diff --git a/openpype/hosts/standalonepublisher/plugins/publish/collect_texture.py b/openpype/hosts/standalonepublisher/plugins/publish/collect_texture.py
index ea0b6cdf411..c1c48ec72d9 100644
--- a/openpype/hosts/standalonepublisher/plugins/publish/collect_texture.py
+++ b/openpype/hosts/standalonepublisher/plugins/publish/collect_texture.py
@@ -3,9 +3,10 @@
 import pyblish.api
 import json
 
-from avalon.api import format_template_with_optional_keys
-
-from openpype.lib import prepare_template_data
+from openpype.lib import (
+    prepare_template_data,
+    StringTemplate,
+)
 
 
 class CollectTextures(pyblish.api.ContextPlugin):
@@ -110,8 +111,9 @@ def process(self, context):
 
                     formatting_data.update(explicit_data)
                     fill_pairs = prepare_template_data(formatting_data)
-                    workfile_subset = format_template_with_optional_keys(
-                        fill_pairs, self.workfile_subset_template)
+                    workfile_subset = StringTemplate.format_strict_template(
+                        self.workfile_subset_template, fill_pairs
+                    )
 
                     asset_build = self._get_asset_build(
                         repre_file,
@@ -201,8 +203,9 @@ def process(self, context):
                     formatting_data.update(explicit_data)
 
                     fill_pairs = prepare_template_data(formatting_data)
-                    subset = format_template_with_optional_keys(
-                        fill_pairs, self.texture_subset_template)
+                    subset = StringTemplate.format_strict_template(
+                        self.texture_subset_template, fill_pairs
+                    )
 
                     asset_build = self._get_asset_build(
                         repre_file,
diff --git a/openpype/hosts/tvpaint/plugins/load/load_workfile.py b/openpype/hosts/tvpaint/plugins/load/load_workfile.py
index 33e2a76cc96..d224cfc390c 100644
--- a/openpype/hosts/tvpaint/plugins/load/load_workfile.py
+++ b/openpype/hosts/tvpaint/plugins/load/load_workfile.py
@@ -1,10 +1,11 @@
-import getpass
 import os
 
 from avalon import api, io
 from openpype.lib import (
+    StringTemplate,
     get_workfile_template_key_from_context,
-    get_workdir_data
+    get_workdir_data,
+    get_last_workfile_with_version,
 )
 from openpype.api import Anatomy
 from openpype.hosts.tvpaint.api import lib, pipeline, plugin
@@ -67,9 +68,8 @@ def load(self, context, name, namespace, options):
 
         data = get_workdir_data(project_doc, asset_doc, task_name, host_name)
         data["root"] = anatomy.roots
-        data["user"] = getpass.getuser()
 
-        template = anatomy.templates[template_key]["file"]
+        file_template = anatomy.templates[template_key]["file"]
 
         # Define saving file extension
         if current_file:
@@ -81,11 +81,12 @@ def load(self, context, name, namespace, options):
 
         data["ext"] = extension
 
-        work_root = api.format_template_with_optional_keys(
-            data, anatomy.templates[template_key]["folder"]
+        folder_template = anatomy.templates[template_key]["folder"]
+        work_root = StringTemplate.format_strict_template(
+            folder_template, data
         )
-        version = api.last_workfile_with_version(
-            work_root, template, data, host.file_extensions()
+        version = get_last_workfile_with_version(
+            work_root, file_template, data, host.file_extensions()
         )[1]
 
         if version is None:
@@ -95,8 +96,8 @@ def load(self, context, name, namespace, options):
 
         data["version"] = version
 
-        path = os.path.join(
-            work_root,
-            api.format_template_with_optional_keys(data, template)
+        filename = StringTemplate.format_strict_template(
+            file_template, data
         )
+        path = os.path.join(work_root, filename)
         host.save_file(path)
diff --git a/openpype/lib/__init__.py b/openpype/lib/__init__.py
index b8502ae718f..1ebafbb2d20 100644
--- a/openpype/lib/__init__.py
+++ b/openpype/lib/__init__.py
@@ -114,6 +114,8 @@
     get_workdir_data,
     get_workdir,
     get_workdir_with_workdir_data,
+    get_last_workfile_with_version,
+    get_last_workfile,
 
     create_workfile_doc,
     save_workfile_data_to_doc,
@@ -263,6 +265,8 @@
     "get_workdir_data",
     "get_workdir",
     "get_workdir_with_workdir_data",
+    "get_last_workfile_with_version",
+    "get_last_workfile",
 
