diff --git a/pype/plugins/maya/publish/collect_render.py b/pype/plugins/maya/publish/collect_render.py
index 5cdae580f5..df1d3f4bd5 100644
--- a/pype/plugins/maya/publish/collect_render.py
+++ b/pype/plugins/maya/publish/collect_render.py
@@ -259,8 +259,8 @@ class CollectMayaRender(pyblish.api.ContextPlugin):
             if render_instance.data.get("vrayScene") is True:
                 data["families"].append("vrayscene")
 
-            if render_instance.data.get("ass") is True:
-                data["families"].append("assScene")
+            if render_instance.data.get("assScene") is True:
+                data["families"].append("assscene")
 
             # Include (optional) global settings
             # Get global overrides and translate to Deadline values
diff --git a/pype/plugins/maya/publish/submit_maya_deadline.py b/pype/plugins/maya/publish/submit_maya_deadline.py
index 00e3c6ae62..b5962bf2c8 100644
--- a/pype/plugins/maya/publish/submit_maya_deadline.py
+++ b/pype/plugins/maya/publish/submit_maya_deadline.py
@@ -179,6 +179,9 @@ class MayaSubmitDeadline(pyblish.api.InstancePlugin):
                     self.log.info("Using published scene for render {}".format(
                         filepath))
 
+                    if not os.path.exists(filepath):
+                        self.log.error("published scene does not exist!")
+                        raise
                     # now we need to switch scene in expected files
                     # because <scene> token will now point to published
                     # scene file and that might differ from current one
@@ -261,6 +264,7 @@ class MayaSubmitDeadline(pyblish.api.InstancePlugin):
         payload_data["render_variables"] = render_variables
         payload_data["renderlayer"] = renderlayer
         payload_data["workspace"] = workspace
+        payload_data["dirname"] = dirname
 
         frame_pattern = payload_skeleton["JobInfo"]["Frames"]
         payload_skeleton["JobInfo"]["Frames"] = frame_pattern.format(
@@ -315,6 +319,9 @@ class MayaSubmitDeadline(pyblish.api.InstancePlugin):
 
         # Submit preceeding export jobs -------------------------------------
         export_job = None
+        assert not all(x in instance.data["families"]
+                       for x in ['vrayscene', 'assscene']), (
+            "Vray Scene and Ass Scene options are mutually exclusive")
         if "vrayscene" in instance.data["families"]:
             export_job = self._submit_export(payload_data, "vray")
 
@@ -325,7 +332,7 @@ class MayaSubmitDeadline(pyblish.api.InstancePlugin):
         if "vrayscene" in instance.data["families"]:
             payload = self._get_vray_render_payload(payload_data)
         elif "assscene" in instance.data["families"]:
-            pass
+            payload = self._get_arnold_render_payload(payload_data)
         else:
             payload = self._get_maya_payload(payload_data)
 
@@ -381,22 +388,22 @@ class MayaSubmitDeadline(pyblish.api.InstancePlugin):
         }
 
         plugin_info = {
-                "SceneFile": data["filepath"],
-                # Output directory and filename
-                "OutputFilePath": data["dirname"].replace("\\", "/"),
-                "OutputFilePrefix": data["render_variables"]["filename_prefix"],  # noqa: E501
+            "SceneFile": data["filepath"],
+            # Output directory and filename
+            "OutputFilePath": data["dirname"].replace("\\", "/"),
+            "OutputFilePrefix": data["render_variables"]["filename_prefix"],  # noqa: E501
 
-                # Only render layers are considered renderable in this pipeline
-                "UsingRenderLayers": True,
+            # Only render layers are considered renderable in this pipeline
+            "UsingRenderLayers": True,
 
-                # Render only this layer
-                "RenderLayer": data["renderlayer"],
+            # Render only this layer
+            "RenderLayer": data["renderlayer"],
 
