diff --git a/src/target/target.c b/src/target/target.c
index 53850bf28..8c5c8e5e3 100644
--- a/src/target/target.c
+++ b/src/target/target.c
@@ -4968,6 +4968,17 @@ no_params:
 						LOG_INFO("DEPRECATED target event %s; use TPIU events {pre,post}-{enable,disable}", n->name);
 					/* END_DEPRECATED_TPIU */
 
+					jim_getopt_obj(goi, &o);
+					if (Jim_Length(o) == 0) {
+						/* empty action, drop existing one */
+						if (teap) {
+							list_del(&teap->list);
+							Jim_DecrRefCount(teap->interp, teap->body);
+							free(teap);
+						}
+						break;
+					}
+
 					bool replace = true;
 					if (!teap) {
 						/* create new */
@@ -4976,7 +4987,6 @@ no_params:
 					}
 					teap->event = n->value;
 					teap->interp = goi->interp;
-					jim_getopt_obj(goi, &o);
 					if (teap->body)
 						Jim_DecrRefCount(teap->interp, teap->body);
 					teap->body  = Jim_DuplicateObj(goi->interp, o);
diff --git a/tools/scripts/camelcase.txt b/tools/scripts/camelcase.txt
index b78790200..6c6c28daa 100644
--- a/tools/scripts/camelcase.txt
+++ b/tools/scripts/camelcase.txt
@@ -122,6 +122,7 @@ Jim_GetWide
 Jim_IncrRefCount
 Jim_InitStaticExtensions
 Jim_Interp
+Jim_Length
 Jim_ListAppendElement
 Jim_ListGetIndex
 Jim_ListLength