diff --git a/pandatool/src/mayaprogs/Sources.pp b/pandatool/src/mayaprogs/Sources.pp
index a671e00b6f..01ebee79a7 100644
--- a/pandatool/src/mayaprogs/Sources.pp
+++ b/pandatool/src/mayaprogs/Sources.pp
@@ -95,6 +95,18 @@
 
 #end lib_target
 
+#begin lib_target
+  #define USE_PACKAGES maya
+  #define TARGET mayasavepview
+
+  #if $[WINDOWS_PLATFORM]
+    #define dlllib mll
+  #endif
+
+  #define SOURCES \
+    mayaSavePview.cxx mayaSavePview.h
+#end lib_target
+
 #begin lib_target
   #define USE_PACKAGES maya
   #define TARGET mayaloader
diff --git a/pandatool/src/mayaprogs/mayaSavePview.cxx b/pandatool/src/mayaprogs/mayaSavePview.cxx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..0c180144d6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pandatool/src/mayaprogs/mayaSavePview.cxx
@@ -0,0 +1,104 @@
+// Filename: mayaSavePview.cxx
+// Created by:  drose (27Oct03)
+//
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+//
+// PANDA 3D SOFTWARE
+// Copyright (c) 2001, Disney Enterprises, Inc.  All rights reserved
+//
+// All use of this software is subject to the terms of the Panda 3d
+// Software license.  You should have received a copy of this license
+// along with this source code; you will also find a current copy of
+// the license at http://www.panda3d.org/license.txt .
+//
+// To contact the maintainers of this program write to
+// panda3d@yahoogroups.com .
+//
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+
+#include "mayaSavePview.h"
+
+#include <maya/MString.h>
+#include <maya/MFnPlugin.h>
+#include <maya/MFileIO.h>
+
+#include <stdlib.h>
+
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+//     Function: MayaSavePview::Constructor
+//       Access: Public
+//  Description:
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+MayaSavePview::
+MayaSavePview() {
+}
+
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+//     Function: MayaSavePview::doIt
+//       Access: Public, Virtual
+//  Description: Called when the plugin command is invoked.
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+MStatus MayaSavePview::
+doIt(const MArgList &) {
+  MStatus result;
+  
+  // First, make sure the current buffer is saved.
+  result = MFileIO::save(false);
+  if (result != MS::kSuccess) {
+    return result;
+  }
+
+  MString filename = MFileIO::currentFile();
+  MString command = MString("pview \"") + filename + MString("\"");
+
+  int command_result = system(command.asChar());
+  if (command_result != 0) {
+    return MS::kFailure;
+  }
+
+  return MS::kSuccess;
+}
+
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+//     Function: MayaSavePview::creator
+//       Access: Public, Static
+//  Description: This is used to create a new instance of the plugin.
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+void *MayaSavePview::
+creator() {
+  return new MayaSavePview;
+}
+
+
+
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+//     Function: initializePlugin
+//  Description: Called by Maya when the plugin is loaded.
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+EXPCL_MISC MStatus 
+initializePlugin(MObject obj) {
+  MFnPlugin plugin(obj, "VR Studio", "1.0");
+  MStatus status;
+  status = plugin.registerCommand("savePview", MayaSavePview::creator);
+  if (!status) {
+    status.perror("registerCommand");
+  }
+
+  return status;
+}
+
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+//     Function: uninitializePlugin
+//  Description: Called by Maya when the plugin is unloaded.
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+EXPCL_MISC MStatus
+uninitializePlugin(MObject obj) {
+  MFnPlugin plugin(obj);
+  MStatus status;
+  status = plugin.deregisterCommand("savePview");
+
+  if (!status) {
+    status.perror("deregisterCommand");
+  }
+  return status;
+}
diff --git a/pandatool/src/mayaprogs/mayaSavePview.h b/pandatool/src/mayaprogs/mayaSavePview.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..fc3c2a21d3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pandatool/src/mayaprogs/mayaSavePview.h
@@ -0,0 +1,75 @@
+// Filename: mayaSavePview.h
+// Created by:  drose (27Oct03)
+//
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+//
+// PANDA 3D SOFTWARE
+// Copyright (c) 2001, Disney Enterprises, Inc.  All rights reserved
+//
+// All use of this software is subject to the terms of the Panda 3d
+// Software license.  You should have received a copy of this license
+// along with this source code; you will also find a current copy of
+// the license at http://www.panda3d.org/license.txt .
+//
+// To contact the maintainers of this program write to
+// panda3d@yahoogroups.com .
+//
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+
+#ifndef MAYASAVEPVIEW_H
+#define MAYASAVEPVIEW_H
+
+// Maya will try to typedef bool unless this symbol is defined.
+#ifndef _BOOL
+#define _BOOL 1
+#endif
+
+#include <maya/MArgList.h>
+#include <maya/MPxCommand.h>
+#include <maya/MObject.h>
+
+// Even though we don't include any Panda headers, it's safe to
+// include this one, since it only defines some macros that we need to
+// make this program platform-independent.
+#include "dtool_config.h"
+
+
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+//       Class : MayaSavePview
+// Description : This class serves as a plug-in to Maya to save the
+//               scene and view it using the external pview program,
+//               rather than linking in any part of Panda to a Maya
+//               plugin.
+//
+//               Since it does not link with any Panda code, and hence
+//               is a very lean plugin, it is less likely than
+//               MayaPview to cause interoperability problems within
+//               Maya.  However, it does force a save-to-disk and a
+//               spawning of a separate executable, including a
+//               complete reloading of all of the Maya libraries, so
+//               it is quite a bit slower to execute.  And the
+//               potential for interactive control is substantially
+//               reduced.
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+class MayaSavePview : public MPxCommand {
+public:
+  MayaSavePview();
+  virtual MStatus doIt(const MArgList &);
+
+  static void *creator();
+};
+
+// Since we don't include any of the Panda headers (other than
+// dtool_config.h), we have to define this macro ourselves, to tell
+// Windows to export the following functions from the DLL.
+#ifdef WIN32_VC
+  #define EXPCL_MISC __declspec(dllexport)
+#else
+  #define EXPCL_MISC
+#endif
+
+EXPCL_MISC MStatus initializePlugin(MObject obj);
+EXPCL_MISC MStatus uninitializePlugin(MObject obj);
+
+
+#endif