-                # Determine which renderer to use from the file itself
-                "Renderer": self._instance.data["renderer"],
+            # Determine which renderer to use from the file itself
+            "Renderer": self._instance.data["renderer"],
 
-                # Resolve relative references
-                "ProjectPath": data["workspace"],
+            # Resolve relative references
+            "ProjectPath": data["workspace"],
         }
         payload["JobInfo"].update(job_info_ext)
         payload["PluginInfo"].update(plugin_info)
@@ -415,7 +422,7 @@ class MayaSubmitDeadline(pyblish.api.InstancePlugin):
             "FramesPerTask": self._instance.data.get("framesPerTask", 1)
         }
 
-        plugin_info = {
+        plugin_info_ext = {
             # Renderer
             "Renderer": "vray",
             # Input
@@ -428,7 +435,73 @@ class MayaSubmitDeadline(pyblish.api.InstancePlugin):
         }
 
         payload["JobInfo"].update(job_info_ext)
-        payload["PluginInfo"].update(plugin_info)
+        payload["PluginInfo"].update(plugin_info_ext)
+        return payload
+
+    def _get_arnold_export_payload(self, data):
+
+        try:
+            from pype.scripts import export_maya_ass_job
+        except Exception:
+            assert False, (
+                "Expected module 'export_maya_ass_job' to be available")
+
+        module_path = export_maya_ass_job.__file__
+        if module_path.endswith(".pyc"):
+            module_path = module_path[: -len(".pyc")] + ".py"
+
+        script = os.path.normpath(module_path)
+
+        payload = copy.deepcopy(payload_skeleton)
+        job_info_ext = {
+            # Job name, as seen in Monitor
+            "Name": "Export {} [{}-{}]".format(
+                data["jobname"],
+                int(self._instance.data["frameStartHandle"]),
+                int(self._instance.data["frameEndHandle"])),
+
+            "Plugin": "Python",
+            "FramesPerTask": self._instance.data.get("framesPerTask", 1)
+        }
+
+        plugin_info_ext = {
+            "Version": "3.6",
+            "ScriptFile": script,
+            "Arguments": "",
+            "SingleFrameOnly": "True",
+        }
+        payload["JobInfo"].update(job_info_ext)
+        payload["PluginInfo"].update(plugin_info_ext)
+
+        envs = []
+        for k, v in payload["JobInfo"].items():
+            if k.startswith("EnvironmentKeyValue"):
+                envs.append(v)
+
+        # add app name to environment
+        envs.append(
+            "AVALON_APP_NAME={}".format(os.environ.get("AVALON_APP_NAME")))
+        envs.append(
+            "PYPE_ASS_EXPORT_RENDER_LAYER={}".format(data["renderlayer"]))
+        envs.append(
+            "PYPE_ASS_EXPORT_SCENE_FILE={}".format(data["filepath"]))
+        envs.append(
+            "PYPE_ASS_EXPORT_OUTPUT={}".format(
+                payload['JobInfo']['OutputFilename0']))
+        envs.append(
+            "PYPE_ASS_EXPORT_START={}".format(
+                int(self._instance.data["frameStartHandle"])))
+        envs.append(
+            "PYPE_ASS_EXPORT_END={}".format(
+                int(self._instance.data["frameEndHandle"])))
+        envs.append(
+            "PYPE_ASS_EXPORT_STEP={}".format(1))
+
+        i = 0
+        for e in envs:
+            payload["JobInfo"]["EnvironmentKeyValue{}".format(i)] = e
+            i += 1
+
         return payload
 
     def _get_vray_render_payload(self, data):
@@ -439,7 +512,7 @@ class MayaSubmitDeadline(pyblish.api.InstancePlugin):
         # "vrayscene/<Scene>/<Scene>_<Layer>/<Layer>"
 
         scene, _ = os.path.splitext(data["filename"])
-        first_file = self.format_output_filename(scene, template)
+        first_file = self.format_vray_output_filename(scene, template)
         first_file = "{}/{}".format(data["workspace"], first_file)
         job_info_ext = {
             "Name": "Render {} [{}-{}]".format(
@@ -464,11 +537,33 @@ class MayaSubmitDeadline(pyblish.api.InstancePlugin):
         payload["PluginInfo"].update(plugin_info)
         return payload
 
