diff --git a/src/db/db/dbHierarchyBuilder.cc b/src/db/db/dbHierarchyBuilder.cc
index aa26e0adb..bf68802fc 100644
--- a/src/db/db/dbHierarchyBuilder.cc
+++ b/src/db/db/dbHierarchyBuilder.cc
@@ -273,7 +273,7 @@ HierarchyBuilder::begin (const RecursiveShapeIterator *iter)
     return;
   }
 
-  CellMapKey key (iter->top_cell ()->cell_index (), false, std::set<db::Box> (), false);
+  CellMapKey key (iter->top_cell ()->cell_index (), false, std::set<db::Box> ());
   m_cm_entry = m_cell_map.find (key);
 
   if (m_cm_entry == m_cell_map.end ()) {
@@ -359,13 +359,6 @@ HierarchyBuilder::make_cell_variant (const HierarchyBuilder::CellMapKey &key, co
       }
       description += "DISABLED";
     }
-    if (key.skip_shapes) {
-      cn += "$SKIP";
-      if (! description.empty ()) {
-        description += "/";
-      }
-      description += "SKIPPED";
-    }
 
     new_cell = mp_target->add_cell (cn.c_str ());
 
@@ -391,9 +384,14 @@ HierarchyBuilder::make_cell_variant (const HierarchyBuilder::CellMapKey &key, co
 HierarchyBuilder::new_inst_mode
 HierarchyBuilder::new_inst (const RecursiveShapeIterator *iter, const db::CellInstArray &inst, const db::ICplxTrans &always_apply, const db::Box & /*region*/, const box_tree_type * /*complex_region*/, bool all, bool skip_shapes)
 {
-  if (all) {
+  if (skip_shapes) {
 
-    CellMapKey key (inst.object ().cell_index (), iter->is_child_inactive (inst.object ().cell_index ()), std::set<db::Box> (), skip_shapes);
+    //  don't consider this instance if all cells are skipped
+    return NI_skip;
+
+  } else if (all) {
+
+    CellMapKey key (inst.object ().cell_index (), iter->is_child_inactive (inst.object ().cell_index ()), std::set<db::Box> ());
     db::cell_index_type new_cell = make_cell_variant (key, iter->layout ()->cell_name (inst.object ().cell_index ()));
 
     //  for new cells, create this instance
@@ -408,7 +406,7 @@ HierarchyBuilder::new_inst (const RecursiveShapeIterator *iter, const db::CellIn
     }
 
     //  To see the cell once, use NI_single. If we did see the cell already, skip the whole instance array.
-    return (! skip_shapes && m_cells_seen.find (key) == m_cells_seen.end ()) ? NI_single : NI_skip;
+    return m_cells_seen.find (key) == m_cells_seen.end () ? NI_single : NI_skip;
 
   } else {
 
@@ -421,7 +419,11 @@ HierarchyBuilder::new_inst (const RecursiveShapeIterator *iter, const db::CellIn
 bool
 HierarchyBuilder::new_inst_member (const RecursiveShapeIterator *iter, const db::CellInstArray &inst, const db::ICplxTrans &always_apply, const db::ICplxTrans &trans, const db::Box &region, const box_tree_type *complex_region, bool all, bool skip_shapes)
 {
-  if (all) {
+  if (skip_shapes) {
+
+    return false;
+
+  } else if (all) {
 
     return true;
 
@@ -435,7 +437,7 @@ HierarchyBuilder::new_inst_member (const RecursiveShapeIterator *iter, const db:
       return false;
     }
 
-    CellMapKey key (inst.object ().cell_index (), iter->is_child_inactive (inst_cell), clip_variant.second, skip_shapes);
+    CellMapKey key (inst.object ().cell_index (), iter->is_child_inactive (inst_cell), clip_variant.second);
     db::cell_index_type new_cell = make_cell_variant (key, iter->layout ()->cell_name (inst_cell));
 
     //  for a new cell, create this instance
@@ -447,7 +449,7 @@ HierarchyBuilder::new_inst_member (const RecursiveShapeIterator *iter, const db:
       }
     }
 
-    return ! skip_shapes && m_cells_seen.find (key) == m_cells_seen.end ();
+    return m_cells_seen.find (key) == m_cells_seen.end ();
 
   }
 }
diff --git a/src/db/db/dbHierarchyBuilder.h b/src/db/db/dbHierarchyBuilder.h
index 2bc2793d1..d1d056718 100644
--- a/src/db/db/dbHierarchyBuilder.h
+++ b/src/db/db/dbHierarchyBuilder.h
@@ -249,16 +249,16 @@ public:
   struct CellMapKey
   {
     CellMapKey ()
-      : original_cell (0), inactive (false), skip_shapes (false)
+      : original_cell (0), inactive (false)
     { }
 
-    CellMapKey (db::cell_index_type _original_cell, bool _inactive, const std::set<db::Box> &_clip_region, bool _skip_shapes)
-      : original_cell (_original_cell), inactive (_inactive), clip_region (_clip_region), skip_shapes (_skip_shapes)
+    CellMapKey (db::cell_index_type _original_cell, bool _inactive, const std::set<db::Box> &_clip_region)
+      : original_cell (_original_cell), inactive (_inactive), clip_region (_clip_region)
     { }
 
     bool operator== (const CellMapKey &other) const
     {
-      return original_cell == other.original_cell && inactive == other.inactive && clip_region == other.clip_region && skip_shapes == other.skip_shapes;
+      return original_cell == other.original_cell && inactive == other.inactive && clip_region == other.clip_region;
     }
 
     bool operator< (const CellMapKey &other) const
@@ -266,14 +266,12 @@ public:
       if (original_cell != other.original_cell) { return original_cell < other.original_cell; }
       if (inactive != other.inactive) { return inactive < other.inactive; }
       if (clip_region != other.clip_region) { return clip_region < other.clip_region; }
-      if (skip_shapes != other.skip_shapes) { return skip_shapes < other.skip_shapes; }
       return false;
     }
 
     db::cell_index_type original_cell;
     bool inactive;
     std::set<db::Box> clip_region;
-    bool skip_shapes;
   };