diff --git a/openpype/hosts/fusion/plugins/load/actions.py b/openpype/hosts/fusion/plugins/load/actions.py
index 3b14f022e5..f83ab433ee 100644
--- a/openpype/hosts/fusion/plugins/load/actions.py
+++ b/openpype/hosts/fusion/plugins/load/actions.py
@@ -72,8 +72,7 @@ class FusionSetFrameRangeWithHandlesLoader(load.LoaderPlugin):
             return
 
         # Include handles
-        handles = version_data.get("handles", 0)
-        start -= handles
-        end += handles
+        start -= version_data.get("handleStart", 0)
+        end += version_data.get("handleEnd", 0)
 
         lib.update_frame_range(start, end)
diff --git a/openpype/hosts/houdini/api/lib.py b/openpype/hosts/houdini/api/lib.py
index 13f5a62ec3..f19dc64992 100644
--- a/openpype/hosts/houdini/api/lib.py
+++ b/openpype/hosts/houdini/api/lib.py
@@ -479,23 +479,13 @@ def reset_framerange():
 
     frame_start = asset_data.get("frameStart")
     frame_end = asset_data.get("frameEnd")
-    # Backwards compatibility
-    if frame_start is None or frame_end is None:
-        frame_start = asset_data.get("edit_in")
-        frame_end = asset_data.get("edit_out")
 
     if frame_start is None or frame_end is None:
         log.warning("No edit information found for %s" % asset_name)
         return
 
-    handles = asset_data.get("handles") or 0
-    handle_start = asset_data.get("handleStart")
-    if handle_start is None:
-        handle_start = handles
-
-    handle_end = asset_data.get("handleEnd")
-    if handle_end is None:
-        handle_end = handles
+    handle_start = asset_data.get("handleStart", 0)
+    handle_end = asset_data.get("handleEnd", 0)
 
     frame_start -= int(handle_start)
     frame_end += int(handle_end)
diff --git a/openpype/hosts/max/api/lib.py b/openpype/hosts/max/api/lib.py
index ac7d75db08..ad9a450cad 100644
--- a/openpype/hosts/max/api/lib.py
+++ b/openpype/hosts/max/api/lib.py
@@ -209,19 +209,12 @@ def get_frame_range() -> dict:
     asset = get_current_project_asset()
     frame_start = asset["data"].get("frameStart")
     frame_end = asset["data"].get("frameEnd")
-    # Backwards compatibility
-    if frame_start is None or frame_end is None:
-        frame_start = asset["data"].get("edit_in")
-        frame_end = asset["data"].get("edit_out")
+
     if frame_start is None or frame_end is None:
         return
-    handles = asset["data"].get("handles") or 0
-    handle_start = asset["data"].get("handleStart")
-    if handle_start is None:
-        handle_start = handles
-    handle_end = asset["data"].get("handleEnd")
-    if handle_end is None:
-        handle_end = handles
+
+    handle_start = asset["data"].get("handleStart", 0)
+    handle_end = asset["data"].get("handleEnd", 0)
     return {
         "frameStart": frame_start,
         "frameEnd": frame_end,
diff --git a/openpype/hosts/maya/api/lib.py b/openpype/hosts/maya/api/lib.py
index 81d8b8e616..e4be31b427 100644
--- a/openpype/hosts/maya/api/lib.py
+++ b/openpype/hosts/maya/api/lib.py
@@ -2073,23 +2073,13 @@ def get_frame_range():
 
     frame_start = asset["data"].get("frameStart")
     frame_end = asset["data"].get("frameEnd")
-    # Backwards compatibility
-    if frame_start is None or frame_end is None:
-        frame_start = asset["data"].get("edit_in")
-        frame_end = asset["data"].get("edit_out")
 
     if frame_start is None or frame_end is None:
         cmds.warning("No edit information found for %s" % asset_name)
         return
 
-    handles = asset["data"].get("handles") or 0
-    handle_start = asset["data"].get("handleStart")
-    if handle_start is None:
-        handle_start = handles
-
-    handle_end = asset["data"].get("handleEnd")
-    if handle_end is None:
-        handle_end = handles
+    handle_start = asset["data"].get("handleStart") or 0
+    handle_end = asset["data"].get("handleEnd") or 0
 
     return {
         "frameStart": frame_start,
diff --git a/openpype/hosts/maya/plugins/publish/collect_instances.py b/openpype/hosts/maya/plugins/publish/collect_instances.py
index b1686ad4f5..87a4de162d 100644
--- a/openpype/hosts/maya/plugins/publish/collect_instances.py
+++ b/openpype/hosts/maya/plugins/publish/collect_instances.py
@@ -109,13 +109,6 @@ class CollectInstances(pyblish.api.ContextPlugin):
 
