diff --git a/dissect/target/target.py b/dissect/target/target.py
index c3a2ab516..5dd6f81ec 100644
--- a/dissect/target/target.py
+++ b/dissect/target/target.py
@@ -303,13 +303,14 @@ def _find(find_path: Path, parsed_path: Optional[urllib.parse.ParseResult]):
                     try:
                         # Attempt to load the target using this loader
                         target = cls._load(sub_entry, ldr)
+                    except Exception as e:
+                        getlogger(sub_entry).error("Failed to load target with loader %s", ldr, exc_info=e)
+                        continue
+                    else:
                         loaded = True
                         at_least_one_loaded = True
                         yield target
 
-                    except Exception as e:
-                        getlogger(sub_entry).error("Failed to load target with loader %s", ldr, exc_info=e)
-
                     if include_children:
                         try:
                             yield from target.open_children()
diff --git a/tests/test_target.py b/tests/test_target.py
index 452be25ab..34d5e1098 100644
--- a/tests/test_target.py
+++ b/tests/test_target.py
@@ -516,3 +516,21 @@ def test_fs_mount_already_there(target_unix: Target, nr_of_fs: int) -> None:
 
         assert f"/$fs$/fs{idx}" in target_unix.fs.mounts.keys()
         assert target_unix.fs.path(f"$fs$/fs{idx}").exists()
+
+
+def test_children_on_invalid_target(caplog: pytest.LogCaptureFixture, tmp_path: Path) -> None:
+    """test that we don't attempt to load child targets on an invalid target"""
+    p = tmp_path.joinpath("empty-dir")
+    p.mkdir()
+
+    mock_loader = Mock()
+    mock_loader.find_all.return_value = [None]
+    mock_loader.return_value = None
+
+    with patch.object(loader, "find_loader", return_value=mock_loader):
+        try:
+            list(Target.open_all([p], include_children=True))
+        except Exception:
+            pass
+
+    assert "Failed to load child target from None" not in caplog.text