diff --git a/openpype/hosts/maya/plugins/publish/validate_rendersettings.py b/openpype/hosts/maya/plugins/publish/validate_rendersettings.py
index 2474b2ead6..ca44e98605 100644
--- a/openpype/hosts/maya/plugins/publish/validate_rendersettings.py
+++ b/openpype/hosts/maya/plugins/publish/validate_rendersettings.py
@@ -268,14 +268,20 @@ class ValidateRenderSettings(pyblish.api.InstancePlugin):
         # go through definitions and test if such node.attribute exists.
         # if so, compare its value from the one required.
         for attr, value in OrderedDict(validation_settings).items():
-            # first get node of that type
             cls.log.debug("{}: {}".format(attr, value))
-            node_type = attr.split(".")[0]
-            attribute_name = ".".join(attr.split(".")[1:])
+            if "." not in attr:
+                cls.log.warning("Skipping invalid attribute defined in "
+                                "validation settings: '{}'".format(attr))
+                continue
+
+            node_type, attribute_name = attr.split(".", 1)
+
+            # first get node of that type
             nodes = cmds.ls(type=node_type)
 
-            if not isinstance(nodes, list):
-                cls.log.warning("No nodes of '{}' found.".format(node_type))
+            if not nodes:
+                cls.log.warning(
+                    "No nodes of type '{}' found.".format(node_type))
                 continue
 
             for node in nodes:
diff --git a/openpype/settings/entities/schemas/projects_schema/schemas/schema_maya_render_settings.json b/openpype/settings/entities/schemas/projects_schema/schemas/schema_maya_render_settings.json
index 6ee02ca78f..0cbb684fc6 100644
--- a/openpype/settings/entities/schemas/projects_schema/schemas/schema_maya_render_settings.json
+++ b/openpype/settings/entities/schemas/projects_schema/schemas/schema_maya_render_settings.json
@@ -140,7 +140,7 @@
                 },
                 {
                   "type": "label",
-                  "label": "Add additional options - put attribute and value, like <code>AASamples</code>"
+                  "label": "Add additional options - put attribute and value, like <code>defaultArnoldRenderOptions.AASamples</code> = <code>4</code>"
                 },
                 {
                   "type": "dict-modifiable",
@@ -276,7 +276,7 @@
                 },
                 {
                   "type": "label",
-                  "label": "Add additional options - put attribute and value, like <code>aaFilterSize</code>"
+                  "label": "Add additional options - put attribute and value, like <code>vraySettings.aaFilterSize</code> = <code>1.5</code>"
                 },
                 {
                   "type": "dict-modifiable",
@@ -405,7 +405,7 @@
               },
               {
                   "type": "label",
-                  "label": "Add additional options - put attribute and value, like <code>reflectionMaxTraceDepth</code>"
+                  "label": "Add additional options - put attribute and value, like <code>redshiftOptions.reflectionMaxTraceDepth</code> = <code>3</code>"
               },
               {
                   "type": "dict-modifiable",