diff --git a/Editor/Editor.cpp b/Editor/Editor.cpp
index 61b6eab63..1c26df0f7 100644
--- a/Editor/Editor.cpp
+++ b/Editor/Editor.cpp
@@ -669,8 +669,7 @@ void EditorComponent::Load()
 		Scene& scene = GetCurrentScene();
 		PickResult pick;
 
-		XMFLOAT3 in_front_of_camera;
-		XMStoreFloat3(&in_front_of_camera, XMVectorAdd(camera.GetEye(), camera.GetAt() * 4));
+		XMFLOAT3 in_front_of_camera = GetPositionInFrontOfCamera();
 
 		switch (args.userdata)
 		{
@@ -882,6 +881,27 @@ void EditorComponent::Load()
 		}
 		if (pick.entity != INVALID_ENTITY)
 		{
+			// Place the entity in front of camera, if enabled
+			if (generalWnd.placeInFrontOfCameraCheckBox.GetCheck())
+			{
+				TransformComponent* transform = scene.transforms.GetComponent(pick.entity);
+				if (transform != nullptr)
+				{
+					// Check if this entity type should spawn in front of camera
+					bool should_reposition = true;
+					if (args.userdata == NEW_DIRECTIONALLIGHT || args.userdata == NEW_CAMERA)
+					{
+						should_reposition = false;
+					}
+
+					if (should_reposition)
+					{
+						transform->translation_local = in_front_of_camera;
+						transform->SetDirty();
+					}
+				}
+			}
+
 			wi::Archive& archive = AdvanceHistory();
 			archive << EditorComponent::HISTORYOP_ADD;
 			RecordSelection(archive);
@@ -5231,13 +5251,31 @@ void EditorComponent::Open(std::string filename)
 			{
 				GetCurrentEditorScene().path = filename;
 			}
+
+			const size_t transform_count_prev = GetCurrentScene().transforms.GetCount();
 			GetCurrentScene().Merge(*scene);
 
+			// Place the imported model in front of the camera:
+			if (type != FileType::WISCENE && generalWnd.placeInFrontOfCameraCheckBox.GetCheck())
+			{
+				// Imported models always have a root transform entity
+				if (transform_count_prev < GetCurrentScene().transforms.GetCount())
+				{
+					const Entity rootEntity = GetCurrentScene().transforms.GetEntity(transform_count_prev);
+					TransformComponent* transform = GetCurrentScene().transforms.GetComponent(rootEntity);
+					if (transform != nullptr)
+					{
+						transform->translation_local = GetPositionInFrontOfCamera();
+						transform->SetDirty();
+					}
+				}
+			}
+
 			// Detect when the new scene contains a new camera, and snap the camera onto it:
-			size_t camera_count = GetCurrentScene().cameras.GetCount();
+			const size_t camera_count = GetCurrentScene().cameras.GetCount();
 			if (camera_count > 0 && camera_count > camera_count_prev)
 			{
-				Entity entity = GetCurrentScene().cameras.GetEntity(camera_count_prev);
+				const Entity entity = GetCurrentScene().cameras.GetEntity(camera_count_prev);
 				if (entity != INVALID_ENTITY)
 				{
 					CameraComponent* cam = GetCurrentScene().cameras.GetComponent(entity);
@@ -5257,7 +5295,7 @@ void EditorComponent::Open(std::string filename)
 						editorscene.camera.width = (float)renderPath->GetInternalResolution().x;
 						editorscene.camera.height = (float)renderPath->GetInternalResolution().y;
 
-						TransformComponent* camera_transform = GetCurrentScene().transforms.GetComponent(entity);
+						const TransformComponent* camera_transform = GetCurrentScene().transforms.GetComponent(entity);
 						if (camera_transform != nullptr)
 						{
 							editorscene.camera_transform = *camera_transform;
@@ -6297,6 +6335,15 @@ void EditorComponent::FocusCameraOnSelected()
 	editorscene.cam_move = {};
 }
 
+XMFLOAT3 EditorComponent::GetPositionInFrontOfCamera() const
+{
+	const EditorScene& editorscene = GetCurrentEditorScene();
+	const CameraComponent& camera = editorscene.camera;
+	XMFLOAT3 in_front_of_camera;
+	XMStoreFloat3(&in_front_of_camera, XMVectorAdd(camera.GetEye(), camera.GetAt() * 4));
+	return in_front_of_camera;
+}
+
 void EditorComponent::ReloadTerrainProps()
 {
 	Scene& scene = GetCurrentScene();
diff --git a/Editor/Editor.h b/Editor/Editor.h
index 6059753cd..f372e9734 100644
--- a/Editor/Editor.h
+++ b/Editor/Editor.h
@@ -231,6 +231,8 @@ public:
 
 	void ReloadTerrainProps();
 
+	XMFLOAT3 GetPositionInFrontOfCamera() const;
+
 	wi::Localization default_localization;
 	wi::Localization current_localization;
 	void SetDefaultLocalization();
diff --git a/Editor/GeneralWindow.cpp b/Editor/GeneralWindow.cpp
index 974074a31..f3284742c 100644
--- a/Editor/GeneralWindow.cpp
+++ b/Editor/GeneralWindow.cpp
@@ -396,6 +396,18 @@ void GeneralWindow::Create(EditorComponent* _editor)
 	});
 	AddWidget(&localizationButton);
 
+	placeInFrontOfCameraCheckBox.Create("Place entities in front of camera: ");
+	placeInFrontOfCameraCheckBox.SetTooltip("When enabled, newly created entities and imported models will be positioned in front of the editor camera instead of at the origin.");
+	if (editor->main->config.GetSection("options").Has("place_entities_in_front_of_camera"))
+	{
+		placeInFrontOfCameraCheckBox.SetCheck(editor->main->config.GetSection("options").GetBool("place_entities_in_front_of_camera"));
+	}
+	placeInFrontOfCameraCheckBox.OnClick([this](wi::gui::EventArgs args) {
+		editor->main->config.GetSection("options").Set("place_entities_in_front_of_camera", args.bValue);
+		editor->main->config.Commit();
+	});
+	AddWidget(&placeInFrontOfCameraCheckBox);
+
 	wireFrameComboBox.Create("Render wireframe: ");
 	wireFrameComboBox.SetTooltip("Choose wireframe rendering mode:\nDisabled: Normal rendering\nWireframe Only: Replace geometry with wireframe\nWireframe Overlay: Show wireframe on top of geometry");
 	wireFrameComboBox.AddItem("Disabled", wi::renderer::WIREFRAME_DISABLED);
@@ -1512,6 +1524,8 @@ void GeneralWindow::ResizeLayout()
 
 	layout.add_fullwidth(localizationButton);
 
+	layout.add_right(placeInFrontOfCameraCheckBox);
+
 	layout.add(wireFrameComboBox);
 	layout.add_right(physicsDebugCheckBox);
 	layout.add(physicsDebugMaxDistanceSlider);
diff --git a/Editor/GeneralWindow.h b/Editor/GeneralWindow.h
index 2d0a12a1f..0612d5823 100644
--- a/Editor/GeneralWindow.h
+++ b/Editor/GeneralWindow.h
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ public:
 	wi::gui::CheckBox debugEmittersCheckBox;
 	wi::gui::CheckBox debugForceFieldsCheckBox;
 	wi::gui::CheckBox debugRaytraceBVHCheckBox;
+	wi::gui::CheckBox placeInFrontOfCameraCheckBox;
 	wi::gui::ComboBox wireFrameComboBox;
 	wi::gui::CheckBox envProbesCheckBox;
 	wi::gui::CheckBox cameraVisCheckBox;