diff --git a/src/target/target.c b/src/target/target.c
index 002fd7886..ca9b90133 100644
--- a/src/target/target.c
+++ b/src/target/target.c
@@ -4663,11 +4663,18 @@ COMMAND_HANDLER(handle_target_write_memory)
  */
 void target_handle_event(struct target *target, enum target_event e)
 {
-	struct target_event_action *teap;
+	struct target_event_action *teap, *tmp;
 	int retval;
 
-	list_for_each_entry(teap, &target->events_action, list) {
+	list_for_each_entry_safe(teap, tmp, &target->events_action, list) {
 		if (teap->event == e) {
+			/*
+			 * The event can be destroyed by its own handler.
+			 * Make a local copy and use it in place of the original.
+			 */
+			struct target_event_action local_teap = *teap;
+			teap = &local_teap;
+
 			LOG_DEBUG("target: %s (%s) event: %d (%s) action: %s",
 					   target_name(target),
 					   target_type_name(target),
@@ -4683,7 +4690,13 @@ void target_handle_event(struct target *target, enum target_event e)
 			struct target *saved_target_override = cmd_ctx->current_target_override;
 			cmd_ctx->current_target_override = target;
 
+			/*
+			 * The event can be destroyed by its own handler.
+			 * Prevent the body to get deallocated by Jim.
+			 */
+			Jim_IncrRefCount(teap->body);
 			retval = Jim_EvalObj(teap->interp, teap->body);
+			Jim_DecrRefCount(teap->interp, teap->body);
 
 			cmd_ctx->current_target_override = saved_target_override;