diff --git a/openpype/hosts/maya/api/lib_renderproducts.py b/openpype/hosts/maya/api/lib_renderproducts.py
index 4983109d58d..e8e4b9aaef7 100644
--- a/openpype/hosts/maya/api/lib_renderproducts.py
+++ b/openpype/hosts/maya/api/lib_renderproducts.py
@@ -180,6 +180,7 @@ def __init__(self, layer, render_instance):
         self.layer = layer
         self.render_instance = render_instance
         self.multipart = False
+        self.aov_separator = render_instance.data.get("aovSeparator", "_")
 
         # Initialize
         self.layer_data = self._get_layer_data()
@@ -676,7 +677,7 @@ def get_renderer_prefix(self):
 
         """
         prefix = super(RenderProductsVray, self).get_renderer_prefix()
-        prefix = "{}.<aov>".format(prefix)
+        prefix = "{}{}<aov>".format(prefix, self.aov_separator)
         return prefix
 
     def _get_layer_data(self):
diff --git a/openpype/hosts/maya/plugins/create/create_render.py b/openpype/hosts/maya/plugins/create/create_render.py
index 4fd4b9d9862..85919d11665 100644
--- a/openpype/hosts/maya/plugins/create/create_render.py
+++ b/openpype/hosts/maya/plugins/create/create_render.py
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
 from openpype.modules import ModulesManager
 
 from avalon.api import Session
+from avalon.api import CreatorError
 
 
 class CreateRender(plugin.Creator):
@@ -81,13 +82,21 @@ class CreateRender(plugin.Creator):
     }
 
     _image_prefixes = {
-        'mentalray': 'maya/<Scene>/<RenderLayer>/<RenderLayer>_<RenderPass>',
+        'mentalray': 'maya/<Scene>/<RenderLayer>/<RenderLayer>{aov_separator}<RenderPass>',  # noqa
         'vray': 'maya/<scene>/<Layer>/<Layer>',
-        'arnold': 'maya/<Scene>/<RenderLayer>/<RenderLayer>_<RenderPass>',
-        'renderman': 'maya/<Scene>/<layer>/<layer>_<aov>',
-        'redshift': 'maya/<Scene>/<RenderLayer>/<RenderLayer>_<RenderPass>'
+        'arnold': 'maya/<Scene>/<RenderLayer>/<RenderLayer>{aov_separator}<RenderPass>',  # noqa
+        'renderman': 'maya/<Scene>/<layer>/<layer>{aov_separator}<aov>',
+        'redshift': 'maya/<Scene>/<RenderLayer>/<RenderLayer>{aov_separator}<RenderPass>'  # noqa
     }
 
+    _aov_chars = {
+        "dot": ".",
+        "dash": "-",
+        "underscore": "_"
+    }
+
+    _project_settings = None
+
     def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
         """Constructor."""
         super(CreateRender, self).__init__(*args, **kwargs)
@@ -95,12 +104,24 @@ def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
         if not deadline_settings["enabled"]:
             self.deadline_servers = {}
             return
-        project_settings = get_project_settings(Session["AVALON_PROJECT"])
+        self._project_settings = get_project_settings(
+            Session["AVALON_PROJECT"])
+
+        # project_settings/maya/create/CreateRender/aov_separator
+        try:
+            self.aov_separator = self._aov_chars[(
+                self._project_settings["maya"]
+                                      ["create"]
+                                      ["CreateRender"]
+                                      ["aov_separator"]
+            )]
+        except KeyError:
+            self.aov_separator = "_"
+
         try:
             default_servers = deadline_settings["deadline_urls"]
             project_servers = (
-                project_settings["deadline"]
-                                ["deadline_servers"]
+                self._project_settings["deadline"]["deadline_servers"]
             )
             self.deadline_servers = {
                 k: default_servers[k]
@@ -409,8 +430,10 @@ def _set_default_renderer_settings(self, renderer):
             renderer (str): Renderer name.
 
