diff --git a/awx/main/scheduler/task_manager.py b/awx/main/scheduler/task_manager.py
index 2301f7ec00..a44a5740de 100644
--- a/awx/main/scheduler/task_manager.py
+++ b/awx/main/scheduler/task_manager.py
@@ -68,8 +68,7 @@ class TaskManager:
         """
         Init AFTER we know this instance of the task manager will run because the lock is acquired.
         """
-        instances = Instance.objects.filter(hostname__isnull=False, enabled=True).exclude(node_type='hop')
-        self.real_instances = {i.hostname: i for i in instances}
+        instances = Instance.objects.filter(hostname__isnull=False, enabled=True).exclude(node_type='hop').only('node_type', 'capacity', 'hostname', 'enabled')
         self.controlplane_ig = None
         self.dependency_graph = DependencyGraph()
 
@@ -85,11 +84,12 @@ class TaskManager:
         ]
 
         instances_by_hostname = {i.hostname: i for i in instances_partial}
+        self.instances_by_hostname = instances_by_hostname
 
         # updates remaining capacity value based on currently running and waiting tasks
         Instance.update_remaining_capacity(instances_by_hostname, all_sorted_tasks)
 
-        for rampart_group in InstanceGroup.objects.prefetch_related('instances'):
+        for rampart_group in InstanceGroup.objects.prefetch_related('instances').only('name', 'instances'):
             if rampart_group.name == settings.DEFAULT_CONTROL_PLANE_QUEUE_NAME:
                 self.controlplane_ig = rampart_group
             self.graph[rampart_group.name] = dict(
@@ -114,16 +114,23 @@ class TaskManager:
         return None
 
     def get_tasks(self, status_list=('pending', 'waiting', 'running')):
-        jobs = [j for j in Job.objects.filter(status__in=status_list).prefetch_related('instance_group')]
+        common_needed_values = ['celery_task_id', 'controller_node', 'created', 'execution_node', 'instance_group', 'job_explanation', 'name', 'pk', 'status']
+        inv_needed_values = ['inventory_source']
+        jobs = [j for j in Job.objects.filter(status__in=status_list).prefetch_related('instance_group').only(*common_needed_values)]
         inventory_updates_qs = (
-            InventoryUpdate.objects.filter(status__in=status_list).exclude(source='file').prefetch_related('inventory_source', 'instance_group')
+            InventoryUpdate.objects.filter(status__in=status_list)
+            .exclude(source='file')
+            .prefetch_related('inventory_source', 'instance_group')
+            .only(*(common_needed_values + inv_needed_values))
         )
         inventory_updates = [i for i in inventory_updates_qs]
         # Notice the job_type='check': we want to prevent implicit project updates from blocking our jobs.
-        project_updates = [p for p in ProjectUpdate.objects.filter(status__in=status_list, job_type='check').prefetch_related('instance_group')]
-        system_jobs = [s for s in SystemJob.objects.filter(status__in=status_list).prefetch_related('instance_group')]
-        ad_hoc_commands = [a for a in AdHocCommand.objects.filter(status__in=status_list).prefetch_related('instance_group')]
-        workflow_jobs = [w for w in WorkflowJob.objects.filter(status__in=status_list)]
+        project_updates = [
+            p for p in ProjectUpdate.objects.filter(status__in=status_list, job_type='check').prefetch_related('instance_group').only(*common_needed_values)
+        ]
+        system_jobs = [s for s in SystemJob.objects.filter(status__in=status_list).prefetch_related('instance_group').only(*common_needed_values)]
+        ad_hoc_commands = [a for a in AdHocCommand.objects.filter(status__in=status_list).prefetch_related('instance_group').only(*common_needed_values)]
+        workflow_jobs = [w for w in WorkflowJob.objects.filter(status__in=status_list).only(*common_needed_values)]
         all_tasks = sorted(jobs + project_updates + inventory_updates + system_jobs + ad_hoc_commands + workflow_jobs, key=lambda task: task.created)
         return all_tasks
 
@@ -493,7 +500,7 @@ class TaskManager:
                 task.execution_node = control_instance.hostname
                 control_instance.remaining_capacity = max(0, control_instance.remaining_capacity - control_impact)
                 self.dependency_graph.add_job(task)
-                execution_instance = self.real_instances[control_instance.hostname]
+                execution_instance = self.instances_by_hostname[control_instance.hostname].obj
                 task.log_lifecycle("controller_node_chosen")
                 task.log_lifecycle("execution_node_chosen")
                 self.start_task(task, self.controlplane_ig, task.get_jobs_fail_chain(), execution_instance)
@@ -533,7 +540,7 @@ class TaskManager:
                             task.log_format, rampart_group.name, execution_instance.hostname, execution_instance.remaining_capacity
                         )
                     )
-                    execution_instance = self.real_instances[execution_instance.hostname]
+                    execution_instance = self.instances_by_hostname[execution_instance.hostname].obj
                     self.dependency_graph.add_job(task)
                     self.start_task(task, rampart_group, task.get_jobs_fail_chain(), execution_instance)
                     found_acceptable_queue = True