diff --git a/client/ayon_core/hosts/maya/api/workfile_template_builder.py b/client/ayon_core/hosts/maya/api/workfile_template_builder.py
index 75386d7e64..b8759e0740 100644
--- a/client/ayon_core/hosts/maya/api/workfile_template_builder.py
+++ b/client/ayon_core/hosts/maya/api/workfile_template_builder.py
@@ -263,6 +263,11 @@ class MayaPlaceholderLoadPlugin(PlaceholderPlugin, PlaceholderLoadMixin):
         # Hide placeholder and add them to placeholder set
         node = placeholder.scene_identifier
 
+        # If we just populate the placeholders from current scene, the
+        # placeholder set will not be created so account for that.
+        if not cmds.objExists(PLACEHOLDER_SET):
+            cmds.sets(name=PLACEHOLDER_SET, empty=True)
+
         cmds.sets(node, addElement=PLACEHOLDER_SET)
         cmds.hide(node)
         cmds.setAttr(node + ".hiddenInOutliner", True)