             # Append start frame and end frame to label if present
             if "frameStart" and "frameEnd" in data:
-
-                # Backwards compatibility for 'handles' data
-                if "handles" in data:
-                    data["handleStart"] = data["handles"]
-                    data["handleEnd"] = data["handles"]
-                    data.pop('handles')
-
                 # Take handles from context if not set locally on the instance
                 for key in ["handleStart", "handleEnd"]:
                     if key not in data:
diff --git a/openpype/hosts/maya/plugins/publish/collect_review.py b/openpype/hosts/maya/plugins/publish/collect_review.py
index 153f7315ec..065c6d73ad 100644
--- a/openpype/hosts/maya/plugins/publish/collect_review.py
+++ b/openpype/hosts/maya/plugins/publish/collect_review.py
@@ -83,7 +83,6 @@ class CollectReview(pyblish.api.InstancePlugin):
             data['frameEndHandle'] = instance.data["frameEndHandle"]
             data["frameStart"] = instance.data["frameStart"]
             data["frameEnd"] = instance.data["frameEnd"]
-            data['handles'] = instance.data.get('handles', None)
             data['step'] = instance.data['step']
             data['fps'] = instance.data['fps']
             data['review_width'] = instance.data['review_width']
diff --git a/openpype/hosts/maya/plugins/publish/extract_vrayproxy.py b/openpype/hosts/maya/plugins/publish/extract_vrayproxy.py
index 9b10d2737d..df16c6c357 100644
--- a/openpype/hosts/maya/plugins/publish/extract_vrayproxy.py
+++ b/openpype/hosts/maya/plugins/publish/extract_vrayproxy.py
@@ -30,9 +30,7 @@ class ExtractVRayProxy(publish.Extractor):
             # non-animated subsets
             keys = ["frameStart", "frameEnd",
                     "handleStart", "handleEnd",
-                    "frameStartHandle", "frameEndHandle",
-                    # Backwards compatibility
-                    "handles"]
+                    "frameStartHandle", "frameEndHandle"]
             for key in keys:
                 instance.data.pop(key, None)
 
diff --git a/openpype/hosts/maya/plugins/publish/validate_frame_range.py b/openpype/hosts/maya/plugins/publish/validate_frame_range.py
index 59b06874b3..ccb351c880 100644
--- a/openpype/hosts/maya/plugins/publish/validate_frame_range.py
+++ b/openpype/hosts/maya/plugins/publish/validate_frame_range.py
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ from maya import cmds
 from openpype.pipeline.publish import (
     RepairAction,
     ValidateContentsOrder,
+    PublishValidationError
 )
 from openpype.hosts.maya.api.lib_rendersetup import (
     get_attr_overrides,
@@ -49,7 +50,6 @@ class ValidateFrameRange(pyblish.api.InstancePlugin):
 
         frame_start_handle = int(context.data.get("frameStartHandle"))
         frame_end_handle = int(context.data.get("frameEndHandle"))
-        handles = int(context.data.get("handles"))
         handle_start = int(context.data.get("handleStart"))
         handle_end = int(context.data.get("handleEnd"))
         frame_start = int(context.data.get("frameStart"))
@@ -66,8 +66,6 @@ class ValidateFrameRange(pyblish.api.InstancePlugin):
         assert frame_start_handle <= frame_end_handle, (
             "start frame is lower then end frame")
 
-        assert handles >= 0, ("handles cannot have negative values")
-
         # compare with data on instance
         errors = []
         if [ef for ef in self.exclude_families
diff --git a/openpype/hosts/nuke/plugins/load/actions.py b/openpype/hosts/nuke/plugins/load/actions.py
index e562c74c58..3227a7ed98 100644
--- a/openpype/hosts/nuke/plugins/load/actions.py
+++ b/openpype/hosts/nuke/plugins/load/actions.py
@@ -74,8 +74,7 @@ class SetFrameRangeWithHandlesLoader(load.LoaderPlugin):
             return
 
