diff --git a/lib/mayaUsd/utils/utilSerialization.cpp b/lib/mayaUsd/utils/utilSerialization.cpp
index 0800cb8895..d41b1dbf1e 100644
--- a/lib/mayaUsd/utils/utilSerialization.cpp
+++ b/lib/mayaUsd/utils/utilSerialization.cpp
@@ -289,15 +289,8 @@ SdfLayerRefPtr saveAnonymousLayer(
         return nullptr;
     }
 
-    std::string        filePath(path);
-    const std::string& extension = SdfFileFormat::GetFileExtension(filePath);
-    const std::string  defaultExt(UsdMayaTranslatorTokens->UsdFileExtensionDefault.GetText());
-    const std::string  usdCrateExt(UsdMayaTranslatorTokens->UsdFileExtensionCrate.GetText());
-    const std::string  usdASCIIExt(UsdMayaTranslatorTokens->UsdFileExtensionASCII.GetText());
-    if (extension != defaultExt && extension != usdCrateExt && extension != usdASCIIExt) {
-        filePath.append(".");
-        filePath.append(defaultExt.c_str());
-    }
+    std::string filePath(path);
+    ensureUSDFileExtension(filePath);
 
     saveLayerWithFormat(anonLayer, filePath, formatArg);
 
@@ -313,6 +306,18 @@ SdfLayerRefPtr saveAnonymousLayer(
     return newLayer;
 }
 
+void ensureUSDFileExtension(std::string& filePath)
+{
+    const std::string& extension = SdfFileFormat::GetFileExtension(filePath);
+    const std::string  defaultExt(UsdMayaTranslatorTokens->UsdFileExtensionDefault.GetText());
+    const std::string  usdCrateExt(UsdMayaTranslatorTokens->UsdFileExtensionCrate.GetText());
+    const std::string  usdASCIIExt(UsdMayaTranslatorTokens->UsdFileExtensionASCII.GetText());
+    if (extension != defaultExt && extension != usdCrateExt && extension != usdASCIIExt) {
+        filePath.append(".");
+        filePath.append(defaultExt.c_str());
+    }
+}
+
 void getLayersToSaveFromProxy(const std::string& proxyPath, stageLayersToSave& layersInfo)
 {
     auto stage = UsdMayaUtil::GetStageByProxyName(proxyPath);
diff --git a/lib/mayaUsd/utils/utilSerialization.h b/lib/mayaUsd/utils/utilSerialization.h
index 1d093cfabe..02930a7032 100644
--- a/lib/mayaUsd/utils/utilSerialization.h
+++ b/lib/mayaUsd/utils/utilSerialization.h
@@ -114,7 +114,12 @@ PXR_NS::SdfLayerRefPtr saveAnonymousLayer(
     LayerParent            parent,
     std::string            formatArg = "");
 
-/*! \brief Check the sublayer stack of the stage looking for any anonymnous
+/*! \brief Ensures that the filepath contains a valid USD extension.
+ */
+MAYAUSD_CORE_PUBLIC
+void ensureUSDFileExtension(std::string& filePath);
+
+/*! \brief Check the sublayer stack of the stage looking for any anonymous
     layers that will need to be saved.
  */
 MAYAUSD_CORE_PUBLIC
diff --git a/lib/usd/ui/layerEditor/layerTreeItem.cpp b/lib/usd/ui/layerEditor/layerTreeItem.cpp
index 2166658114..ecb7fb57d7 100644
--- a/lib/usd/ui/layerEditor/layerTreeItem.cpp
+++ b/lib/usd/ui/layerEditor/layerTreeItem.cpp
@@ -363,7 +363,10 @@ void LayerTreeItem::saveAnonymousLayer()
 
     std::string fileName;
     if (sessionState->saveLayerUI(nullptr, &fileName)) {
-        // the path we has is an absolute path
+
+        MayaUsd::utils::ensureUSDFileExtension(fileName);
+
+        // the path we have is an absolute path
         const QString dialogTitle = StringResources::getAsQString(StringResources::kSaveLayer);
         std::string   formatTag = MayaUsd::utils::usdFormatArgOption();
         if (saveSubLayer(dialogTitle, parentLayerItem(), layer(), fileName, formatTag)) {