     "create_workfile_doc",
     "save_workfile_data_to_doc",
diff --git a/openpype/lib/applications.py b/openpype/lib/applications.py
index ef175ac89ad..557c016d746 100644
--- a/openpype/lib/applications.py
+++ b/openpype/lib/applications.py
@@ -28,7 +28,8 @@
 from .avalon_context import (
     get_workdir_data,
     get_workdir_with_workdir_data,
-    get_workfile_template_key
+    get_workfile_template_key,
+    get_last_workfile
 )
 
 from .python_module_tools import (
@@ -1609,7 +1610,7 @@ def _prepare_last_workfile(data, workdir):
                 "ext": extensions[0]
             })
 
-            last_workfile_path = avalon.api.last_workfile(
+            last_workfile_path = get_last_workfile(
                 workdir, file_template, workdir_data, extensions, True
             )
 
diff --git a/openpype/lib/avalon_context.py b/openpype/lib/avalon_context.py
index 26beba41ee2..8e9fff5f67a 100644
--- a/openpype/lib/avalon_context.py
+++ b/openpype/lib/avalon_context.py
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 from .anatomy import Anatomy
 from .profiles_filtering import filter_profiles
 from .events import emit_event
+from .path_templates import StringTemplate
 
 # avalon module is not imported at the top
 # - may not be in path at the time of pype.lib initialization
@@ -1735,8 +1736,6 @@ def get_custom_workfile_template_by_context(
             context. (Existence of formatted path is not validated.)
     """
 
-    from openpype.lib import filter_profiles
-
     if anatomy is None:
         anatomy = Anatomy(project_doc["name"])
 
@@ -1759,7 +1758,9 @@ def get_custom_workfile_template_by_context(
     # there are some anatomy template strings
     if matching_item:
         template = matching_item["path"][platform.system().lower()]
-        return template.format(**anatomy_context_data)
+        return StringTemplate.format_strict_template(
+            template, anatomy_context_data
+        )
 
