diff --git a/openpype/hosts/houdini/api/pipeline.py b/openpype/hosts/houdini/api/pipeline.py
index d64479fc14..f15cd6f2d5 100644
--- a/openpype/hosts/houdini/api/pipeline.py
+++ b/openpype/hosts/houdini/api/pipeline.py
@@ -435,10 +435,13 @@ def list_instances(creator_id=None):
 
     """
     instance_signature = {
-        "id": "pyblish.avalon.instance",
-        "identifier": creator_id
+        "id": "pyblish.avalon.instance"
     }
-    return lib.lsattrs(instance_signature)
+
+    return [
+        i for i in lib.lsattrs(instance_signature)
+        if i.paramEval("creator_identifier") == creator_id
+    ]
 
 
 def remove_instance(instance):
@@ -448,12 +451,8 @@ def remove_instance(instance):
     because it might contain valuable data for artist.
 
     """
-    nodes = instance.get("members")
-    if not nodes:
-        return
-
     # Assume instance node is first node
-    instance_node = hou.node(nodes[0])
+    instance_node = hou.node(instance.data.get("instance_node"))
     to_delete = None
     for parameter in instance_node.spareParms():
         if parameter.name() == "id" and \
diff --git a/openpype/hosts/houdini/api/plugin.py b/openpype/hosts/houdini/api/plugin.py
index 897696533f..fa56b2cb8d 100644
--- a/openpype/hosts/houdini/api/plugin.py
+++ b/openpype/hosts/houdini/api/plugin.py
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ class HoudiniCreator(NewCreator):
 
             # wondering if we'll ever need more than one member here
             # in Houdini
-            instance_data["members"] = [instance_node.path()]
+            # instance_data["members"] = [instance_node.path()]
             instance_data["instance_node"] = instance_node.path()
 
             instance = CreatedInstance(
@@ -167,7 +167,12 @@ class HoudiniCreator(NewCreator):
                 self.log.debug("missing lock pattern {}".format(name))
 
     def collect_instances(self):
-        for instance in list_instances(creator_id=self.identifier):
+        instances = [i for i in self.collection_shared_data.get(
+            "houdini_cached_instances", []) if i.paramEval("creator_identifier") == self.identifier]
+        if not instances:
+            print("not using cached instances")
+            instances = list_instances(creator_id=self.identifier)
+        for instance in instances:
             created_instance = CreatedInstance.from_existing(
                 read(instance), self
             )