+    def _get_arnold_render_payload(self, data):
+        payload = copy.deepcopy(payload_skeleton)
+        ass_file, _ = os.path.splitext(data["output_filename_0"])
+        first_file = ass_file + ".ass"
+        job_info_ext = {
+            "Name": "Render {} [{}-{}]".format(
+                data["jobname"],
+                int(self._instance.data["frameStartHandle"]),
+                int(self._instance.data["frameEndHandle"])),
+
+            "Plugin": "Arnold",
+            "OverrideTaskExtraInfoNames": False,
+        }
+
+        plugin_info = {
+            "ArnoldFile": first_file,
+        }
+
+        payload["JobInfo"].update(job_info_ext)
+        payload["PluginInfo"].update(plugin_info)
+        return payload
+
     def _submit_export(self, data, format):
         if format == "vray":
             payload = self._get_vray_export_payload(data)
             self.log.info("Submitting vrscene export job.")
-        elif format == "ass":
+        elif format == "arnold":
             payload = self._get_arnold_export_payload(data)
             self.log.info("Submitting ass export job.")
 
@@ -535,7 +630,7 @@ class MayaSubmitDeadline(pyblish.api.InstancePlugin):
         kwargs['timeout'] = 10
         return requests.get(*args, **kwargs)
 
-    def format_output_filename(self, filename, template, dir=False):
+    def format_vray_output_filename(self, filename, template, dir=False):
         """Format the expected output file of the Export job.
 