         # Include handles
-        handles = version_data.get("handles", 0)
-        start -= handles
-        end += handles
+        start -= version_data.get("handleStart", 0)
+        end += version_data.get("handleEnd", 0)
 
         lib.update_frame_range(start, end)
diff --git a/openpype/hosts/nuke/plugins/load/load_script_precomp.py b/openpype/hosts/nuke/plugins/load/load_script_precomp.py
index 90581c2f22..53e9a76003 100644
--- a/openpype/hosts/nuke/plugins/load/load_script_precomp.py
+++ b/openpype/hosts/nuke/plugins/load/load_script_precomp.py
@@ -138,7 +138,6 @@ class LinkAsGroup(load.LoaderPlugin):
             "version": version_doc.get("name"),
             "colorspace": version_data.get("colorspace"),
             "source": version_data.get("source"),
-            "handles": version_data.get("handles"),
             "fps": version_data.get("fps"),
             "author": version_data.get("author")
         })
diff --git a/openpype/hosts/nuke/plugins/publish/collect_context_data.py b/openpype/hosts/nuke/plugins/publish/collect_context_data.py
index b487c946f0..f1b4965205 100644
--- a/openpype/hosts/nuke/plugins/publish/collect_context_data.py
+++ b/openpype/hosts/nuke/plugins/publish/collect_context_data.py
@@ -49,8 +49,6 @@ class CollectContextData(pyblish.api.ContextPlugin):
             "resolutionHeight": resolution_height,
             "pixelAspect": pixel_aspect,
 
-            # backward compatibility handles
-            "handles": handle_start,
             "handleStart": handle_start,
             "handleEnd": handle_end,
             "step": 1,
diff --git a/openpype/hosts/nuke/plugins/publish/collect_gizmo.py b/openpype/hosts/nuke/plugins/publish/collect_gizmo.py
index 3a877fc194..e3c40a7a90 100644
--- a/openpype/hosts/nuke/plugins/publish/collect_gizmo.py
+++ b/openpype/hosts/nuke/plugins/publish/collect_gizmo.py
@@ -28,7 +28,6 @@ class CollectGizmo(pyblish.api.InstancePlugin):
 
         # Add version data to instance
         version_data = {
-            "handles": handle_start,
             "handleStart": handle_start,
             "handleEnd": handle_end,
             "frameStart": first_frame + handle_start,
diff --git a/openpype/hosts/nuke/plugins/publish/collect_model.py b/openpype/hosts/nuke/plugins/publish/collect_model.py
index 9da056052b..3fdf376d0c 100644
--- a/openpype/hosts/nuke/plugins/publish/collect_model.py
+++ b/openpype/hosts/nuke/plugins/publish/collect_model.py
@@ -28,7 +28,6 @@ class CollectModel(pyblish.api.InstancePlugin):
 
         # Add version data to instance
         version_data = {
-            "handles": handle_start,
             "handleStart": handle_start,
             "handleEnd": handle_end,
             "frameStart": first_frame + handle_start,
diff --git a/openpype/hosts/nuke/plugins/publish/collect_reads.py b/openpype/hosts/nuke/plugins/publish/collect_reads.py
index a1144fbcc3..831ae29a27 100644
--- a/openpype/hosts/nuke/plugins/publish/collect_reads.py
+++ b/openpype/hosts/nuke/plugins/publish/collect_reads.py
@@ -103,7 +103,6 @@ class CollectNukeReads(pyblish.api.InstancePlugin):
 
         # Add version data to instance
         version_data = {
-            "handles": handle_start,
             "handleStart": handle_start,
             "handleEnd": handle_end,
             "frameStart": first_frame + handle_start,
@@ -123,7 +122,8 @@ class CollectNukeReads(pyblish.api.InstancePlugin):
             "frameStart": first_frame,
             "frameEnd": last_frame,
             "colorspace": colorspace,
-            "handles": int(asset_doc["data"].get("handles", 0)),
+            "handleStart": handle_start,
+            "handleEnd": handle_end,
             "step": 1,
             "fps": int(nuke.root()['fps'].value())
         })
diff --git a/openpype/hosts/tvpaint/api/pipeline.py b/openpype/hosts/tvpaint/api/pipeline.py
index 575e6aa755..58fbd09545 100644
--- a/openpype/hosts/tvpaint/api/pipeline.py
+++ b/openpype/hosts/tvpaint/api/pipeline.py
@@ -504,14 +504,9 @@ def set_context_settings(project_name, asset_doc):
         print("Frame range was not found!")
         return
 
