diff --git a/lib/mayaUsd/nodes/proxyShapeBase.cpp b/lib/mayaUsd/nodes/proxyShapeBase.cpp
index 6ad087ab48..221ab09094 100644
--- a/lib/mayaUsd/nodes/proxyShapeBase.cpp
+++ b/lib/mayaUsd/nodes/proxyShapeBase.cpp
@@ -581,7 +581,7 @@ MayaUsdProxyShapeBase::computeInStageDataCached(MDataBlock& dataBlock)
                             loadSet);
                 }
 
-                usdStage->SetEditTarget(usdStage->GetSessionLayer());
+                usdStage->SetEditTarget(usdStage->GetRootLayer());
             }
             else {
                 // Create a new stage in memory with an anonymous root layer.
diff --git a/lib/mayaUsd/nodes/stageNode.cpp b/lib/mayaUsd/nodes/stageNode.cpp
index 6004d045c9..09d8fd75c6 100644
--- a/lib/mayaUsd/nodes/stageNode.cpp
+++ b/lib/mayaUsd/nodes/stageNode.cpp
@@ -128,7 +128,7 @@ UsdMayaStageNode::compute(const MPlug& plug, MDataBlock& dataBlock)
             usdStage = UsdStage::Open(rootLayer,
                                       ArGetResolver().GetCurrentContext());
 
-            usdStage->SetEditTarget(usdStage->GetSessionLayer());
+            usdStage->SetEditTarget(usdStage->GetRootLayer());
         }
 
         SdfPath primPath;
diff --git a/test/lib/testMayaUsdProxyAccessor.py b/test/lib/testMayaUsdProxyAccessor.py
index 04a1293692..28443e02be 100644
--- a/test/lib/testMayaUsdProxyAccessor.py
+++ b/test/lib/testMayaUsdProxyAccessor.py
@@ -627,6 +627,12 @@ def validatePassivelyAffectedReset(self, cachingScope):
         ufeItemParent = makeUfePath(nodeDagPath,'/ParentA')
         selectUfeItems(ufeItemParent)
         
+        # We are going to manipulate animated prim. Let's make sure this opinion can be authored
+        # since currently UFE will author attribute values at default time which won't override
+        # attributes with time sampled data. Switching to session layer allows such manipulation
+        # to override time sampled data from root layer.
+        stage.SetEditTarget(stage.GetSessionLayer())
+
         # Current limitation requires access plugs to be created before we start manipulating and keying
         translatePlug = pa.getOrCreateAccessPlug(ufeItemParent, usdAttrName='xformOp:translate')
         rotatePlug = pa.getOrCreateAccessPlug(ufeItemParent, usdAttrName='xformOp:rotateXYZ')
@@ -738,6 +744,12 @@ def validateKeyframeWithCommands(self, cachingScope):
         # Get UFE item and select it
         ufeItemParent = makeUfePath(nodeDagPath,'/ParentA')
         selectUfeItems(ufeItemParent)
+
+        # We are going to manipulate animated prim. Let's make sure this opinion can be authored
+        # since currently UFE will author attribute values at default time which won't override
+        # attributes with time sampled data. Switching to session layer allows such manipulation
+        # to override time sampled data from root layer.
+        stage.SetEditTarget(stage.GetSessionLayer())
         
         # Current limitation requires access plugs to be created before we start manipulating and keying
         translatePlug = pa.getOrCreateAccessPlug(ufeItemParent, usdAttrName='xformOp:translate')
diff --git a/test/lib/ufe/testParentCmd.py b/test/lib/ufe/testParentCmd.py
index c53c126681..b8e56b9915 100644
--- a/test/lib/ufe/testParentCmd.py
+++ b/test/lib/ufe/testParentCmd.py
@@ -89,11 +89,6 @@ def testParentRelative(self):
         stage = mayaUsd.ufe.getStage(str(shapeSegment))
 
         # check GetLayerStack behavior
-        self.assertEqual(stage.GetLayerStack()[0], stage.GetSessionLayer())
-        self.assertEqual(stage.GetEditTarget().GetLayer(), stage.GetSessionLayer())
-
-        # set the edit target to the root layer
-        stage.SetEditTarget(stage.GetRootLayer())
         self.assertEqual(stage.GetEditTarget().GetLayer(), stage.GetRootLayer())
 
         # The cube is not a child of the cylinder.
@@ -184,11 +179,6 @@ def testParentAbsolute(self):
         stage = mayaUsd.ufe.getStage(str(shapeSegment))
 