         Example:
diff --git a/pype/scripts/export_maya_ass_job.py b/pype/scripts/export_maya_ass_job.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..d343eec131
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pype/scripts/export_maya_ass_job.py
@@ -0,0 +1,101 @@
+"""This module is used for command line exporting of ASS files."""
+
+import os
+import argparse
+import logging
+import subprocess
+import platform
+
+try:
+    from shutil import which
+except ImportError:
+    # we are in python < 3.3
+    def which(command):
+        path = os.getenv('PATH')
+        for p in path.split(os.path.pathsep):
+            p = os.path.join(p, command)
+            if os.path.exists(p) and os.access(p, os.X_OK):
+                return p
+
+handler = logging.basicConfig()
+log = logging.getLogger("Publish Image Sequences")
+log.setLevel(logging.DEBUG)
+
+error_format = "Failed {plugin.__name__}: {error} -- {error.traceback}"
+
+
+def __main__():
+    parser = argparse.ArgumentParser()
+    parser.add_argument("--paths",
+                        nargs="*",
+                        default=[],
+                        help="The filepaths to publish. This can be a "
+                             "directory or a path to a .json publish "
+                             "configuration.")
+    parser.add_argument("--gui",
+                        default=False,
+                        action="store_true",
+                        help="Whether to run Pyblish in GUI mode.")
+
+    parser.add_argument("--pype", help="Pype root")
+
+    kwargs, args = parser.parse_known_args()
+
+    print("Running pype ...")
+    auto_pype_root = os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__))
+    auto_pype_root = os.path.abspath(auto_pype_root + "../../../../..")
+
+    auto_pype_root = os.environ.get('PYPE_SETUP_PATH') or auto_pype_root
+    if os.environ.get('PYPE_SETUP_PATH'):
+        print("Got Pype location from environment: {}".format(
+            os.environ.get('PYPE_SETUP_PATH')))
+
+    pype_command = "pype.ps1"
+    if platform.system().lower() == "linux":
+        pype_command = "pype"
+    elif platform.system().lower() == "windows":
+        pype_command = "pype.bat"
+
+    if kwargs.pype:
+        pype_root = kwargs.pype
+    else:
+        # test if pype.bat / pype is in the PATH
+        # if it is, which() will return its path and we use that.
+        # if not, we use auto_pype_root path. Caveat of that one is
+        # that it can be UNC path and that will not work on windows.
+
+        pype_path = which(pype_command)
+
+        if pype_path:
+            pype_root = os.path.dirname(pype_path)
+        else:
+            pype_root = auto_pype_root
+
+    print("Set pype root to: {}".format(pype_root))
+    print("Paths: {}".format(kwargs.paths or [os.getcwd()]))
+
+    # paths = kwargs.paths or [os.environ.get("PYPE_METADATA_FILE")] or [os.getcwd()]  # noqa
+
+    mayabatch = os.environ.get("AVALON_APP_NAME").replace("maya", "mayabatch")
+    args = [
+        os.path.join(pype_root, pype_command),
+        "launch",
+        "--app",
+        mayabatch,
+        "-script",
+        os.path.join(pype_root, "repos", "pype",
+                     "pype", "scripts", "export_maya_ass_sequence.mel")
+    ]
+
+    print("Pype command: {}".format(" ".join(args)))
+    # Forcing forwaring the environment because environment inheritance does
+    # not always work.
+    # Cast all values in environment to str to be safe
+    env = {k: str(v) for k, v in os.environ.items()}
+    exit_code = subprocess.call(args, env=env)
+    if exit_code != 0:
+        raise RuntimeError("Publishing failed.")
+
+
+if __name__ == '__main__':
+    __main__()
diff --git a/pype/scripts/export_maya_ass_sequence.mel b/pype/scripts/export_maya_ass_sequence.mel
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..83d1d010ac
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pype/scripts/export_maya_ass_sequence.mel
@@ -0,0 +1,67 @@
+/*
+ Script to export specified layer as ass files.
+
+Attributes:
+
+    scene_file (str): Name of the scene to load.
+    start (int): Start frame.
+    end (int): End frame.
+    step (int): Step size.
+    output_path (str): File output path.
+    render_layer (str): Name of render layer.
+
+*/
+
+$scene_file=`getenv "PYPE_ASS_EXPORT_SCENE_FILE"`;
+$step=`getenv "PYPE_ASS_EXPORT_STEP"`;
+$start=`getenv "PYPE_ASS_EXPORT_START"`;
+$end=`getenv "PYPE_ASS_EXPORT_END"`;
+$file_path=`getenv "PYPE_ASS_EXPORT_OUTPUT"`;
+$render_layer = `getenv "PYPE_ASS_EXPORT_RENDER_LAYER"`;
+
+print("*** ASS Export Plugin\n");
+
+if ($scene_file == "") {
+  print("!!! cannot determine scene file\n");
+  quit -a -ex -1;
+}
+
+if ($step == "") {
+  print("!!! cannot determine step size\n");
+  quit -a -ex -1;
+}
+
+if ($start == "") {
+  print("!!! cannot determine start frame\n");
+  quit -a -ex -1;
+}
+
+if ($end == "") {
+  print("!!! cannot determine end frame\n");
+  quit -a -ex -1;
+}
+
+if ($file_path == "") {
+  print("!!! cannot determine output file\n");
+  quit -a -ex -1;
+}
+
+if ($render_layer == "") {
+  print("!!! cannot determine render layer\n");
+  quit -a -ex -1;
+}
+
+
+print(">>> Opening Scene [ " + $scene_file + " ]\n");
+
+// open scene
+file -o -f $scene_file;
+
+// switch to render layer
+print(">>> Switching layer [ "+ $render_layer + " ]\n");
+editRenderLayerGlobals -currentRenderLayer $render_layer;
+
+// export
+print(">>> Exporting to [ " + $file_path + " ]\n");
+arnoldExportAss -mask 255 -sl 1 -ll 1 -bb 1 -sf $start -se $end -b -fs $step;
+print("--- Done\n");