diff --git a/tests/test_repository_tool.py b/tests/test_repository_tool.py
index ae3c1dfd53..f314ff4a02 100755
--- a/tests/test_repository_tool.py
+++ b/tests/test_repository_tool.py
@@ -2053,6 +2053,10 @@ def test_load_repository(self):
 
     repository = repo_tool.load_repository(repository_directory)
     self.assertTrue(isinstance(repository, repo_tool.Repository))
+    self.assertTrue(isinstance(repository.targets('role1'),
+        repo_tool.Targets))
+    self.assertTrue(isinstance(repository.targets('role1')('role2'),
+        repo_tool.Targets))
 
     # Verify the expected roles have been loaded.  See
     # 'tuf/tests/repository_data/repository/'.