diff --git a/client/ayon_core/hosts/houdini/plugins/publish/validate_cop_output_node.py b/client/ayon_core/hosts/houdini/plugins/publish/validate_cop_output_node.py
index a6a7044f77..59bb8e66f1 100644
--- a/client/ayon_core/hosts/houdini/plugins/publish/validate_cop_output_node.py
+++ b/client/ayon_core/hosts/houdini/plugins/publish/validate_cop_output_node.py
@@ -36,18 +36,9 @@ class ValidateCopOutputNode(pyblish.api.InstancePlugin):
 
         import hou
 
-        try:
-            output_node = instance.data["output_node"]
-        except KeyError:
-            six.reraise(
-                PublishValidationError,
-                PublishValidationError(
-                    "Can't determine COP output node.",
-                    title=cls.__name__),
-                sys.exc_info()[2]
-            )
+        output_node = instance.data.get("output_node")
 
-        if output_node is None:
+        if not output_node:
             node = hou.node(instance.data.get("instance_node"))
             cls.log.error(
                 "COP Output node in '%s' does not exist. "