diff --git a/pype/plugins/maya/publish/submit_maya_deadline.py b/pype/plugins/maya/publish/submit_maya_deadline.py
index 5bb50bd85e..55c04e9c41 100644
--- a/pype/plugins/maya/publish/submit_maya_deadline.py
+++ b/pype/plugins/maya/publish/submit_maya_deadline.py
@@ -271,20 +271,21 @@ class MayaSubmitDeadline(pyblish.api.InstancePlugin):
         for key in environment:
             clean_path = ""
             self.log.debug("key: {}".format(key))
-            to_process = environment[key]
+            self.log.debug("value: {}".format(environment[key]))
+            to_process = str(environment[key])
             if key == "PYPE_STUDIO_CORE_MOUNT":
-                clean_path = environment[key]
-            elif "://" in environment[key]:
-                clean_path = environment[key]
-            elif os.pathsep not in to_process:
+                clean_path = to_process
+            elif "://" in to_process:
+                clean_path = to_process
+            elif os.pathsep not in str(to_process):
                 try:
-                    path = environment[key]
+                    path = to_process
                     path.decode('UTF-8', 'strict')
                     clean_path = os.path.normpath(path)
                 except UnicodeDecodeError:
                     print('path contains non UTF characters')
             else:
-                for path in environment[key].split(os.pathsep):
+                for path in to_process.split(os.pathsep):
                     try:
                         path.decode('UTF-8', 'strict')
                         clean_path += os.path.normpath(path) + os.pathsep