         """
+        prefix = self._image_prefixes[renderer]
+        prefix = prefix.replace("{aov_separator}", self.aov_separator)
         cmds.setAttr(self._image_prefix_nodes[renderer],
-                     self._image_prefixes[renderer],
+                     prefix,
                      type="string")
 
         asset = get_asset()
@@ -446,37 +469,37 @@ def _set_default_renderer_settings(self, renderer):
 
             self._set_global_output_settings()
 
-    @staticmethod
-    def _set_renderer_option(renderer_node, arg=None, value=None):
-        # type: (str, str, str) -> str
-        """Set option on renderer node.
-
-        If renderer settings node doesn't exists, it is created first.
-
-        Args:
-             renderer_node (str): Renderer name.
-             arg (str, optional): Argument name.
-             value (str, optional): Argument value.
-
-        Returns:
-            str: Renderer settings node.
-
-        """
-        settings = cmds.ls(type=renderer_node)
-        result = settings[0] if settings else cmds.createNode(renderer_node)
-        cmds.setAttr(arg.format(result), value)
-        return result
-
     def _set_vray_settings(self, asset):
         # type: (dict) -> None
         """Sets important settings for Vray."""
-        node = self._set_renderer_option(
-            "VRaySettingsNode", "{}.fileNameRenderElementSeparator", "_"
-        )
+        settings = cmds.ls(type="VRaySettingsNode")
+        node = settings[0] if settings else cmds.createNode("VRaySettingsNode")
+
+        # set separator
+        # set it in vray menu
+        if cmds.optionMenuGrp("vrayRenderElementSeparator", exists=True,
+                              q=True):
+            items = cmds.optionMenuGrp(
+                "vrayRenderElementSeparator", ill=True, query=True)
 
+            separators = [cmds.menuItem(i, label=True, query=True) for i in items]  # noqa: E501
+            try:
+                sep_idx = separators.index(self.aov_separator)
+            except ValueError:
+                raise CreatorError(
+                    "AOV character {} not in {}".format(
+                        self.aov_separator, separators))
+
+            cmds.optionMenuGrp(
+                "vrayRenderElementSeparator", sl=sep_idx + 1, edit=True)
+        cmds.setAttr(
+            "{}.fileNameRenderElementSeparator".format(node),
+            self.aov_separator,
+            type="string"
+        )
         # set format to exr
         cmds.setAttr(
-            "{}.imageFormatStr".format(node), 5)
+            "{}.imageFormatStr".format(node), "exr", type="string")
 
         # animType
         cmds.setAttr(
diff --git a/openpype/hosts/maya/plugins/publish/collect_render.py b/openpype/hosts/maya/plugins/publish/collect_render.py
index 59f931c84e7..580d459a907 100644
--- a/openpype/hosts/maya/plugins/publish/collect_render.py
+++ b/openpype/hosts/maya/plugins/publish/collect_render.py
@@ -62,6 +62,12 @@ class CollectMayaRender(pyblish.api.ContextPlugin):
     label = "Collect Render Layers"
     sync_workfile_version = False
 
+    _aov_chars = {
+        "dot": ".",
+        "dash": "-",
+        "underscore": "_"
+    }
+
     def process(self, context):
         """Entry point to collector."""
         render_instance = None
@@ -167,6 +173,18 @@ def process(self, context):
             if renderer.startswith("renderman"):
                 renderer = "renderman"
 
