diff --git a/src/Mod/Path/App/Area.cpp b/src/Mod/Path/App/Area.cpp
index 8d14edd68e..95cdfec811 100644
--- a/src/Mod/Path/App/Area.cpp
+++ b/src/Mod/Path/App/Area.cpp
@@ -146,6 +146,7 @@ Area::~Area() {
 }
 
 void Area::setPlane(const TopoDS_Shape &shape) {
+    clean();
     if(shape.IsNull()) {
         myWorkPlane.Nullify();
         return;
@@ -156,7 +157,6 @@ void Area::setPlane(const TopoDS_Shape &shape) {
         throw Base::ValueError("shape is not planar");
     myWorkPlane = plane;
     myTrsf = trsf;
-    clean();
 }
 
 bool Area::isCoplanar(const TopoDS_Shape &s1, const TopoDS_Shape &s2) {
diff --git a/src/Mod/Path/App/Area.h b/src/Mod/Path/App/Area.h
index c035a49f1a..2799e8e612 100644
--- a/src/Mod/Path/App/Area.h
+++ b/src/Mod/Path/App/Area.h
@@ -242,8 +242,6 @@ protected:
 
     void explode(const TopoDS_Shape &shape);
 
-    bool isBuilt() const;
-
     TopoDS_Shape findPlane(const TopoDS_Shape &shape, gp_Trsf &trsf);
 
 public:
@@ -254,6 +252,8 @@ public:
     Area(const Area &other, bool deep_copy=true);
     virtual ~Area();
 
+    bool isBuilt() const;
+
     /** Set a working plane 
      *
      * \arg \c shape: a shape defining a working plane.
diff --git a/src/Mod/Path/App/AreaPy.xml b/src/Mod/Path/App/AreaPy.xml
index ad4a0a306f..29748b4185 100644
--- a/src/Mod/Path/App/AreaPy.xml
+++ b/src/Mod/Path/App/AreaPy.xml
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ same algorithm</UserDocu>
         </Documentation>
         <Parameter Name="Sections" Type="List"/>
     </Attribute>
-    <Attribute Name="Workplane" ReadOnly="true">
+    <Attribute Name="Workplane" ReadOnly="false">
         <Documentation>
             <UserDocu>The current workplane. If no plane is set, it is derived from the added shapes.</UserDocu>
         </Documentation>
diff --git a/src/Mod/Path/App/AreaPyImp.cpp b/src/Mod/Path/App/AreaPyImp.cpp
index 3fb7f10893..2c22e456b8 100644
--- a/src/Mod/Path/App/AreaPyImp.cpp
+++ b/src/Mod/Path/App/AreaPyImp.cpp
@@ -178,10 +178,6 @@ struct AreaPyModifier {
 
 static AreaPyModifier mod;
 
-namespace Part {
-extern PartExport Py::Object shape2pyshape(const TopoDS_Shape &shape);
-}
-
 using namespace Path;
 
 // returns a string which represents the object e.g. when printed in python
@@ -481,6 +477,15 @@ Py::Object AreaPy::getWorkplane(void) const {
     return Part::shape2pyshape(getAreaPtr()->getPlane());
 }
 
+void AreaPy::setWorkplane(Py::Object obj) {
+    PyObject* p = obj.ptr();
+    if (!PyObject_TypeCheck(p, &(Part::TopoShapePy::Type))) {
+        std::string error = std::string("type must be 'TopoShape', not ");
+        error += p->ob_type->tp_name;
+        throw Py::TypeError(error);
+    }
+    getAreaPtr()->setPlane(GET_TOPOSHAPE(p));
+}
 
 // custom attributes get/set
 
diff --git a/src/Mod/Path/App/FeatureArea.cpp b/src/Mod/Path/App/FeatureArea.cpp
index 5d399a599c..759eca3b55 100644
--- a/src/Mod/Path/App/FeatureArea.cpp
+++ b/src/Mod/Path/App/FeatureArea.cpp
@@ -136,14 +136,7 @@ const std::vector<TopoDS_Shape> &FeatureArea::getShapes() {
 
 short FeatureArea::mustExecute(void) const
 {
-    if (Sources.isTouched())
-        return 1;
-    if (WorkPlane.isTouched())
-        return 1;
-
-    PARAM_PROP_TOUCHED(AREA_PARAMS_ALL)
-
-    return Part::Feature::mustExecute();
+    return !myArea.isBuilt() || Part::Feature::mustExecute();
 }
 
 PyObject *FeatureArea::getPyObject()
diff --git a/src/Mod/Path/App/FeatureArea.h b/src/Mod/Path/App/FeatureArea.h
index b766491b81..6e2f087c88 100644
--- a/src/Mod/Path/App/FeatureArea.h
+++ b/src/Mod/Path/App/FeatureArea.h
@@ -60,6 +60,11 @@ public:
 
     PARAM_PROP_DECLARE(AREA_PARAMS_ALL)
 
+    void setWorkPlane(const TopoDS_Shape &shape) {
+        WorkPlane.setValue(shape);
+        myArea.setPlane(shape);
+    }
+
 private:
     bool myBuild;
     Area myArea;
diff --git a/src/Mod/Path/App/FeatureAreaPy.xml b/src/Mod/Path/App/FeatureAreaPy.xml
index e62d94ed16..da1b916d3d 100644
--- a/src/Mod/Path/App/FeatureAreaPy.xml
+++ b/src/Mod/Path/App/FeatureAreaPy.xml
@@ -24,6 +24,12 @@
 Same usage as Path.Area.setParams(). This function stores the parameters in the properties.</UserDocu>
             </Documentation>
         </Methode>
+        <Attribute Name="WorkPlane" ReadOnly="false">
+            <Documentation>
+                <UserDocu>The current workplane. If no plane is set, it is derived from the added shapes.</UserDocu>
+            </Documentation>
+            <Parameter Name="WorkPlane" Type="Object"/>
+        </Attribute>
         <CustomAttributes />
     </PythonExport>
 </GenerateModel>
diff --git a/src/Mod/Path/App/FeatureAreaPyImp.cpp b/src/Mod/Path/App/FeatureAreaPyImp.cpp
index 755db26899..83d92732a9 100644
--- a/src/Mod/Path/App/FeatureAreaPyImp.cpp
+++ b/src/Mod/Path/App/FeatureAreaPyImp.cpp
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
 #include "PreCompiled.h"
 
 #include <CXX/Objects.hxx>
+#include <Mod/Part/App/TopoShapePy.h>
 #include "FeatureArea.h"
 
 // inclusion of the generated files (generated out of FeatureAreaPy.xml)
@@ -80,6 +81,21 @@ PyObject* FeatureAreaPy::setParams(PyObject *args, PyObject *keywds)
     return Py_None;
 }
 
+Py::Object FeatureAreaPy::getWorkPlane(void) const {
+    return Part::shape2pyshape(getFeatureAreaPtr()->getArea().getPlane());
+}
+
+void FeatureAreaPy::setWorkPlane(Py::Object obj) {
+    PyObject* p = obj.ptr();
+    if (!PyObject_TypeCheck(p, &(Part::TopoShapePy::Type))) {
+        std::string error = std::string("type must be 'TopoShape', not ");
+        error += p->ob_type->tp_name;
+        throw Py::TypeError(error);
+    }
+    getFeatureAreaPtr()->setWorkPlane(
+            static_cast<Part::TopoShapePy*>(p)->getTopoShapePtr()->getShape());
+}
+
 PyObject *FeatureAreaPy::getCustomAttributes(const char* /*attr*/) const
 {
     return 0;