diff --git a/openpype/hosts/maya/plugins/publish/validate_animated_reference.py b/openpype/hosts/maya/plugins/publish/validate_animated_reference.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..8bf9c61d0d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/openpype/hosts/maya/plugins/publish/validate_animated_reference.py
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+import pyblish.api
+import openpype.hosts.maya.api.action
+from openpype.pipeline.publish import (
+    PublishValidationError,
+    ValidateContentsOrder
+)
+from maya import cmds
+
+
+class ValidateAnimatedReferenceRig(pyblish.api.InstancePlugin):
+    """
+        Validate all the nodes underneath skeleton_Anim_SET
+        should be reference nodes
+    """
+
+    order = ValidateContentsOrder
+    hosts = ["maya"]
+    families = ["animation.fbx"]
+    label = "Animated Reference Rig"
+    actions = [openpype.hosts.maya.api.action.SelectInvalidAction]
+
+    def process(self, instance):
+        animated_sets = instance.data["animated_skeleton"]
+        for animated_reference in animated_sets:
+            is_referenced = cmds.referenceQuery(
+                animated_reference, isNodeReferenced=True)
+            if not bool(is_referenced):
+                raise PublishValidationError(
+                    "All the content in skeleton_Anim_SET"
+                    " should be reference nodes"
+                )
diff --git a/openpype/settings/defaults/project_settings/maya.json b/openpype/settings/defaults/project_settings/maya.json
index f4fb38ab53..d3e01287e5 100644
--- a/openpype/settings/defaults/project_settings/maya.json
+++ b/openpype/settings/defaults/project_settings/maya.json
@@ -1123,6 +1123,11 @@
             "optional": true,
             "active": true
         },
+        "ValidateAnimatedReferenceRig": {
+            "enabled": true,
+            "optional": false,
+            "active": true
+        },
         "ValidateAnimationContent": {
             "enabled": true,
             "optional": false,
diff --git a/openpype/settings/entities/schemas/projects_schema/schemas/schema_maya_publish.json b/openpype/settings/entities/schemas/projects_schema/schemas/schema_maya_publish.json
index 6d81f38aa9..f2bbc0f70b 100644
--- a/openpype/settings/entities/schemas/projects_schema/schemas/schema_maya_publish.json
+++ b/openpype/settings/entities/schemas/projects_schema/schemas/schema_maya_publish.json
@@ -807,6 +807,10 @@
                             "key": "ValidateRigControllers",
                             "label": "Validate Rig Controllers"
                         },
+                        {
+                            "key": "ValidateAnimatedReferenceRig",
+                            "label": "Validate Animated Reference Rig"
+                        },
                         {
                             "key": "ValidateAnimationContent",
                             "label": "Validate Animation Content"
diff --git a/server_addon/maya/server/settings/publishers.py b/server_addon/maya/server/settings/publishers.py
index d82daa178c..cb3af191a8 100644
--- a/server_addon/maya/server/settings/publishers.py
+++ b/server_addon/maya/server/settings/publishers.py
@@ -652,6 +652,10 @@ class PublishersModel(BaseSettingsModel):
         default_factory=BasicValidateModel,
         title="Validate Rig Controllers",
     )
+    ValidateAnimatedReferenceRig: BasicValidateModel = Field(
+        default_factory=BasicValidateModel,
+        title="Validate Animated Reference Rig",
+    )
     ValidateAnimationContent: BasicValidateModel = Field(
         default_factory=BasicValidateModel,
         title="Validate Animation Content",
@@ -1174,6 +1178,11 @@ DEFAULT_PUBLISH_SETTINGS = {
         "optional": True,
         "active": True
     },
+    "ValidateAnimatedReferenceRig": {
+        "enabled": True,
+        "optional": False,
+        "active": True
+    },
     "ValidateAnimationContent": {
         "enabled": True,
         "optional": False,