diff --git a/source/blender/makesrna/intern/rna_ui_api.c b/source/blender/makesrna/intern/rna_ui_api.c
index b13bdedaffd..33c35313b38 100644
--- a/source/blender/makesrna/intern/rna_ui_api.c
+++ b/source/blender/makesrna/intern/rna_ui_api.c
@@ -178,7 +178,7 @@ static void rna_uiItemPointerR(uiLayout *layout, struct PointerRNA *ptr, const c
 }
 
 static PointerRNA rna_uiItemO(uiLayout *layout, const char *opname, const char *name, const char *text_ctxt,
-                              int translate, int icon, int emboss)
+                              int translate, int icon, int emboss, int icon_value)
 {
 	wmOperatorType *ot;
 	int flag;
@@ -192,6 +192,10 @@ static PointerRNA rna_uiItemO(uiLayout *layout, const char *opname, const char *
 	/* Get translated name (label). */
 	name = rna_translate_ui_text(name, text_ctxt, ot->srna, NULL, translate);
 
+	if (icon_value && !icon) {
+		icon = icon_value;
+	}
+
 	flag = UI_ITEM_O_RETURN_PROPS;
 	flag |= (emboss) ? 0 : UI_ITEM_R_NO_BG;
 
@@ -551,6 +555,10 @@ void RNA_api_ui_layout(StructRNA *srna)
 	func = RNA_def_function(srna, "operator", "rna_uiItemO");
 	api_ui_item_op_common(func);
 	RNA_def_boolean(func, "emboss", true, "", "Draw the button itself, just the icon/text");
+	parm = RNA_def_property(func, "icon_value", PROP_INT, PROP_UNSIGNED);
+	RNA_def_property_ui_text(parm, "Icon Value",
+	                         "Override automatic icon of the item "
+	                         "(use it e.g. with custom material icons returned by icon()...)");
 	parm = RNA_def_pointer(func, "properties", "OperatorProperties", "",
 	                       "Operator properties to fill in, return when 'properties' is set to true");
 	RNA_def_property_flag(parm, PROP_REQUIRED | PROP_RNAPTR);
diff --git a/source/blender/python/intern/bpy_props.c b/source/blender/python/intern/bpy_props.c
index 0bffe2cb11f..b0232a4211c 100644
--- a/source/blender/python/intern/bpy_props.c
+++ b/source/blender/python/intern/bpy_props.c
@@ -1374,7 +1374,8 @@ static EnumPropertyItem *enum_items_from_py(PyObject *seq_fast, PyObject *def, i
 		    (tmp.description = _PyUnicode_AsStringAndSize(PyTuple_GET_ITEM(item, 2), &desc_str_size)) &&
 		    /* TODO, number isn't ensured to be unique from the script author */
 		    (item_size != 4 || py_long_as_int(PyTuple_GET_ITEM(item, 3), &tmp.value) != -1) &&
-		    (item_size != 5 || ((tmp_icon = _PyUnicode_AsString(PyTuple_GET_ITEM(item, 3))) &&
+		    (item_size != 5 || ((py_long_as_int(PyTuple_GET_ITEM(item, 3), &tmp.icon) != -1 ||
+		                         (tmp_icon = _PyUnicode_AsString(PyTuple_GET_ITEM(item, 3)))) &&
 		                        py_long_as_int(PyTuple_GET_ITEM(item, 4), &tmp.value) != -1)))
 		{
 			if (is_enum_flag) {
@@ -2610,8 +2611,8 @@ PyDoc_STRVAR(BPy_EnumProperty_doc,
 "      [(identifier, name, description, icon, number), ...] where the identifier is used\n"
 "      for python access and other values are used for the interface.\n"
 "      The three first elements of the tuples are mandatory.\n"
-"      The forth one is either the (unique!) number id of the item or, if followed by a fith element \n"
-"      (which must be the numid), an icon string identifier.\n"
+"      The forth one is either the (unique!) number id of the item or, if followed by a fith element\n"
+"      (which must be the numid), an icon string identifier or integer icon value (e.g. returned by icon()...).\n"
 "      Note the item is optional.\n"
 "      For dynamic values a callback can be passed which returns a list in\n"
 "      the same format as the static list.\n"