     return None
 
@@ -1847,3 +1848,124 @@ def get_custom_workfile_template(template_profiles):
         io.Session["AVALON_TASK"],
         io
     )
+
+
+def get_last_workfile_with_version(
+    workdir, file_template, fill_data, extensions
+):
+    """Return last workfile version.
+
+    Args:
+        workdir(str): Path to dir where workfiles are stored.
+        file_template(str): Template of file name.
+        fill_data(dict): Data for filling template.
+        extensions(list, tuple): All allowed file extensions of workfile.
+
+    Returns:
+        tuple: Last workfile<str> with version<int> if there is any otherwise
+            returns (None, None).
+    """
+    if not os.path.exists(workdir):
+        return None, None
+
+    # Fast match on extension
+    filenames = [
+        filename
+        for filename in os.listdir(workdir)
+        if os.path.splitext(filename)[1] in extensions
+    ]
+
+    # Build template without optionals, version to digits only regex
+    # and comment to any definable value.
+    _ext = []
+    for ext in extensions:
+        if not ext.startswith("."):
+            ext = "." + ext
+        # Escape dot for regex
+        ext = "\\" + ext
+        _ext.append(ext)
+    ext_expression = "(?:" + "|".join(_ext) + ")"
+
+    # Replace `.{ext}` with `{ext}` so we are sure there is not dot at the end
+    file_template = re.sub(r"\.?{ext}", ext_expression, file_template)
+    # Replace optional keys with optional content regex
+    file_template = re.sub(r"<.*?>", r".*?", file_template)
+    # Replace `{version}` with group regex
+    file_template = re.sub(r"{version.*?}", r"([0-9]+)", file_template)
+    file_template = re.sub(r"{comment.*?}", r".+?", file_template)
+    file_template = StringTemplate.format_strict_template(
+        file_template, fill_data
+    )
+
+    # Match with ignore case on Windows due to the Windows
+    # OS not being case-sensitive. This avoids later running
+    # into the error that the file did exist if it existed
+    # with a different upper/lower-case.
+    kwargs = {}
+    if platform.system().lower() == "windows":
+        kwargs["flags"] = re.IGNORECASE
+
+    # Get highest version among existing matching files
+    version = None
+    output_filenames = []
+    for filename in sorted(filenames):
+        match = re.match(file_template, filename, **kwargs)
+        if not match:
+            continue
+
+        file_version = int(match.group(1))
+        if version is None or file_version > version:
+            output_filenames[:] = []
+            version = file_version
+
+        if file_version == version:
+            output_filenames.append(filename)
+
+    output_filename = None
+    if output_filenames:
+        if len(output_filenames) == 1:
+            output_filename = output_filenames[0]
+        else:
+            last_time = None
+            for _output_filename in output_filenames:
+                full_path = os.path.join(workdir, _output_filename)
+                mod_time = os.path.getmtime(full_path)
+                if last_time is None or last_time < mod_time:
+                    output_filename = _output_filename
+                    last_time = mod_time
+
+    return output_filename, version
+
+
+def get_last_workfile(
+    workdir, file_template, fill_data, extensions, full_path=False
+):
+    """Return last workfile filename.
+
+    Returns file with version 1 if there is not workfile yet.
+
+    Args:
+        workdir(str): Path to dir where workfiles are stored.
+        file_template(str): Template of file name.
+        fill_data(dict): Data for filling template.
+        extensions(list, tuple): All allowed file extensions of workfile.
+        full_path(bool): Full path to file is returned if set to True.
+
+    Returns:
+        str: Last or first workfile as filename of full path to filename.
+    """
+    filename, version = get_last_workfile_with_version(
+        workdir, file_template, fill_data, extensions
+    )
+    if filename is None:
+        data = copy.deepcopy(fill_data)
+        data["version"] = 1
+        data.pop("comment", None)
+        if not data.get("ext"):
+            data["ext"] = extensions[0]
+        filename = StringTemplate.format_strict_template(file_template, data)
+
+    if full_path:
+        return os.path.normpath(os.path.join(workdir, filename))
+
+    return filename
diff --git a/openpype/lib/delivery.py b/openpype/lib/delivery.py
index 03abe5802ca..ffcfe9fa4db 100644
--- a/openpype/lib/delivery.py
+++ b/openpype/lib/delivery.py
@@ -5,6 +5,11 @@
 import clique
 import collections
 
+from .path_templates import (
+    StringTemplate,
+    TemplateUnsolved,
+)
+
 
 def collect_frames(files):
     """
@@ -52,8 +57,6 @@ def sizeof_fmt(num, suffix='B'):
 
 
 def path_from_representation(representation, anatomy):
-    from avalon import pipeline  # safer importing
-
     try:
         template = representation["data"]["template"]
 
@@ -63,12 +66,10 @@ def path_from_representation(representation, anatomy):
     try:
         context = representation["context"]
         context["root"] = anatomy.roots
-        path = pipeline.format_template_with_optional_keys(
-            context, template
-        )
-        path = os.path.normpath(path.replace("/", "\\"))
+        path = StringTemplate.format_strict_template(template, context)
+        return os.path.normpath(path)
 
-    except KeyError:
+    except TemplateUnsolved:
         # Template references unavailable data
         return None
 
diff --git a/openpype/modules/ftrack/event_handlers_user/action_delete_old_versions.py b/openpype/modules/ftrack/event_handlers_user/action_delete_old_versions.py
index c66d1819aca..1b694e25f15 100644
--- a/openpype/modules/ftrack/event_handlers_user/action_delete_old_versions.py
+++ b/openpype/modules/ftrack/event_handlers_user/action_delete_old_versions.py
@@ -5,11 +5,11 @@
 import clique
 from pymongo import UpdateOne
 
-from openpype_modules.ftrack.lib import BaseAction, statics_icon
 from avalon.api import AvalonMongoDB
-from openpype.api import Anatomy
 
