diff --git a/libsrc/occ/occgenmesh.cpp b/libsrc/occ/occgenmesh.cpp
index 517e1ebb..6800e429 100644
--- a/libsrc/occ/occgenmesh.cpp
+++ b/libsrc/occ/occgenmesh.cpp
@@ -486,13 +486,21 @@ namespace netgen
     int maxlayer = 1;
 
     int dom = 0;
-    for (TopExp_Explorer e(geom.GetShape(), TopAbs_SOLID); e.More(); e.Next(), dom++)
+    for(const auto& s : GetSolids(geom.GetShape()))
     {
-      auto& props = OCCGeometry::GetProperties(e.Current());
+      if(!OCCGeometry::HaveProperties(s))
+        continue;
+      auto& props = OCCGeometry::GetProperties(s);
       maxhdom[dom] = min2(maxhdom[dom], props.maxh);
       maxlayer = max2(maxlayer, props.layer);
+      dom++;
     }
-
+    for(const auto& f : GetFaces(geom.GetShape()))
+      if(OCCGeometry::HaveProperties(f))
+        maxlayer = max2(maxlayer, OCCGeometry::GetProperties(f).layer);
+    for(const auto& e : GetEdges(geom.GetShape()))
+      if(OCCGeometry::HaveProperties(e))
+        maxlayer = max2(maxlayer, OCCGeometry::GetProperties(e).layer);
 
     mesh.SetMaxHDomain (maxhdom);
 
diff --git a/libsrc/occ/python_occ_shapes.cpp b/libsrc/occ/python_occ_shapes.cpp
index 9bd1aa8d..477328fc 100644
--- a/libsrc/occ/python_occ_shapes.cpp
+++ b/libsrc/occ/python_occ_shapes.cpp
@@ -846,6 +846,13 @@ DLL_HEADER void ExportNgOCCShapes(py::module &m)
           col[3] = c[3];
         OCCGeometry::GetProperties(self).col = col;
       }, "color of shape as RGB - tuple")
+    .def_property("layer", [](const TopoDS_Shape& self) {
+    if (!OCCGeometry::HaveProperties(self))
+      return 1;
+    return OCCGeometry::GetProperties(self).layer;
+    }, [](const TopoDS_Shape& self, int layer) {
+    OCCGeometry::GetProperties(self).layer = layer;
+    }, "layer of shape")
     .def("UnifySameDomain", [](const TopoDS_Shape& shape,
                                bool edges, bool faces,
                                bool concatBSplines)