+            try:
+                aov_separator = self._aov_chars[(
+                    context.data["project_settings"]
+                    ["create"]
+                    ["CreateRender"]
+                    ["aov_separator"]
+                )]
+            except KeyError:
+                aov_separator = "_"
+
+            render_instance.data["aovSeparator"] = aov_separator
+
             # return all expected files for all cameras and aovs in given
             # frame range
             layer_render_products = get_layer_render_products(
@@ -267,6 +285,17 @@ def process(self, context):
             self.log.info(full_exp_files)
             self.log.info("collecting layer: {}".format(layer_name))
             # Get layer specific settings, might be overrides
+
+            try:
+                aov_separator = self._aov_chars[(
+                    context.data["project_settings"]
+                    ["create"]
+                    ["CreateRender"]
+                    ["aov_separator"]
+                )]
+            except KeyError:
+                aov_separator = "_"
+
             data = {
                 "subset": expected_layer_name,
                 "attachTo": attach_to,
@@ -308,7 +337,8 @@ def process(self, context):
                     "convertToScanline") or False,
                 "useReferencedAovs": render_instance.data.get(
                     "useReferencedAovs") or render_instance.data.get(
-                        "vrayUseReferencedAovs") or False
+                        "vrayUseReferencedAovs") or False,
+                "aovSeparator": aov_separator
             }
 
             if deadline_url:
diff --git a/openpype/hosts/maya/plugins/publish/validate_rendersettings.py b/openpype/hosts/maya/plugins/publish/validate_rendersettings.py
index 65ddacfc573..6079d34fbe6 100644
--- a/openpype/hosts/maya/plugins/publish/validate_rendersettings.py
+++ b/openpype/hosts/maya/plugins/publish/validate_rendersettings.py
@@ -55,13 +55,19 @@ class ValidateRenderSettings(pyblish.api.InstancePlugin):
 
     ImagePrefixTokens = {
 
-        'arnold': 'maya/<Scene>/<RenderLayer>/<RenderLayer>_<RenderPass>',
+        'arnold': 'maya/<Scene>/<RenderLayer>/<RenderLayer>{aov_separator}<RenderPass>',  # noqa
         'redshift': 'maya/<Scene>/<RenderLayer>/<RenderLayer>',
         'vray': 'maya/<Scene>/<Layer>/<Layer>',
-        'renderman': '<layer>_<aov>.<f4>.<ext>'
+        'renderman': '<layer>{aov_separator}<aov>.<f4>.<ext>'  # noqa
     }
 
-    redshift_AOV_prefix = "<BeautyPath>/<BeautyFile>_<RenderPass>"
+    _aov_chars = {
+        "dot": ".",
+        "dash": "-",
+        "underscore": "_"
+    }
+
+    redshift_AOV_prefix = "<BeautyPath>/<BeautyFile>{aov_separator}<RenderPass>"  # noqa: E501
 
     # WARNING: There is bug? in renderman, translating <scene> token
     # to something left behind mayas default image prefix. So instead
@@ -107,6 +113,9 @@ def get_invalid(cls, instance):
 
         anim_override = lib.get_attr_in_layer("defaultRenderGlobals.animation",
                                               layer=layer)
+
+        prefix = prefix.replace(
+            "{aov_separator}", instance.data.get("aovSeparator", "_"))
         if not anim_override:
             invalid = True
             cls.log.error("Animation needs to be enabled. Use the same "
@@ -138,12 +147,16 @@ def get_invalid(cls, instance):
             else:
                 node = vray_settings[0]
 
-            if cmds.getAttr(
-                    "{}.fileNameRenderElementSeparator".format(node)) != "_":
-                invalid = False
+            scene_sep = cmds.getAttr(
+                "{}.fileNameRenderElementSeparator".format(node))
+            if scene_sep != instance.data.get("aovSeparator", "_"):
                 cls.log.error("AOV separator is not set correctly.")
+                invalid = True
 