-    handles = asset_doc["data"].get("handles") or 0
     handle_start = asset_doc["data"].get("handleStart")
     handle_end = asset_doc["data"].get("handleEnd")
 
-    if handle_start is None or handle_end is None:
-        handle_start = handles
-        handle_end = handles
-
     # Always start from 0 Mark In and set only Mark Out
     mark_in = 0
     mark_out = mark_in + (frame_end - frame_start) + handle_start + handle_end
diff --git a/openpype/plugins/publish/collect_context_entities.py b/openpype/plugins/publish/collect_context_entities.py
index 31fbeb5dbd..312f5f0eb5 100644
--- a/openpype/plugins/publish/collect_context_entities.py
+++ b/openpype/plugins/publish/collect_context_entities.py
@@ -72,24 +72,9 @@ class CollectContextEntities(pyblish.api.ContextPlugin):
         context.data["frameStart"] = frame_start
         context.data["frameEnd"] = frame_end
 
-        handles = data.get("handles") or 0
-        handle_start = data.get("handleStart")
-        if handle_start is None:
-            handle_start = handles
-            self.log.info((
-                "Key \"handleStart\" is not set."
-                " Using value from \"handles\" key {}."
-            ).format(handle_start))
+        handle_start = data.get("handleStart") or 0
+        handle_end = data.get("handleEnd") or 0
 
-        handle_end = data.get("handleEnd")
-        if handle_end is None:
-            handle_end = handles
-            self.log.info((
-                "Key \"handleEnd\" is not set."
-                " Using value from \"handles\" key {}."
-            ).format(handle_end))
-
-        context.data["handles"] = int(handles)
         context.data["handleStart"] = int(handle_start)
         context.data["handleEnd"] = int(handle_end)
 
diff --git a/openpype/plugins/publish/extract_burnin.py b/openpype/plugins/publish/extract_burnin.py
index ed39bd9354..88a9ac6f2f 100644
--- a/openpype/plugins/publish/extract_burnin.py
+++ b/openpype/plugins/publish/extract_burnin.py
@@ -456,12 +456,6 @@ class ExtractBurnin(publish.Extractor):
             frame_end = 1
         frame_end = int(frame_end)
 
-        handles = instance.data.get("handles")
-        if handles is None:
-            handles = context.data.get("handles")
-            if handles is None:
-                handles = 0
-
         handle_start = instance.data.get("handleStart")
         if handle_start is None:
             handle_start = context.data.get("handleStart")
diff --git a/openpype/plugins/publish/integrate.py b/openpype/plugins/publish/integrate.py
index 9406d18cb6..07131ec3ae 100644
--- a/openpype/plugins/publish/integrate.py
+++ b/openpype/plugins/publish/integrate.py
@@ -912,7 +912,7 @@ class IntegrateAsset(pyblish.api.InstancePlugin):
 
         # Include optional data if present in
         optionals = [
-            "frameStart", "frameEnd", "step", "handles",
+            "frameStart", "frameEnd", "step",
             "handleEnd", "handleStart", "sourceHashes"
         ]
         for key in optionals:
diff --git a/openpype/plugins/publish/integrate_legacy.py b/openpype/plugins/publish/integrate_legacy.py
index 1d0177f151..3f1f6ad0c9 100644
--- a/openpype/plugins/publish/integrate_legacy.py
+++ b/openpype/plugins/publish/integrate_legacy.py
@@ -987,7 +987,7 @@ class IntegrateAssetNew(pyblish.api.InstancePlugin):
 
         # Include optional data if present in
         optionals = [
-            "frameStart", "frameEnd", "step", "handles",
+            "frameStart", "frameEnd", "step",
             "handleEnd", "handleStart", "sourceHashes"
         ]
         for key in optionals:
diff --git a/openpype/tools/loader/model.py b/openpype/tools/loader/model.py
index 5944808f8b..39e0bd98c3 100644
--- a/openpype/tools/loader/model.py
+++ b/openpype/tools/loader/model.py
@@ -365,8 +365,6 @@ class SubsetsModel(TreeModel, BaseRepresentationModel):
         handle_end = version_data.get("handleEnd", None)
         if handle_start is not None and handle_end is not None:
             handles = "{}-{}".format(str(handle_start), str(handle_end))
-        else:
-            handles = version_data.get("handles", None)
 
         if frame_start is not None and frame_end is not None:
             # Remove superfluous zeros from numbers (3.0 -> 3) to improve