diff --git a/samples/snippets/subscriber.py b/samples/snippets/subscriber.py
index 07da80d93..2235c0060 100644
--- a/samples/snippets/subscriber.py
+++ b/samples/snippets/subscriber.py
@@ -90,7 +90,8 @@ def create_subscription(project_id, topic_id, subscription_id):
 
 
 def create_subscription_with_dead_letter_topic(
-    project_id, topic_id, subscription_id, dead_letter_topic_id
+    project_id, topic_id, subscription_id, dead_letter_topic_id,
+    max_delivery_attempts=5
 ):
     """Create a subscription with dead letter policy."""
     # [START pubsub_dead_letter_create_subscription]
@@ -108,6 +109,9 @@ def create_subscription_with_dead_letter_topic(
     # TODO(developer): This is an existing dead letter topic that the subscription
     # with dead letter policy will forward dead letter messages to.
     # dead_letter_topic_id = "your-dead-letter-topic-id"
+    # TODO(developer): This is the maximum number of delivery attempts allowed
+    # for a message before it gets delivered to a dead letter topic.
+    # max_delivery_attempts = 5
 
     publisher = pubsub_v1.PublisherClient()
     subscriber = pubsub_v1.SubscriberClient()
@@ -117,7 +121,8 @@ def create_subscription_with_dead_letter_topic(
     dead_letter_topic_path = publisher.topic_path(project_id, dead_letter_topic_id)
 
     dead_letter_policy = DeadLetterPolicy(
-        dead_letter_topic=dead_letter_topic_path, max_delivery_attempts=10
+        dead_letter_topic=dead_letter_topic_path,
+        max_delivery_attempts=max_delivery_attempts
     )
 
     with subscriber:
@@ -259,7 +264,8 @@ def update_push_subscription(project_id, topic_id, subscription_id, endpoint):
 
 
 def update_subscription_with_dead_letter_policy(
-    project_id, topic_id, subscription_id, dead_letter_topic_id
+    project_id, topic_id, subscription_id, dead_letter_topic_id,
+    max_delivery_attempts=5
 ):
     """Update a subscription's dead letter policy."""
     # [START pubsub_dead_letter_update_subscription]
@@ -276,6 +282,9 @@ def update_subscription_with_dead_letter_policy(
     # TODO(developer): This is an existing dead letter topic that the subscription
     # with dead letter policy will forward dead letter messages to.
     # dead_letter_topic_id = "your-dead-letter-topic-id"
+    # TODO(developer): This is the maximum number of delivery attempts allowed
+    # for a message before it gets delivered to a dead letter topic.
+    # max_delivery_attempts = 5
 
     publisher = pubsub_v1.PublisherClient()
     subscriber = pubsub_v1.SubscriberClient()
@@ -290,11 +299,12 @@ def update_subscription_with_dead_letter_policy(
     print(f"Before the update: {subscription_before_update}.")
 
     # Indicates which fields in the provided subscription to update.
-    update_mask = FieldMask(paths=["dead_letter_policy.max_delivery_attempts"])
+    update_mask = FieldMask(paths=["dead_letter_policy"])
 
     # Construct a dead letter policy you expect to have after the update.
     dead_letter_policy = DeadLetterPolicy(
-        dead_letter_topic=dead_letter_topic_path, max_delivery_attempts=20
+        dead_letter_topic=dead_letter_topic_path,
+        max_delivery_attempts=max_delivery_attempts
     )
 
     # Construct the subscription with the dead letter policy you expect to have
@@ -339,12 +349,7 @@ def remove_dead_letter_policy(project_id, topic_id, subscription_id):
     print(f"Before removing the policy: {subscription_before_update}.")
 