         if renderer == "redshift":
+            redshift_AOV_prefix = cls.redshift_AOV_prefix.replace(
+                "{aov_separator}", instance.data.get("aovSeparator", "_")
+            )
             if re.search(cls.R_AOV_TOKEN, prefix):
                 invalid = True
                 cls.log.error(("Do not use AOV token [ {} ] - "
@@ -155,7 +168,7 @@ def get_invalid(cls, instance):
             for aov in rs_aovs:
                 aov_prefix = cmds.getAttr("{}.filePrefix".format(aov))
                 # check their image prefix
-                if aov_prefix != cls.redshift_AOV_prefix:
+                if aov_prefix != redshift_AOV_prefix:
                     cls.log.error(("AOV ({}) image prefix is not set "
                                    "correctly {} != {}").format(
                         cmds.getAttr("{}.name".format(aov)),
@@ -181,7 +194,7 @@ def get_invalid(cls, instance):
             file_prefix = cmds.getAttr("rmanGlobals.imageFileFormat")
             dir_prefix = cmds.getAttr("rmanGlobals.imageOutputDir")
 
-            if file_prefix.lower() != cls.ImagePrefixTokens[renderer].lower():
+            if file_prefix.lower() != prefix.lower():
                 invalid = True
                 cls.log.error("Wrong image prefix [ {} ]".format(file_prefix))
 
@@ -198,18 +211,20 @@ def get_invalid(cls, instance):
                     cls.log.error("Wrong image prefix [ {} ] - "
                                   "You can't use '<renderpass>' token "
                                   "with merge AOVs turned on".format(prefix))
-            else:
-                if not re.search(cls.R_AOV_TOKEN, prefix):
-                    invalid = True
-                    cls.log.error("Wrong image prefix [ {} ] - "
-                                  "doesn't have: '<renderpass>' or "
-                                  "token".format(prefix))
+            elif not re.search(cls.R_AOV_TOKEN, prefix):
+                invalid = True
+                cls.log.error("Wrong image prefix [ {} ] - "
+                              "doesn't have: '<renderpass>' or "
+                              "token".format(prefix))
 
         # prefix check
-        if prefix.lower() != cls.ImagePrefixTokens[renderer].lower():
+        default_prefix = cls.ImagePrefixTokens[renderer]
+        default_prefix = default_prefix.replace(
+            "{aov_separator}", instance.data.get("aovSeparator", "_"))
+        if prefix.lower() != default_prefix.lower():
             cls.log.warning("warning: prefix differs from "
                             "recommended {}".format(
-                                cls.ImagePrefixTokens[renderer]))
+                                default_prefix))
 
         if padding != cls.DEFAULT_PADDING:
             invalid = True
@@ -257,9 +272,14 @@ def get_invalid(cls, instance):
 
     @classmethod
     def repair(cls, instance):
-
         renderer = instance.data['renderer']
         layer_node = instance.data['setMembers']
+        redshift_AOV_prefix = cls.redshift_AOV_prefix.replace(
+            "{aov_separator}", instance.data.get("aovSeparator", "_")
+        )
+        default_prefix = cls.ImagePrefixTokens[renderer].replace(
+            "{aov_separator}", instance.data.get("aovSeparator", "_")
+        )
 
         with lib.renderlayer(layer_node):
             default = lib.RENDER_ATTRS['default']
@@ -270,7 +290,7 @@ def repair(cls, instance):
                 node = render_attrs["node"]
                 prefix_attr = render_attrs["prefix"]
 
-                fname_prefix = cls.ImagePrefixTokens[renderer]
+                fname_prefix = default_prefix
                 cmds.setAttr("{}.{}".format(node, prefix_attr),
                              fname_prefix, type="string")
 
@@ -281,7 +301,7 @@ def repair(cls, instance):
             else:
                 # renderman handles stuff differently
                 cmds.setAttr("rmanGlobals.imageFileFormat",
-                             cls.ImagePrefixTokens[renderer],
+                             default_prefix,
                              type="string")
                 cmds.setAttr("rmanGlobals.imageOutputDir",
                              cls.RendermanDirPrefix,
@@ -294,10 +314,13 @@ def repair(cls, instance):
                 else:
                     node = vray_settings[0]
 