-import avalon.pipeline
+from openpype.api import Anatomy
+from openpype.lib import StringTemplate, TemplateUnsolved
+from openpype_modules.ftrack.lib import BaseAction, statics_icon
 
 
 class DeleteOldVersions(BaseAction):
@@ -563,18 +563,16 @@ def path_from_represenation(self, representation, anatomy):
         try:
             context = representation["context"]
             context["root"] = anatomy.roots
-            path = avalon.pipeline.format_template_with_optional_keys(
-                context, template
-            )
+            path = StringTemplate.format_strict_template(template, context)
             if "frame" in context:
                 context["frame"] = self.sequence_splitter
                 sequence_path = os.path.normpath(
-                    avalon.pipeline.format_template_with_optional_keys(
+                    StringTemplate.format_strict_template(
                         context, template
                     )
                 )
 
-        except KeyError:
+        except (KeyError, TemplateUnsolved):
             # Template references unavailable data
             return (None, None)
 
diff --git a/openpype/pipeline/load/utils.py b/openpype/pipeline/load/utils.py
index 118f86a570f..6d32c11cd72 100644
--- a/openpype/pipeline/load/utils.py
+++ b/openpype/pipeline/load/utils.py
@@ -525,7 +525,7 @@ def get_representation_path(representation, root=None, dbcon=None):
 
     """
 
-    from openpype.lib import StringTemplate
+    from openpype.lib import StringTemplate, TemplateUnsolved
 
     if dbcon is None:
         dbcon = io
@@ -542,13 +542,14 @@ def path_from_represenation():
         try:
             context = representation["context"]
             context["root"] = root
-            template_obj = StringTemplate(template)
-            path = str(template_obj.format(context))
+            path = StringTemplate.format_strict_template(
+                template, context
+            )
             # Force replacing backslashes with forward slashed if not on
             #   windows
             if platform.system().lower() != "windows":
                 path = path.replace("\\", "/")
-        except KeyError:
+        except (TemplateUnsolved, KeyError):
             # Template references unavailable data
             return None
 
diff --git a/openpype/plugins/publish/integrate_new.py b/openpype/plugins/publish/integrate_new.py
index e8dab089af4..6ca6125cb26 100644
--- a/openpype/plugins/publish/integrate_new.py
+++ b/openpype/plugins/publish/integrate_new.py
@@ -12,14 +12,15 @@
 from pymongo import DeleteOne, InsertOne
 import pyblish.api
 from avalon import io
-from avalon.api import format_template_with_optional_keys
 import openpype.api
 from datetime import datetime
 # from pype.modules import ModulesManager
 from openpype.lib.profiles_filtering import filter_profiles
 from openpype.lib import (
     prepare_template_data,
-    create_hard_link
+    create_hard_link,
+    StringTemplate,
+    TemplateUnsolved
 )
 
 # this is needed until speedcopy for linux is fixed
@@ -854,9 +855,10 @@ def _get_subset_group(self, instance):
         fill_pairs = prepare_template_data(fill_pairs)
 
         try:
-            filled_template = \
-                format_template_with_optional_keys(fill_pairs, template)
-        except KeyError:
+            filled_template = StringTemplate.format_strict_template(
+                template, fill_pairs
+            )
+        except (KeyError, TemplateUnsolved):
             keys = []
             if fill_pairs:
                 keys = fill_pairs.keys()
diff --git a/openpype/tools/workfiles/app.py b/openpype/tools/workfiles/app.py
index da5524331a9..713992bc4b7 100644
--- a/openpype/tools/workfiles/app.py
+++ b/openpype/tools/workfiles/app.py
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@
 import os
 import re
 import copy
-import getpass
 import shutil
 import logging
 import datetime
@@ -27,7 +26,8 @@
     save_workfile_data_to_doc,
     get_workfile_template_key,
     create_workdir_extra_folders,
-    get_workdir_data
+    get_workdir_data,
+    get_last_workfile_with_version
 )
 from openpype.lib.avalon_context import (
     update_current_task,
@@ -441,7 +441,7 @@ def refresh(self):
 
             data["ext"] = data["ext"][1:]
 
-            version = api.last_workfile_with_version(
+            version = get_last_workfile_with_version(
                 self.root, template, data, extensions
             )[1]
 
@@ -469,7 +469,7 @@ def refresh(self):
                 # Log warning
                 if idx == 0:
                     log.warning((
-                        "BUG: Function `last_workfile_with_version` "
+                        "BUG: Function `get_last_workfile_with_version` "
                         "didn't return last version."
                     ))
             # Raise exception if even 100 version fallback didn't help