diff --git a/openpype/hosts/blender/plugins/publish/collect_instances.py b/openpype/hosts/blender/plugins/publish/collect_instances.py
index ad2ce54147..2d56e5fd7b 100644
--- a/openpype/hosts/blender/plugins/publish/collect_instances.py
+++ b/openpype/hosts/blender/plugins/publish/collect_instances.py
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-import json
 from typing import Generator
 
 import bpy
@@ -50,6 +49,7 @@ class CollectInstances(pyblish.api.ContextPlugin):
 
         for group in asset_groups:
             instance = self.create_instance(context, group)
+            instance.data["instance_group"] = group
             members = []
             if isinstance(group, bpy.types.Collection):
                 members = list(group.objects)
@@ -65,6 +65,6 @@ class CollectInstances(pyblish.api.ContextPlugin):
 
             members.append(group)
             instance[:] = members
-            self.log.debug(json.dumps(instance.data, indent=4))
+            self.log.debug(instance.data)
             for obj in instance:
                 self.log.debug(obj)
diff --git a/openpype/hosts/blender/plugins/publish/validate_instance_empty.py b/openpype/hosts/blender/plugins/publish/validate_instance_empty.py
index 5abfd6dee8..3ebc6515d3 100644
--- a/openpype/hosts/blender/plugins/publish/validate_instance_empty.py
+++ b/openpype/hosts/blender/plugins/publish/validate_instance_empty.py
@@ -13,15 +13,11 @@ class ValidateInstanceEmpty(pyblish.api.InstancePlugin):
     optional = False
 
     def process(self, instance):
-        self.log.debug(instance)
-        self.log.debug(instance.data)
-        if instance.data["family"] == "blendScene":
-            # blendScene instances are collections
-            collection = bpy.data.collections[instance.name]
-            if not (collection.objects or collection.children):
+        asset_group = instance.data["instance_group"]
+
+        if isinstance(asset_group, bpy.types.Collection):
+            if not (asset_group.objects or asset_group.children):
                 raise RuntimeError(f"Instance {instance.name} is empty.")
-        else:
-            # All other instances are objects
-            asset_group = bpy.data.objects[instance.name]
+        elif isinstance(asset_group, bpy.types.Object):
             if not asset_group.children:
                 raise RuntimeError(f"Instance {instance.name} is empty.")