diff --git a/openpype/hosts/maya/plugins/load/load_arnold_standin.py b/openpype/hosts/maya/plugins/load/load_arnold_standin.py
index e2bb89ed77..bebe40f9a6 100644
--- a/openpype/hosts/maya/plugins/load/load_arnold_standin.py
+++ b/openpype/hosts/maya/plugins/load/load_arnold_standin.py
@@ -53,10 +53,8 @@ class ArnoldStandinLoader(load.LoaderPlugin):
         root = cmds.group(name=label, empty=True)
 
         # Set color.
-        project_name = context["project"]["name"]
-        settings = get_project_settings(project_name)
-        colors = settings['maya']['load']['colors']
-        color = colors.get('ass')
+        settings = get_project_settings(context["project"]["name"])
+        color = settings['maya']['load']['colors'].get('ass')
         if color is not None:
             cmds.setAttr(root + ".useOutlinerColor", True)
             cmds.setAttr(
@@ -121,10 +119,6 @@ class ArnoldStandinLoader(load.LoaderPlugin):
     def _setup_proxy(self, shape, path, namespace):
         proxy_basename, proxy_path = self._get_proxy_path(path)
 
-        if not os.path.exists(proxy_path):
-            self.log.error("Proxy files do not exist. Skipping proxy setup.")
-            return path, None
-
         options_node = "defaultArnoldRenderOptions"
         merge_operator = get_attribute_input(options_node + ".operator")
         if merge_operator is None:
@@ -163,6 +157,12 @@ class ArnoldStandinLoader(load.LoaderPlugin):
             )
         )
 
+        # We setup the string operator no matter whether there is a proxy or
+        # not. This makes it easier to update since the string operator will
+        # always be created. Return original path to use for standin.
+        if not os.path.exists(proxy_path):
+            return path, string_replace_operator
+
         return proxy_path, string_replace_operator
 
     def update(self, container, representation):
@@ -180,6 +180,9 @@ class ArnoldStandinLoader(load.LoaderPlugin):
 
         path = get_representation_path(representation)
         proxy_basename, proxy_path = self._get_proxy_path(path)
+
+        # Whether there is proxy or so, we still update the string operator.
+        # If no proxy exists, the string operator wont replace anything.
         cmds.setAttr(
             string_replace_operator + ".match",
             "resources/" + proxy_basename,
@@ -190,7 +193,11 @@ class ArnoldStandinLoader(load.LoaderPlugin):
             os.path.basename(path),
             type="string"
         )
-        cmds.setAttr(standin + ".dso", proxy_path, type="string")
+
+        dso_path = path
+        if os.path.exists(proxy_path):
+            dso_path = proxy_path
+        cmds.setAttr(standin + ".dso", dso_path, type="string")
 
         sequence = is_sequence(os.listdir(os.path.dirname(path)))
         cmds.setAttr(standin + ".useFrameExtension", sequence)
diff --git a/openpype/hosts/maya/plugins/publish/extract_arnold_scene_source.py b/openpype/hosts/maya/plugins/publish/extract_arnold_scene_source.py
index 10943dd810..153a1a513e 100644
--- a/openpype/hosts/maya/plugins/publish/extract_arnold_scene_source.py
+++ b/openpype/hosts/maya/plugins/publish/extract_arnold_scene_source.py
@@ -95,6 +95,9 @@ class ExtractArnoldSceneSource(publish.Extractor):
         )
 
         # Extract proxy.
+        if not instance.data.get("proxy", []):
+            return
+
         kwargs["filename"] = file_path.replace(".ass", "_proxy.ass")
         filenames = self._extract(
             instance.data["proxy"], attribute_data, kwargs
@@ -132,7 +135,6 @@ class ExtractArnoldSceneSource(publish.Extractor):
             duplicate_nodes = []
             for node in nodes:
                 duplicate_transform = cmds.duplicate(node)[0]
-                delete_bin.append(duplicate_transform)
 
                 # Discard the children.
                 shapes = cmds.listRelatives(duplicate_transform, shapes=True)
@@ -145,7 +147,11 @@ class ExtractArnoldSceneSource(publish.Extractor):
                     duplicate_transform, world=True
                 )[0]
 
+                cmds.rename(duplicate_transform, node.split("|")[-1])
+                duplicate_transform = "|" + node.split("|")[-1]
+
                 duplicate_nodes.append(duplicate_transform)
+                delete_bin.append(duplicate_transform)
 
             with attribute_values(attribute_data):
                 with maintained_selection():
diff --git a/openpype/hosts/maya/plugins/publish/validate_arnold_scene_source.py b/openpype/hosts/maya/plugins/publish/validate_arnold_scene_source.py
index 2d6c6e8e14..3b0ffd52d7 100644
--- a/openpype/hosts/maya/plugins/publish/validate_arnold_scene_source.py
+++ b/openpype/hosts/maya/plugins/publish/validate_arnold_scene_source.py
@@ -9,6 +9,9 @@ from openpype.pipeline.publish import (
 class ValidateArnoldSceneSource(pyblish.api.InstancePlugin):
     """Validate Arnold Scene Source.
 
+    We require at least 1 root node/parent for the meshes. This is to ensure we
+    can duplicate the nodes and preserve the names.
+
     If using proxies we need the nodes to share the same names and not be
     parent to the world. This ends up needing at least two groups with content
     nodes and proxy nodes in another.
@@ -39,9 +42,6 @@ class ValidateArnoldSceneSource(pyblish.api.InstancePlugin):
         return ungrouped_nodes, nodes_by_name, parents
 
     def process(self, instance):
-        if not instance.data["proxy"]:
-            return
-
         ungrouped_nodes = []
 
         nodes, content_nodes_by_name, content_parents = self._get_nodes_data(
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ class ValidateArnoldSceneSource(pyblish.api.InstancePlugin):
         ungrouped_nodes.extend(nodes)
 
         nodes, proxy_nodes_by_name, proxy_parents = self._get_nodes_data(
-            instance.data["proxy"]
+            instance.data.get("proxy", [])
         )
         ungrouped_nodes.extend(nodes)
 
@@ -61,6 +61,10 @@ class ValidateArnoldSceneSource(pyblish.api.InstancePlugin):
                 "All nodes need to be grouped.".format(ungrouped_nodes)
             )
 
+        # Proxy validation.
+        if not instance.data.get("proxy", []):
+            return
+
         # Validate for content and proxy nodes amount being the same.
         if len(instance.data["setMembers"]) != len(instance.data["proxy"]):
             raise PublishValidationError(