+                cmds.optionMenuGrp("vrayRenderElementSeparator",
+                                   v=instance.data.get("aovSeparator", "_"))
                 cmds.setAttr(
                     "{}.fileNameRenderElementSeparator".format(
                         node),
-                    "_"
+                    instance.data.get("aovSeparator", "_"),
+                    type="string"
                 )
 
             if renderer == "redshift":
@@ -306,7 +329,7 @@ def repair(cls, instance):
                 for aov in rs_aovs:
                     # fix AOV prefixes
                     cmds.setAttr(
-                        "{}.filePrefix".format(aov), cls.redshift_AOV_prefix)
+                        "{}.filePrefix".format(aov), redshift_AOV_prefix)
                     # fix AOV file format
                     default_ext = cmds.getAttr(
                         "redshiftOptions.imageFormat", asString=True)
diff --git a/openpype/modules/default_modules/deadline/plugins/publish/submit_publish_job.py b/openpype/modules/default_modules/deadline/plugins/publish/submit_publish_job.py
index 6b077498194..cdd936b9169 100644
--- a/openpype/modules/default_modules/deadline/plugins/publish/submit_publish_job.py
+++ b/openpype/modules/default_modules/deadline/plugins/publish/submit_publish_job.py
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ class ProcessSubmittedJobOnFarm(pyblish.api.InstancePlugin):
     families = ["render.farm", "prerender.farm",
                 "renderlayer", "imagesequence", "vrayscene"]
 
-    aov_filter = {"maya": [r".*(?:\.|_)*([Bb]eauty)(?:\.|_)*.*"],
+    aov_filter = {"maya": [r".*(?:[\._-])*([Bb]eauty)(?:[\.|_])*.*"],
                   "aftereffects": [r".*"],  # for everything from AE
                   "harmony": [r".*"],  # for everything from AE
                   "celaction": [r".*"]}
diff --git a/openpype/settings/defaults/project_settings/maya.json b/openpype/settings/defaults/project_settings/maya.json
index 689d6418ba8..73c75ef3ee3 100644
--- a/openpype/settings/defaults/project_settings/maya.json
+++ b/openpype/settings/defaults/project_settings/maya.json
@@ -42,7 +42,8 @@
             "enabled": true,
             "defaults": [
                 "Main"
-            ]
+            ],
+            "aov_separator": "underscore"
         },
         "CreateAnimation": {
             "enabled": true,
diff --git a/openpype/settings/entities/schemas/projects_schema/schemas/schema_maya_create.json b/openpype/settings/entities/schemas/projects_schema/schemas/schema_maya_create.json
index 44a35af7c1d..e50357cc40c 100644
--- a/openpype/settings/entities/schemas/projects_schema/schemas/schema_maya_create.json
+++ b/openpype/settings/entities/schemas/projects_schema/schemas/schema_maya_create.json
@@ -46,6 +46,18 @@
                     "key": "defaults",
                     "label": "Default Subsets",
                     "object_type": "text"
+                },
+                {
+                    "key": "aov_separator",
+                    "label": "AOV Separator character",
+                    "type": "enum",
+                    "multiselection": false,
+                    "default": "underscore",
+                    "enum_items": [
+                        {"dash":  "- (dash)"},
+                        {"underscore":  "_ (underscore)"},
+                        {"dot": ". (dot)"}
+                    ]
                 }
             ]
         },
diff --git a/tools/run_mongo.ps1 b/tools/run_mongo.ps1
index 32f6cfed173..f6fa37207da 100644
--- a/tools/run_mongo.ps1
+++ b/tools/run_mongo.ps1
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@ $port = 2707
 # path to database
 $dbpath = (Get-Item $openpype_root).parent.FullName + "\mongo_db_data"
 
-$preferred_version = "4.0"
+$preferred_version = "5.0"
 
 $mongoPath = Find-Mongo $preferred_version
 Write-Host ">>> " -NoNewLine -ForegroundColor Green