diff --git a/openpype/hosts/max/addon.py b/openpype/hosts/max/addon.py
index 734b87dd21..d3245bbc7e 100644
--- a/openpype/hosts/max/addon.py
+++ b/openpype/hosts/max/addon.py
@@ -14,3 +14,10 @@ class MaxAddon(OpenPypeModule, IHostAddon):
 
     def get_workfile_extensions(self):
         return [".max"]
+
+    def get_launch_hook_paths(self, app):
+        if app.host_name != self.host_name:
+            return []
+        return [
+            os.path.join(MAX_HOST_DIR, "hooks")
+        ]
diff --git a/openpype/hosts/max/hooks/inject_python.py b/openpype/hosts/max/hooks/inject_python.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..d9753ccbd8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/openpype/hosts/max/hooks/inject_python.py
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
+"""Pre-launch hook to inject python environment."""
+from openpype.lib import PreLaunchHook
+import os
+
+
+class InjectPythonPath(PreLaunchHook):
+    """Inject OpenPype environment to 3dsmax.
+
+    Note that this works in combination whit 3dsmax startup script that
+    is translating it back to PYTHONPATH for cases when 3dsmax drops PYTHONPATH
+    environment.
+
+    Hook `GlobalHostDataHook` must be executed before this hook.
+    """
+    app_groups = ["3dsmax"]
+
+    def execute(self):
+        self.launch_context.env["MAX_PYTHONPATH"] = os.environ["PYTHONPATH"]
diff --git a/openpype/hosts/max/startup/startup.ms b/openpype/hosts/max/startup/startup.ms
index aee40eb6bc..b80ead4b74 100644
--- a/openpype/hosts/max/startup/startup.ms
+++ b/openpype/hosts/max/startup/startup.ms
@@ -2,8 +2,11 @@
 (
     local sysPath = dotNetClass "System.IO.Path"
 	local sysDir = dotNetClass "System.IO.Directory"
-	local localScript =  getThisScriptFilename()
+	local localScript = getThisScriptFilename()
     local startup = sysPath.Combine (sysPath.GetDirectoryName localScript) "startup.py"
 
+    local pythonpath = systemTools.getEnvVariable "MAX_PYTHONPATH"
+    systemTools.setEnvVariable "PYTHONPATH" pythonpath
+
     python.ExecuteFile startup
 )
\ No newline at end of file