diff --git a/src/jecs.luau b/src/jecs.luau
index a8cb226..a9f355d 100755
--- a/src/jecs.luau
+++ b/src/jecs.luau
@@ -3342,16 +3342,16 @@ local function world_new(DEBUG: boolean?)
 		local end_count = nth + count
 
 		local archetype_types = archetype.types
-		local sparse_array = entity_index.sparse_array
-		local dense_array = entity_index.dense_array
 
 		return function(): i53?
-			if nth == end_count then
-				return nil
+			while nth ~= end_count do
+				local target = entity_index_get_alive(entity_index, ECS_PAIR_SECOND(archetype_types[nth]))
+				nth += 1
+				if target then
+					return target
+				end
 			end
-			local target = dense_array[sparse_array[ECS_PAIR_SECOND(archetype_types[nth])].dense]
-			nth += 1
-			return target
+			return nil
 		end
 	end
 
diff --git a/test/tests.luau b/test/tests.luau
index 7aeab8e..086f3d3 100755
--- a/test/tests.luau
+++ b/test/tests.luau
@@ -3300,6 +3300,29 @@ TEST("world:targets()", function()
 
 		CHECK(count == #alive)
 	end
+	do CASE "should skip targets deleted after the iterator is created"
+		local world = jecs.world()
+
+		local ROOT = world:entity()
+		local e = world:entity()
+		local a, b, c = world:entity(), world:entity(), world:entity()
+		world:add(e, pair(ROOT, a))
+		world:add(e, pair(ROOT, b))
+		world:add(e, pair(ROOT, c))
+
+		local iter = world:targets(e, ROOT)
+		world:delete(b)
+
+		local seen = {}
+		for t in iter do
+			CHECK(world:contains(t))
+			seen[#seen + 1] = t
+		end
+
+		CHECK(#seen == 2)
+		CHECK(seen[1] == a)
+		CHECK(seen[2] == c)
+	end
 	do CASE "should properly handle rapid add/remove calls"
 		local world = jecs.world()