diff --git a/cmake/modules/FindUFE.cmake b/cmake/modules/FindUFE.cmake
index 261aff70e9..15cb7a52d3 100644
--- a/cmake/modules/FindUFE.cmake
+++ b/cmake/modules/FindUFE.cmake
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 # UFE_LIBRARY         Path to UFE library
 # UFE_INCLUDE_DIR     Path to the UFE include directory
 # UFE_VERSION         UFE version (major.minor.patch) from ufe.h
+# UFE_LIGHTS_SUPPORT  Presence of UFE lights support
 #
 
 find_path(UFE_INCLUDE_DIR
@@ -97,3 +98,9 @@ if(UFE_FOUND)
     message(STATUS "UFE library: ${UFE_LIBRARY}")
     message(STATUS "UFE version: ${UFE_VERSION}")
 endif()
+
+set(UFE_LIGHTS_SUPPORT FALSE CACHE INTERNAL "ufeLights")
+if (UFE_INCLUDE_DIR AND EXISTS "${UFE_INCLUDE_DIR}/ufe/lightHandler.h")
+    set(UFE_LIGHTS_SUPPORT TRUE CACHE INTERNAL "ufeLights")
+    message(STATUS "Maya has UFE lights API")
+endif()
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/lib/mayaUsd/ufe/CMakeLists.txt b/lib/mayaUsd/ufe/CMakeLists.txt
index 639f6c17d2..3111e4fd28 100644
--- a/lib/mayaUsd/ufe/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/lib/mayaUsd/ufe/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -80,15 +80,21 @@ if(CMAKE_UFE_V3_FEATURES_AVAILABLE)
     )
 endif()
 
-if(CMAKE_UFE_V4_FEATURES_AVAILABLE)
-    if (${UFE_PREVIEW_VERSION_NUM} GREATER_EQUAL 4007)
-        target_sources(${PROJECT_NAME}
-            PRIVATE
-                UsdLight.cpp
-                UsdLightHandler.cpp
-        )
-    endif()
+message(STATUS "UFE_LIGHTS_SUPPORT is ${UFE_LIGHTS_SUPPORT}")
+if (UFE_LIGHTS_SUPPORT)
+    target_sources(${PROJECT_NAME}
+        PRIVATE
+            UsdLight.cpp
+            UsdLightHandler.cpp
+    )
 
+    target_compile_definitions(${PROJECT_NAME}
+    PRIVATE
+        UFE_LIGHTS_SUPPORT=1
+    )
+endif()
+
+if(CMAKE_UFE_V4_FEATURES_AVAILABLE)
     if (${UFE_PREVIEW_VERSION_NUM} GREATER_EQUAL 4001)
         target_sources(${PROJECT_NAME}
             PRIVATE
@@ -193,14 +199,14 @@ if(CMAKE_UFE_V3_FEATURES_AVAILABLE)
     )
 endif()
 
-if(CMAKE_UFE_V4_FEATURES_AVAILABLE)
-    if (${UFE_PREVIEW_VERSION_NUM} GREATER_EQUAL 4007)
-        list(APPEND HEADERS
-            UsdLight.h
-            UsdLightHandler.h
-        )
-    endif()
+if (UFE_LIGHTS_SUPPORT)
+    list(APPEND HEADERS
+        UsdLight.h
+        UsdLightHandler.h
+    )
+endif()
 
+if(CMAKE_UFE_V4_FEATURES_AVAILABLE)
     if (${UFE_PREVIEW_VERSION_NUM} GREATER_EQUAL 4001)
         list(APPEND HEADERS
             UsdShaderNodeDef.h
diff --git a/lib/mayaUsd/ufe/Global.cpp b/lib/mayaUsd/ufe/Global.cpp
index 14a961bb8c..f7ddef4af1 100644
--- a/lib/mayaUsd/ufe/Global.cpp
+++ b/lib/mayaUsd/ufe/Global.cpp
@@ -44,10 +44,10 @@
 #include <mayaUsd/ufe/PulledObjectHierarchyHandler.h>
 #include <mayaUsd/ufe/UsdPathMappingHandler.h>
 #endif
-#ifdef UFE_V4_FEATURES_AVAILABLE
-#if (UFE_PREVIEW_VERSION_NUM >= 4007)
+#if UFE_LIGHTS_SUPPORT
 #include <mayaUsd/ufe/UsdLightHandler.h>
 #endif
+#ifdef UFE_V4_FEATURES_AVAILABLE
 #if (UFE_PREVIEW_VERSION_NUM >= 4001)
 #include <mayaUsd/ufe/UsdShaderNodeDefHandler.h>
 #endif
@@ -179,7 +179,7 @@ MStatus initialize()
     handlers.uiInfoHandler = UsdUIInfoHandler::create();
     handlers.cameraHandler = UsdCameraHandler::create();
 #ifdef UFE_V4_FEATURES_AVAILABLE
-#if (UFE_PREVIEW_VERSION_NUM >= 4007)
+#if UFE_LIGHTS_SUPPORT
     handlers.lightHandler = UsdLightHandler::create();
 #endif
 #if (UFE_PREVIEW_VERSION_NUM >= 4001)
@@ -227,6 +227,12 @@ MStatus initialize()
     g_USDRtid = runTimeMgr.register_(kUSDRunTimeName, handlers);
     MayaUsd::ufe::UsdUIUfeObserver::create();
 
+#ifndef UFE_V4_FEATURES_AVAILABLE
+#if UFE_LIGHTS_SUPPORT
+    runTimeMgr.setLightHandler(g_USDRtid, UsdLightHandler::create());
+#endif
+#endif
+
 #ifdef HAVE_PATH_MAPPING
     g_MayaPathMappingHandler = runTimeMgr.pathMappingHandler(g_MayaRtid);
     auto pathMappingHndlr = UsdPathMappingHandler::create();