     # Indicates which fields in the provided subscription to update.
-    update_mask = FieldMask(
-        paths=[
-            "dead_letter_policy.dead_letter_topic",
-            "dead_letter_policy.max_delivery_attempts",
-        ]
-    )
+    update_mask = FieldMask(paths=["dead_letter_policy"])
 
     # Construct the subscription (without any dead letter policy) that you
     # expect to have after the update.
@@ -676,6 +681,12 @@ def callback(message):
     create_with_dead_letter_policy_parser.add_argument("topic_id")
     create_with_dead_letter_policy_parser.add_argument("subscription_id")
     create_with_dead_letter_policy_parser.add_argument("dead_letter_topic_id")
+    create_with_dead_letter_policy_parser.add_argument(
+        "max_delivery_attempts",
+        type=int,
+        nargs="?",
+        default=5
+    )
 
     create_push_parser = subparsers.add_parser(
         "create-push", help=create_push_subscription.__doc__
@@ -707,6 +718,12 @@ def callback(message):
     update_dead_letter_policy_parser.add_argument("topic_id")
     update_dead_letter_policy_parser.add_argument("subscription_id")
     update_dead_letter_policy_parser.add_argument("dead_letter_topic_id")
+    update_dead_letter_policy_parser.add_argument(
+        "max_delivery_attempts",
+        type=int,
+        nargs="?",
+        default=5
+    )
 
     remove_dead_letter_policy_parser = subparsers.add_parser(
         "remove-dead-letter-policy", help=remove_dead_letter_policy.__doc__
@@ -777,6 +794,7 @@ def callback(message):
             args.topic_id,
             args.subscription_id,
             args.dead_letter_topic_id,
+            args.max_delivery_attempts,
         )
     elif args.command == "create-push":
         create_push_subscription(
@@ -798,6 +816,7 @@ def callback(message):
             args.topic_id,
             args.subscription_id,
             args.dead_letter_topic_id,
+            args.max_delivery_attempts,
         )
     elif args.command == "remove-dead-letter-policy":
         remove_dead_letter_policy(args.project_id, args.topic_id, args.subscription_id)
diff --git a/samples/snippets/subscriber_test.py b/samples/snippets/subscriber_test.py
index d722ebdec..e69212f8c 100644
--- a/samples/snippets/subscriber_test.py
+++ b/samples/snippets/subscriber_test.py
@@ -32,6 +32,8 @@
 SUBSCRIPTION_DLQ = "subscription-test-subscription-dlq-" + UUID
 ENDPOINT = "https://{}.appspot.com/push".format(PROJECT_ID)
 NEW_ENDPOINT = "https://{}.appspot.com/push2".format(PROJECT_ID)
+DEFAULT_MAX_DELIVERY_ATTEMPTS = 5
+UPDATED_MAX_DELIVERY_ATTEMPTS = 20
 
 
 @pytest.fixture(scope="module")
@@ -214,18 +216,19 @@ def test_create_subscription_with_dead_letter_policy(
     out, _ = capsys.readouterr()
     assert f"Subscription created: {subscription_dlq}" in out
     assert f"It will forward dead letter messages to: {dead_letter_topic}" in out
-    assert "After 10 delivery attempts." in out
+    assert f"After {DEFAULT_MAX_DELIVERY_ATTEMPTS} delivery attempts." in out
 
 
 def test_update_dead_letter_policy(subscription_dlq, dead_letter_topic, capsys):
     _ = subscriber.update_subscription_with_dead_letter_policy(
-        PROJECT_ID, TOPIC, SUBSCRIPTION_DLQ, DEAD_LETTER_TOPIC
+        PROJECT_ID, TOPIC, SUBSCRIPTION_DLQ, DEAD_LETTER_TOPIC,
+        UPDATED_MAX_DELIVERY_ATTEMPTS
     )
 
     out, _ = capsys.readouterr()
     assert dead_letter_topic in out
     assert subscription_dlq in out
-    assert "max_delivery_attempts: 20" in out
+    assert f"max_delivery_attempts: {UPDATED_MAX_DELIVERY_ATTEMPTS}" in out
 
 
 def test_create_subscription_with_ordering(