diff --git a/tools/blenvy/add_ons/auto_export/common/generate_temporary_scene_and_export.py b/tools/blenvy/add_ons/auto_export/common/generate_temporary_scene_and_export.py
index 1b2e13e..2615970 100644
--- a/tools/blenvy/add_ons/auto_export/common/generate_temporary_scene_and_export.py
+++ b/tools/blenvy/add_ons/auto_export/common/generate_temporary_scene_and_export.py
@@ -81,11 +81,14 @@ def generate_temporary_scene_and_export(settings, gltf_export_settings, gltf_out
 # copies the contents of a collection into another one while replacing library instances with empties
 def copy_hollowed_collection_into(source_collection, destination_collection, parent_empty=None, filter=None, blueprints_data=None, settings={}):
     collection_instances_combine_mode = getattr(settings.auto_export, "collection_instances_combine_mode")
+
     for object in source_collection.objects:
         if object.name.endswith("____bak"): # some objects could already have been handled, ignore them
             continue       
         if filter is not None and filter(object) is False:
             continue
+        if object.parent is not None: # if there is a parent, this object is not a direct child of the collection, and should be ignored (it will get picked up by the recursive scan inside duplicate_object)
+            continue
         #check if a specific collection instance does not have an ovveride for combine_mode
         combine_mode = object['_combine'] if '_combine' in object else collection_instances_combine_mode
         parent = parent_empty