diff --git a/nova/compute/manager.py b/nova/compute/manager.py
index c701d200530f..8faa980cb78a 100644
--- a/nova/compute/manager.py
+++ b/nova/compute/manager.py
@@ -82,6 +82,7 @@ from nova.network import model as network_model
 from nova.network.security_group import openstack_driver
 from nova import objects
 from nova.objects import base as obj_base
+from nova.objects import instance as obj_instance
 from nova import paths
 from nova import rpc
 from nova import safe_utils
@@ -1768,7 +1769,7 @@ class ComputeManager(manager.Manager):
         """
         if not self.send_instance_updates:
             return
-        if isinstance(instance, objects.Instance):
+        if isinstance(instance, obj_instance._BaseInstance):
             instance = objects.InstanceList(objects=[instance])
         context = context.elevated()
         self.scheduler_client.update_instance_info(context, self.host,
diff --git a/nova/objects/request_spec.py b/nova/objects/request_spec.py
index a8f7e64d5e4b..09cf954ab193 100644
--- a/nova/objects/request_spec.py
+++ b/nova/objects/request_spec.py
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ import six
 from nova import objects
 from nova.objects import base
 from nova.objects import fields
+from nova.objects import instance as obj_instance
 
 
 @base.NovaObjectRegistry.register
@@ -96,7 +97,7 @@ class RequestSpec(base.NovaObject):
             self.image = None
 
     def _from_instance(self, instance):
-        if isinstance(instance, objects.Instance):
+        if isinstance(instance, obj_instance._BaseInstance):
             # NOTE(sbauza): Instance should normally be a NovaObject...
             getter = getattr
         elif isinstance(instance, dict):
diff --git a/nova/scheduler/utils.py b/nova/scheduler/utils.py
index 93b107c22671..27cb053e985e 100644
--- a/nova/scheduler/utils.py
+++ b/nova/scheduler/utils.py
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ from nova import exception
 from nova.i18n import _, _LE, _LW
 from nova import objects
 from nova.objects import base as obj_base
+from nova.objects import instance as obj_instance
 from nova import rpc
 
 
@@ -56,12 +57,12 @@ def build_request_spec(ctxt, image, instances, instance_type=None):
     """
     instance = instances[0]
     if instance_type is None:
-        if isinstance(instance, objects.Instance):
+        if isinstance(instance, obj_instance._BaseInstance):
             instance_type = instance.get_flavor()
         else:
             instance_type = flavors.extract_flavor(instance)
 
-    if isinstance(instance, objects.Instance):
+    if isinstance(instance, obj_instance._BaseInstance):
         instance = obj_base.obj_to_primitive(instance)
         # obj_to_primitive doesn't copy this enough, so be sure
         # to detach our metadata blob because we modify it below.
diff --git a/nova/virt/hardware.py b/nova/virt/hardware.py
index b67a8c6e0518..1681683b11cc 100644
--- a/nova/virt/hardware.py
+++ b/nova/virt/hardware.py
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ from nova import context
 from nova import exception
 from nova.i18n import _
 from nova import objects
+from nova.objects import instance as obj_instance
 
 virt_cpu_opts = [
     cfg.StrOpt('vcpu_pin_set',
@@ -1174,7 +1175,7 @@ def instance_topology_from_instance(instance):
     Instance object, this makes sure we get beck either None, or an instance
     of objects.InstanceNUMATopology class.
     """
-    if isinstance(instance, objects.Instance):
+    if isinstance(instance, obj_instance._BaseInstance):
         # NOTE (ndipanov): This may cause a lazy-load of the attribute
         instance_numa_topology = instance.numa_topology
     else: