diff --git a/src/server/gdb_server.c b/src/server/gdb_server.c
index 23748e7c6..d5c3f3510 100644
--- a/src/server/gdb_server.c
+++ b/src/server/gdb_server.c
@@ -2211,7 +2211,8 @@ int gdb_init(void)
 
 		add_service("gdb", CONNECTION_PIPE, 0, 1, gdb_new_connection, gdb_input, gdb_connection_closed, gdb_service);
 
-		LOG_DEBUG("gdb service for target %s using pipes", target->type->name);
+		LOG_DEBUG("gdb service for target %s using pipes",
+				target_get_name(target));
 	}
 	else
 	{
@@ -2222,7 +2223,9 @@ int gdb_init(void)
 
 			add_service("gdb", CONNECTION_TCP, gdb_port + target->target_number, 1, gdb_new_connection, gdb_input, gdb_connection_closed, gdb_service);
 
-			LOG_DEBUG("gdb service for target %s at port %i", target->type->name, gdb_port + target->target_number);
+			LOG_DEBUG("gdb service for target %s at port %i",
+					target_get_name(target),
+					gdb_port + target->target_number);
 			target = target->next;
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/src/target/arm11.c b/src/target/arm11.c
index 0dc6bf476..155573270 100644
--- a/src/target/arm11.c
+++ b/src/target/arm11.c
@@ -1847,7 +1847,7 @@ arm11_common_t * arm11_find_target(const char * arg)
 			continue;
 
 		/* if (t->type == arm11_target) */
-		if (0 == strcmp(t->type->name, "arm11"))
+		if (0 == strcmp(target_get_name(t), "arm11"))
 			return t->arch_info;
 	}
 
diff --git a/src/target/embeddedice.c b/src/target/embeddedice.c
index 9d2be364d..d96debd05 100644
--- a/src/target/embeddedice.c
+++ b/src/target/embeddedice.c
@@ -184,7 +184,7 @@ reg_cache_t* embeddedice_build_reg_cache(target_t *target, arm7_9_common_t *arm7
 			 * in some unusual bits.  Let feroceon.c validate it
 			 * and do the appropriate setup itself.
 			 */
-			if (strcmp(target->type->name, "feroceon") == 0)
+			if (strcmp(target_get_name(target), "feroceon") == 0)
 				break;
 			LOG_ERROR("unknown EmbeddedICE version (comms ctrl: 0x%8.8x)", buf_get_u32(reg_list[EICE_COMMS_CTRL].value, 0, 32));
 	}
diff --git a/src/target/target.c b/src/target/target.c
index 993b8c613..a54e0654b 100644
--- a/src/target/target.c
+++ b/src/target/target.c
@@ -484,6 +484,10 @@ int target_examine(void)
 	}
 	return retval;
 }
+const char *target_get_name(struct target_s *target)
+{
+	return target->type->name;
+}
 
 static int target_write_memory_imp(struct target_s *target, u32 address, u32 size, u32 count, u8 *buffer)
 {
@@ -598,7 +602,7 @@ int target_init(struct command_context_s *cmd_ctx)
 
 		if ((retval = target->type->init_target(cmd_ctx, target)) != ERROR_OK)
 		{
-			LOG_ERROR("target '%s' init failed", target->type->name);
+			LOG_ERROR("target '%s' init failed", target_get_name(target));
 			return retval;
 		}
 
@@ -1451,7 +1455,7 @@ DumpTargets:
 		command_print(cmd_ctx, "%2d: %-10s %-10s %-10s %10d %14s %s",
 					  target->target_number,
 					  target->cmd_name,
-					  target->type->name,
+					  target_get_name(target),
 					  Jim_Nvp_value2name_simple( nvp_target_endian, target->endianness )->name,
 					  target->tap->abs_chain_position,
 					  target->tap->dotted_name,
@@ -3131,7 +3135,7 @@ void target_handle_event( target_t *target, enum target_event e )
 			LOG_DEBUG( "target: (%d) %s (%s) event: %d (%s) action: %s\n",
 					   target->target_number,
 					   target->cmd_name,
-					   target->type->name,
+					   target_get_name(target),
 					   e,
 					   Jim_Nvp_value2name_simple( nvp_target_event, e )->name,
 					   Jim_GetString( teap->body, NULL ) );
@@ -3220,7 +3224,7 @@ static int target_configure( Jim_GetOptInfo *goi, target_t *target )
 					return JIM_ERR;
 				}
 			}
-			Jim_SetResultString( goi->interp, target->type->name, -1 );
+			Jim_SetResultString( goi->interp, target_get_name(target), -1 );
 			/* loop for more */
 			break;
 		case TCFG_EVENT:
diff --git a/src/target/target.h b/src/target/target.h
index 3d9d8e9f9..91dd1b154 100644
--- a/src/target/target.h
+++ b/src/target/target.h
@@ -107,6 +107,10 @@ typedef struct working_area_s
 
 typedef struct target_type_s
 {
+	/**
+	 * Name of the target.  Do @b not access this field directly, use
+	 * target_get_name() instead.
+	 */
 	char *name;
 
 	/**
@@ -395,6 +399,13 @@ extern target_t* get_current_target(struct command_context_s *cmd_ctx);
 extern int get_num_by_target(target_t *query_target);
 extern target_t *get_target(const char *id);
 
+/**
+ * Get the target name.
+ *
+ * This routine is a wrapper for the target->type->name field.
+ */
+extern const char *target_get_name(struct target_s *target);
+
 /// @returns @c true if the target has been examined.
 extern bool target_was_examined(struct target_s *target);
 /// Sets the @c examined flag for the given target.