diff --git a/src/ifcopenshell-python/ifcopenshell/util/element.py b/src/ifcopenshell-python/ifcopenshell/util/element.py
index e9325feabf..44f8e1b2f4 100644
--- a/src/ifcopenshell-python/ifcopenshell/util/element.py
+++ b/src/ifcopenshell-python/ifcopenshell/util/element.py
@@ -4,32 +4,50 @@ def get_psets(element):
         if element.is_a('IfcTypeObject'):
             if element.HasPropertySets:
                 for definition in element.HasPropertySets:
-                    psets[definition.Name] = get_properties(definition)
+                    psets[definition.Name] = get_property_definition(definition)
         else:
             for relationship in element.IsDefinedBy:
                 if relationship.is_a('IfcRelDefinesByProperties'):
                     definition = relationship.RelatingPropertyDefinition
-                    psets[definition.Name] = get_properties(definition)
+                    psets[definition.Name] = get_property_definition(definition)
     except Exception as e:
         import traceback
         print('failed to load properties: {}'.format(e))
         traceback.print_exc()
     return psets
 
-def get_properties(definition):
+
+def get_property_definition(definition):
     if definition is not None:
         props = {}
         if definition.is_a('IfcElementQuantity'):
-            for q in definition.Quantities:
-                if q.is_a('IfcPhysicalSimpleQuantity'):
-                    props[q.Name] = q[3]
+            props.update(get_quantities(definition.Quantities))
         elif definition.is_a('IfcPropertySet'):
-            for prop in definition.HasProperties:
-                if prop.is_a('IfcPropertySingleValue'):
-                    props[prop.Name] = prop.NominalValue
+            props.update(get_properties(definition.HasProperties))
         else:
             # Entity introduced in IFC4
             # definition.is_a('IfcPreDefinedPropertySet'):
             for prop in range(4, len(definition)):
                 props[definition.attribute_name(prop)] = definition[prop]
         return props
+
+
+def get_quantities(quantities):
+    results = {}
+    for quantity in quantities:
+        if quantity.is_a('IfcPhysicalSimpleQuantity'):
+            results[quantity.Name] = quantity[3]
+    return results
+
+
+def get_properties(properties):
+    results = {}
+    for prop in properties:
+        if prop.is_a('IfcPropertySingleValue'):
+            results[prop.Name] = prop.NominalValue
+        elif prop.is_a('IfcComplexProperty'):
+            data = prop.get_info()
+            data['properties'] = get_properties(prop.HasProperties)
+            del(data['HasProperties'])
+            results[prop.Name] = data
+    return results