diff --git a/openpype/hosts/aftereffects/plugins/create/workfile_creator.py b/openpype/hosts/aftereffects/plugins/create/workfile_creator.py
index badb3675fd..f82d15b3c9 100644
--- a/openpype/hosts/aftereffects/plugins/create/workfile_creator.py
+++ b/openpype/hosts/aftereffects/plugins/create/workfile_creator.py
@@ -11,6 +11,8 @@ class AEWorkfileCreator(AutoCreator):
     identifier = "workfile"
     family = "workfile"
 
+    default_variant = "Main"
+
     def get_instance_attr_defs(self):
         return []
 
@@ -35,7 +37,6 @@ class AEWorkfileCreator(AutoCreator):
                 existing_instance = instance
                 break
 
-        variant = ''
         project_name = legacy_io.Session["AVALON_PROJECT"]
         asset_name = legacy_io.Session["AVALON_ASSET"]
         task_name = legacy_io.Session["AVALON_TASK"]
@@ -44,15 +45,17 @@ class AEWorkfileCreator(AutoCreator):
         if existing_instance is None:
             asset_doc = get_asset_by_name(project_name, asset_name)
             subset_name = self.get_subset_name(
-                variant, task_name, asset_doc, project_name, host_name
+                self.default_variant, task_name, asset_doc,
+                project_name, host_name
             )
             data = {
                 "asset": asset_name,
                 "task": task_name,
-                "variant": variant
+                "variant": self.default_variant
             }
             data.update(self.get_dynamic_data(
-                variant, task_name, asset_doc, project_name, host_name
+                self.default_variant, task_name, asset_doc,
+                project_name, host_name
             ))
 
             new_instance = CreatedInstance(
@@ -69,7 +72,9 @@ class AEWorkfileCreator(AutoCreator):
         ):
             asset_doc = get_asset_by_name(project_name, asset_name)
             subset_name = self.get_subset_name(
-                variant, task_name, asset_doc, project_name, host_name
+                self.default_variant, task_name, asset_doc,
+                project_name, host_name
             )
             existing_instance["asset"] = asset_name
             existing_instance["task"] = task_name
+            existing_instance["subset"] = subset_name
diff --git a/openpype/hosts/aftereffects/plugins/publish/collect_workfile.py b/openpype/hosts/aftereffects/plugins/publish/collect_workfile.py
index 9cb6900b0a..fef5448a4c 100644
--- a/openpype/hosts/aftereffects/plugins/publish/collect_workfile.py
+++ b/openpype/hosts/aftereffects/plugins/publish/collect_workfile.py
@@ -11,6 +11,8 @@ class CollectWorkfile(pyblish.api.ContextPlugin):
     label = "Collect After Effects Workfile Instance"
     order = pyblish.api.CollectorOrder + 0.1
 
+    default_variant = "Main"
+
     def process(self, context):
         existing_instance = None
         for instance in context:
@@ -71,7 +73,7 @@ class CollectWorkfile(pyblish.api.ContextPlugin):
         family = "workfile"
         subset = get_subset_name_with_asset_doc(
             family,
-            "",
+            self.default_variant,
             context.data["anatomyData"]["task"]["name"],
             context.data["assetEntity"],
             context.data["anatomyData"]["project"]["name"],
diff --git a/openpype/hosts/photoshop/plugins/create/workfile_creator.py b/openpype/hosts/photoshop/plugins/create/workfile_creator.py
index 43302329f1..e79d16d154 100644
--- a/openpype/hosts/photoshop/plugins/create/workfile_creator.py
+++ b/openpype/hosts/photoshop/plugins/create/workfile_creator.py
@@ -11,6 +11,8 @@ class PSWorkfileCreator(AutoCreator):
     identifier = "workfile"
     family = "workfile"
 
+    default_variant = "Main"
+
     def get_instance_attr_defs(self):
         return []
 
@@ -35,7 +37,6 @@ class PSWorkfileCreator(AutoCreator):
                 existing_instance = instance
                 break
 
-        variant = ''
         project_name = legacy_io.Session["AVALON_PROJECT"]
         asset_name = legacy_io.Session["AVALON_ASSET"]
         task_name = legacy_io.Session["AVALON_TASK"]
@@ -43,15 +44,17 @@ class PSWorkfileCreator(AutoCreator):
         if existing_instance is None:
             asset_doc = get_asset_by_name(project_name, asset_name)
             subset_name = self.get_subset_name(
-                variant, task_name, asset_doc, project_name, host_name
+                self.default_variant, task_name, asset_doc,
+                project_name, host_name
             )
             data = {
                 "asset": asset_name,
                 "task": task_name,
-                "variant": variant
+                "variant": self.default_variant
             }
             data.update(self.get_dynamic_data(
-                variant, task_name, asset_doc, project_name, host_name
+                self.default_variant, task_name, asset_doc,
+                project_name, host_name
             ))
 
             new_instance = CreatedInstance(
@@ -67,7 +70,9 @@ class PSWorkfileCreator(AutoCreator):
         ):
             asset_doc = get_asset_by_name(project_name, asset_name)
             subset_name = self.get_subset_name(
-                variant, task_name, asset_doc, project_name, host_name
+                self.default_variant, task_name, asset_doc,
+                project_name, host_name
             )
             existing_instance["asset"] = asset_name
             existing_instance["task"] = task_name
+            existing_instance["subset"] = subset_name
diff --git a/openpype/hosts/photoshop/plugins/publish/collect_workfile.py b/openpype/hosts/photoshop/plugins/publish/collect_workfile.py
index e4f0a07b34..9cf6d5227e 100644
--- a/openpype/hosts/photoshop/plugins/publish/collect_workfile.py
+++ b/openpype/hosts/photoshop/plugins/publish/collect_workfile.py
@@ -11,6 +11,8 @@ class CollectWorkfile(pyblish.api.ContextPlugin):
     label = "Collect Workfile"
     hosts = ["photoshop"]
 
+    default_variant = "Main"
+
     def process(self, context):
         existing_instance = None
         for instance in context:
@@ -20,9 +22,11 @@ class CollectWorkfile(pyblish.api.ContextPlugin):
                 break
 
         family = "workfile"
+        # context.data["variant"] might come only from collect_batch_data
+        variant = context.data.get("variant") or self.default_variant
         subset = get_subset_name_with_asset_doc(
             family,
-            "",
+            variant,
             context.data["anatomyData"]["task"]["name"],
             context.data["assetEntity"],
             context.data["anatomyData"]["project"]["name"],