diff --git a/src/target/riscv/riscv-013.c b/src/target/riscv/riscv-013.c
index 0a68bfe98..64ea8ef4a 100644
--- a/src/target/riscv/riscv-013.c
+++ b/src/target/riscv/riscv-013.c
@@ -2056,6 +2056,14 @@ static int examine(struct target *target)
 	enum riscv_hart_state state_at_examine_start;
 	if (riscv_get_hart_state(target, &state_at_examine_start) != ERROR_OK)
 		return ERROR_FAIL;
+
+	/* Skip full examination of hart if it is unavailable */
+	const bool hart_unavailable_at_examine_start = state_at_examine_start == RISCV_STATE_UNAVAILABLE;
+	if (hart_unavailable_at_examine_start) {
+		LOG_TARGET_INFO(target, "Did not fully examine hart %d as it was unavailable, deferring examine.", info->index);
+		target->defer_examine = true;
+		return ERROR_OK;
+	}
 	const bool hart_halted_at_examine_start = state_at_examine_start == RISCV_STATE_HALTED;
 	if (!hart_halted_at_examine_start) {
 		r->prepped = true;
diff --git a/src/target/riscv/riscv.c b/src/target/riscv/riscv.c
index 3f35a4f09..0b698197e 100644
--- a/src/target/riscv/riscv.c
+++ b/src/target/riscv/riscv.c
@@ -3214,6 +3214,11 @@ int riscv_openocd_poll(struct target *target)
 		if (!target_was_examined(t))
 			continue;
 
+		if (target->defer_examine) {
+			target->examined = false;
+			continue;
+		}
+
 		enum riscv_next_action next_action;
 		if (riscv_poll_hart(t, &next_action) != ERROR_OK)
 			return ERROR_FAIL;
diff --git a/src/target/target.c b/src/target/target.c
index 74d1a8ab7..e8f3cbab1 100644
--- a/src/target/target.c
+++ b/src/target/target.c
@@ -686,7 +686,8 @@ int target_examine_one(struct target *target)
 	}
 
 	LOG_USER("[%s] Target successfully examined.", target_name(target));
-	target_set_examined(target);
+	if (!target->defer_examine)
+		target_set_examined(target);
 	target_call_event_callbacks(target, TARGET_EVENT_EXAMINE_END);
 
 	LOG_TARGET_INFO(target, "Examination succeed");
@@ -5267,7 +5268,8 @@ COMMAND_HANDLER(handle_target_examine)
 		return retval;
 	}
 
-	target_set_examined(target);
+	if (!target->defer_examine)
+		target_set_examined(target);
 
 	return ERROR_OK;
 }