign/Gui/ReferenceSelection.cpp
+++ b/src/Mod/PartDesign/Gui/ReferenceSelection.cpp
@@ -195,21 +195,22 @@ bool CombineSelectionFilterGates::allow(App::Document* pDoc, App::DocumentObject
 namespace PartDesignGui
 {
 
-void getReferencedSelection(const App::DocumentObject* thisObj, const Gui::SelectionChanges& msg,
+bool getReferencedSelection(const App::DocumentObject* thisObj, const Gui::SelectionChanges& msg,
                             App::DocumentObject*& selObj, std::vector<std::string>& selSub)
 {
+    selObj = nullptr;
     if (!thisObj)
-        return;
+        return false;
 
     if (strcmp(thisObj->getDocument()->getName(), msg.pDocName) != 0)
-        return;
-    
+        return false;
+
     selObj = thisObj->getDocument()->getObject(msg.pObjectName);
     if (selObj == thisObj)
-        return;
-    
+        return false;
+
     std::string subname = msg.pSubName;
-    
+
     //check if the selection is an external reference and ask the user what to do
     //of course only if thisObj is in a body, as otherwise the old workflow would not 
     //be supported
@@ -224,10 +225,11 @@ void getReferencedSelection(const App::DocumentObject* thisObj, const Gui::Selec
             dia.setModal(true);
             int result = dia.exec();
             if (result == QDialog::DialogCode::Rejected) {
-                selObj = NULL;
-                return;
+                selObj = nullptr;
+                return false;
             }
-            else if (!dlg.radioXRef->isChecked()) {
+
+            if (!dlg.radioXRef->isChecked()) {
                 App::Document* document = thisObj->getDocument();
                 document->openTransaction("Make copy");
                 auto copy = PartDesignGui::TaskFeaturePick::makeCopy(selObj, subname, dlg.radioIndependent->isChecked());
@@ -237,7 +239,6 @@ void getReferencedSelection(const App::DocumentObject* thisObj, const Gui::Selec
                 subname.erase(std::remove_if(subname.begin(), subname.end(), &isdigit), subname.end());
                 subname.append("1");
             }
-        
         }
     }
 
@@ -247,6 +248,8 @@ void getReferencedSelection(const App::DocumentObject* thisObj, const Gui::Selec
     }
 
     selSub = std::vector<std::string>(1,subname);
+
+    return true;
 }
 
 QString getRefStr(const App::DocumentObject* obj, const std::vector<std::string>& sub)
diff --git a/src/Mod/PartDesign/Gui/ReferenceSelection.h b/src/Mod/PartDesign/Gui/ReferenceSelection.h
index a2feed0f7b..11cf85f29d 100644
--- a/src/Mod/PartDesign/Gui/ReferenceSelection.h
+++ b/src/Mod/PartDesign/Gui/ReferenceSelection.h
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ public:
 };
 // Convenience methods
 /// Extract reference from Selection
-void getReferencedSelection(const App::DocumentObject* thisObj, const Gui::SelectionChanges& msg,
+bool getReferencedSelection(const App::DocumentObject* thisObj, const Gui::SelectionChanges& msg,
                             App::DocumentObject*& selObj, std::vector<std::string>& selSub);
 /// Return reference as string for UI elements (format <obj>:<subelement>
 QString getRefStr(const App::DocumentObject* obj, const std::vector<std::string>& sub);
diff --git a/src/Mod/PartDesign/Gui/TaskRevolutionParameters.cpp b/src/Mod/PartDesign/Gui/TaskRevolutionParameters.cpp
index 267d167866..83c7f8448a 100644
--- a/src/Mod/PartDesign/Gui/TaskRevolutionParameters.cpp
+++ b/src/Mod/PartDesign/Gui/TaskRevolutionParameters.cpp
@@ -172,9 +172,7 @@ void TaskRevolutionParameters::fillAxisCombo(bool forceRefill)
         }
 
         //add part axes
-        App::DocumentObject* obj = vp->getObject();
-
-        PartDesign::Body * body = PartDesign::Body::findBodyOf ( obj );
+        PartDesign::Body * body = PartDesign::Body::findBodyOf ( pcFeat );
         if (body) {
             try {
                 App::Origin* orig = body->getOrigin();
@@ -243,13 +241,12 @@ void TaskRevolutionParameters::onSelectionChanged(const Gui::SelectionChanges& m
         exitSelectionMode();
         std::vector<std::string> axis;
         App::DocumentObject* selObj;
-        getReferencedSelection(vp->getObject(), msg, selObj, axis);
-        if(!selObj)
-            return;
-        propReferenceAxis->setValue(selObj, axis);
+        if (getReferencedSelection(vp->getObject(), msg, selObj, axis) && selObj) {
+            propReferenceAxis->setValue(selObj, axis);
 
-        recomputeFeature();
-        updateUI();
+            recomputeFeature();
+            updateUI();
+        }
     }
 }
 
@@ -272,6 +269,9 @@ void TaskRevolutionParameters::onAxisChanged(int num)
 
     App::DocumentObject *oldRefAxis = propReferenceAxis->getValue();
     std::vector<std::string> oldSubRefAxis = propReferenceAxis->getSubValues();
+    std::string oldRefName;
+    if (!oldSubRefAxis.empty())
+        oldRefName = oldSubRefAxis.front();
 
     App::PropertyLinkSub &lnk = *(axesInList[num]);
     if (lnk.getValue() == 0) {
@@ -289,13 +289,17 @@ void TaskRevolutionParameters::onAxisChanged(int num)
     try {
         App::DocumentObject *newRefAxis = propReferenceAxis->getValue();
         const std::vector<std::string> &newSubRefAxis = propReferenceAxis->getSubValues();
+        std::string newRefName;
+        if (!newSubRefAxis.empty())
+            newRefName = newSubRefAxis.front();
+
         if (oldRefAxis != newRefAxis ||
             oldSubRefAxis.size() != newSubRefAxis.size() ||
-            oldSubRefAxis[0] != newSubRefAxis[0]) {
+            oldRefName != newRefName) {
             bool reversed = propReversed->getValue();
-            if(pcRevolution->isDerivedFrom(PartDesign::Revolution::getClassTypeId()))
+            if (pcRevolution->isDerivedFrom(PartDesign::Revolution::getClassTypeId()))
                 reversed = static_cast<PartDesign::Revolution*>(pcRevolution)->suggestReversed();
-            if(pcRevolution->isDerivedFrom(PartDesign::Groove::getClassTypeId()))
+            if (pcRevolution->isDerivedFrom(PartDesign::Groove::getClassTypeId()))
                 reversed = static_cast<PartDesign::Groove*>(pcRevolution)->suggestReversed();
 
             if (reversed != propReversed->getValue()) {