         # check GetLayerStack behavior
-        self.assertEqual(stage.GetLayerStack()[0], stage.GetSessionLayer())
-        self.assertEqual(stage.GetEditTarget().GetLayer(), stage.GetSessionLayer())
-
-        # set the edit target to the root layer
-        stage.SetEditTarget(stage.GetRootLayer())
         self.assertEqual(stage.GetEditTarget().GetLayer(), stage.GetRootLayer())
 
         # The cube is not a child of the cylinder.
@@ -275,11 +265,6 @@ def testParentToProxyShape(self):
             stage = mayaUsd.ufe.getStage(str(shapeSegment))
 
             # check GetLayerStack behavior
-            self.assertEqual(stage.GetLayerStack()[0], stage.GetSessionLayer())
-            self.assertEqual(stage.GetEditTarget().GetLayer(), stage.GetSessionLayer())
-
-            # set the edit target to the root layer
-            stage.SetEditTarget(stage.GetRootLayer())
             self.assertEqual(stage.GetEditTarget().GetLayer(), stage.GetRootLayer())
 
             # The sphere is not a child of the proxy shape.
@@ -366,11 +351,6 @@ def testAlreadyChild(self):
             stage = mayaUsd.ufe.getStage(str(shapeSegment))
 
             # check GetLayerStack behavior
-            self.assertEqual(stage.GetLayerStack()[0], stage.GetSessionLayer())
-            self.assertEqual(stage.GetEditTarget().GetLayer(), stage.GetSessionLayer())
-
-            # set the edit target to the root layer
-            stage.SetEditTarget(stage.GetRootLayer())
             self.assertEqual(stage.GetEditTarget().GetLayer(), stage.GetRootLayer())
 
             # The sphere is not a child of the cylinder
diff --git a/test/lib/ufe/testRename.py b/test/lib/ufe/testRename.py
index a38e1dbff6..366ef0f845 100644
--- a/test/lib/ufe/testRename.py
+++ b/test/lib/ufe/testRename.py
@@ -132,9 +132,9 @@ def testRename(self):
         # get the USD stage
         stage = mayaUsd.ufe.getStage(str(mayaPathSegment))
 
-        # set the edit target to the root layer
-        stage.SetEditTarget(stage.GetRootLayer())
+        # by default edit target is set to the Rootlayer.
         self.assertEqual(stage.GetEditTarget().GetLayer(), stage.GetRootLayer())
+
         self.assertTrue(stage.GetRootLayer().GetPrimAtPath("/TreeBase"))
 
         # get default prim
@@ -199,10 +199,9 @@ def testRenameUndo(self):
 
         # check GetLayerStack behavior
         self.assertEqual(stage.GetLayerStack()[0], stage.GetSessionLayer())
-        self.assertEqual(stage.GetEditTarget().GetLayer(), stage.GetSessionLayer())
+        self.assertEqual(stage.GetEditTarget().GetLayer(), stage.GetRootLayer())
 
-        # set the edit target to the root layer
-        stage.SetEditTarget(stage.GetRootLayer())
+        # by default edit target is set to the Rootlayer.
         self.assertEqual(stage.GetEditTarget().GetLayer(), stage.GetRootLayer())
 
         # rename
@@ -263,7 +262,7 @@ def testRenameRestrictionSameLayerDef(self):
 
         # check GetLayerStack behavior
         self.assertEqual(stage.GetLayerStack()[0], stage.GetSessionLayer())
-        self.assertEqual(stage.GetEditTarget().GetLayer(), stage.GetSessionLayer())
+        self.assertEqual(stage.GetEditTarget().GetLayer(), stage.GetRootLayer())
 
         # expect the exception happens
         with self.assertRaises(RuntimeError):
@@ -336,8 +335,7 @@ def testRenameUniqueName(self):
         # get the USD stage
         stage = mayaUsd.ufe.getStage(str(mayaPathSegment))
 
-        # set the edit target to the root layer
-        stage.SetEditTarget(stage.GetRootLayer())
+        # by default edit target is set to the Rootlayer.
         self.assertEqual(stage.GetEditTarget().GetLayer(), stage.GetRootLayer())
 
         # rename `/TreeBase/trunk` to `/TreeBase/leavesXform`
@@ -372,12 +370,7 @@ def testRenameSpecialCharacter(self):
         # get the USD stage
         stage = mayaUsd.ufe.getStage(str(mayaPathSegment))
 
-        # check GetLayerStack behavior
-        self.assertEqual(stage.GetLayerStack()[0], stage.GetSessionLayer())
-        self.assertEqual(stage.GetEditTarget().GetLayer(), stage.GetSessionLayer())
-
-        # set the edit target to the root layer
-        stage.SetEditTarget(stage.GetRootLayer())
+        # by default edit target is set to the Rootlayer.
         self.assertEqual(stage.GetEditTarget().GetLayer(), stage.GetRootLayer())
 
         # rename with special chars