diff --git a/Sources/Tools/MaxComponent/plAutoUIBase.cpp b/Sources/Tools/MaxComponent/plAutoUIBase.cpp
index 645d4ad103..510c8f4c9f 100644
--- a/Sources/Tools/MaxComponent/plAutoUIBase.cpp
+++ b/Sources/Tools/MaxComponent/plAutoUIBase.cpp
@@ -375,6 +375,18 @@ void plAutoUIBase::AddPickGrassComponentButton(int16_t id, const ST::string& scr
     fParams.push_back(param);
 }
 
+void plAutoUIBase::AddPickLayerButton(int16_t id, const ST::string& scriptName, const ST::string& name, int vid, std::unordered_set<ST::string> vstates)
+{
+    ST::string scriptNameNew = !scriptName.empty() ? scriptName : IMakeScriptName(name);
+
+    fDesc->AddParam(id, ST2M(scriptNameNew), TYPE_REFTARG, 0, 0,
+        p_end,
+        p_end);
+    plAutoUIParam* param = new plPickMaterialButtonParam(id, name);
+    param->SetVisInfo(vid, std::move(vstates));
+    fParams.push_back(param);
+}
+
 INT_PTR CALLBACK plAutoUIBase::ForwardDlgProc(HWND hDlg, UINT msg, WPARAM wParam, LPARAM lParam)
 {
     plAutoUIBase *pthis = nullptr;
diff --git a/Sources/Tools/MaxComponent/plAutoUIBase.h b/Sources/Tools/MaxComponent/plAutoUIBase.h
index 024362f9e7..e76955bd68 100644
--- a/Sources/Tools/MaxComponent/plAutoUIBase.h
+++ b/Sources/Tools/MaxComponent/plAutoUIBase.h
@@ -120,6 +120,7 @@ class plAutoUIBase
     
     void AddDropDownList(int16_t id, const ST::string& scriptName, const ST::string& name, int vid, std::unordered_set<ST::string> vstates, std::vector<ST::string> options);
     void AddPickGrassComponentButton(int16_t id, const ST::string& scriptName, const ST::string& name, int vid, std::unordered_set<ST::string> vstates);
+    void AddPickLayerButton(int16_t id, const ST::string& scriptName, const ST::string& name, int vid, std::unordered_set<ST::string> vstates);
 
     void CreateAutoRollup(IParamBlock2 *pb);
     void DestroyAutoRollup();
diff --git a/Sources/Tools/MaxComponent/plAutoUIParams.h b/Sources/Tools/MaxComponent/plAutoUIParams.h
index 1323308651..a36b5477dc 100644
--- a/Sources/Tools/MaxComponent/plAutoUIParams.h
+++ b/Sources/Tools/MaxComponent/plAutoUIParams.h
@@ -92,6 +92,7 @@ class plAutoUIParam
         kTypeClusterComponent,
         kTypeMaterialAnimation,
         kTypeGrassComponent,
+        kTypeLayer
     };
 
     plAutoUIParam(ParamID id, ST::string name);
diff --git a/Sources/Tools/MaxComponent/plPythonFileComponent.cpp b/Sources/Tools/MaxComponent/plPythonFileComponent.cpp
index ae3f9339d1..21d3405f45 100644
--- a/Sources/Tools/MaxComponent/plPythonFileComponent.cpp
+++ b/Sources/Tools/MaxComponent/plPythonFileComponent.cpp
@@ -80,6 +80,7 @@ You can contact Cyan Worlds, Inc. by email legal@cyan.com
 #include "plAvatar/plSwimRegion.h"
 #include "plSurface/plGrassShaderMod.h"
 #include "plGrassComponent.h"
+#include "plSurface/plLayer.h"
 
 #include "pfPython/plPythonFileMod.h"
 #include "pfPython/plPythonParameter.h"
@@ -988,6 +989,21 @@ bool plPythonFileComponent::Convert(plMaxNode *node, plErrorMsg *pErrMsg)
                 }
             }
             break;
+        case plAutoUIParam::kTypeLayer:
+            {
+                int numKeys = param->GetCount(pb);
+                for (int i = 0; i < numKeys; i++)
+                {
+                    plKey key = param->GetKey(pb, i);
+                    // make sure we got a key and that it is a plLayer
+                    if (key && plLayer::ConvertNoRef(key->GetObjectPtr()))
+                    {
+                        pyParam.SetToLayer(key);
+                        mod->AddParameter(pyParam);
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+            break;
 
         }
     }
diff --git a/Sources/Tools/MaxMain/plPythonMgr.cpp b/Sources/Tools/MaxMain/plPythonMgr.cpp
index 990c9dddcb..8cdd847468 100644
--- a/Sources/Tools/MaxMain/plPythonMgr.cpp
+++ b/Sources/Tools/MaxMain/plPythonMgr.cpp
@@ -180,7 +180,8 @@ enum ParamTypes
     kTypeSwimCurrentInterface,  // 21
     kTypeClusterComponent,  // 22
     kTypeMaterialAnimation, // 23
-    kTypeGrassComponent, // 24
+    kTypeGrassComponent,    // 24
+    kTypeLayer,             // 25
 };
 
 bool IGetTupleInt(PyObject *tuple, int pos, int& val)
@@ -451,6 +452,9 @@ bool plPythonMgr::IQueryPythonFile(const ST::string& fileName)
                             case kTypeGrassComponent:
                                 IAddGrassComponent(autoUI, ret, paramName, paramID, ddlParamID, vec);
                                 break;
+                            case kTypeLayer:
+                                IAddLayerComponent(autoUI, ret, paramName, paramID, ddlParamID, vec);
+                                break;
                             }
                         }
                     }
@@ -624,6 +628,11 @@ void plPythonMgr::IAddGrassComponent(plAutoUIBlock *autoUI, PyObject *objTuple,
     autoUI->AddPickGrassComponentButton(id, {}, paramName, vid, std::move(vstates));
 }
 
+void plPythonMgr::IAddLayerComponent(plAutoUIBlock* autoUI, PyObject* objTuple, const ST::string& paramName, int id, int vid, std::unordered_set<ST::string> vstates)
+{
+    autoUI->AddPickLayerButton(id, {}, paramName, vid, std::move(vstates));
+}
+
 void plPythonMgr::LoadPythonFiles()
 {
     plFileName clientPath = plMaxConfig::GetClientPath(false, true);
diff --git a/Sources/Tools/MaxMain/plPythonMgr.h b/Sources/Tools/MaxMain/plPythonMgr.h
index eff45edb57..6b7dded958 100644
--- a/Sources/Tools/MaxMain/plPythonMgr.h
+++ b/Sources/Tools/MaxMain/plPythonMgr.h
@@ -81,6 +81,7 @@ class plPythonMgr
     void IAddClusterComponent(plAutoUIBlock *autoUI, PyObject *tuple, const ST::string& paramName, int id, int vid, std::unordered_set<ST::string> vstates);
     void IAddMaterialAnimation(plAutoUIBlock *autoUI, PyObject *tuple, const ST::string& paramName, int id, int vid, std::unordered_set<ST::string> vstates);
     void IAddGrassComponent(plAutoUIBlock *autoUI, PyObject *objTuple, const ST::string& paramName, int id, int vid, std::unordered_set<ST::string> vstates);
+    void IAddLayerComponent(plAutoUIBlock *autoUI, PyObject *objTuple, const ST::string& paramName, int id, int vid, std::unordered_set<ST::string> vstates);
 
 public:
     static plPythonMgr& Instance();