diff --git a/src/target/cortex_m.c b/src/target/cortex_m.c
index 721cf0a24..649ee32f2 100644
--- a/src/target/cortex_m.c
+++ b/src/target/cortex_m.c
@@ -2589,7 +2589,7 @@ static int cortex_m_target_create(struct target *target, Jim_Interp *interp)
 static int cortex_m_verify_pointer(struct command_invocation *cmd,
 	struct cortex_m_common *cm)
 {
-	if (cm->common_magic != CORTEX_M_COMMON_MAGIC) {
+	if (!is_cortex_m_with_dap_access(cm)) {
 		command_print(cmd, "target is not a Cortex-M");
 		return ERROR_TARGET_INVALID;
 	}
diff --git a/src/target/cortex_m.h b/src/target/cortex_m.h
index 57ef1e7e8..c2f836a35 100644
--- a/src/target/cortex_m.h
+++ b/src/target/cortex_m.h
@@ -254,6 +254,19 @@ target_to_cm(struct target *target)
 			struct cortex_m_common, armv7m);
 }
 
+static inline bool is_cortex_m_or_hla(const struct cortex_m_common *cortex_m)
+{
+	return cortex_m->common_magic == CORTEX_M_COMMON_MAGIC;
+}
+
+static inline bool is_cortex_m_with_dap_access(const struct cortex_m_common *cortex_m)
+{
+	if (!is_cortex_m_or_hla(cortex_m))
+		return false;
+
+	return !cortex_m->armv7m.is_hla_target;
+}
+
 int cortex_m_examine(struct target *target);
 int cortex_m_set_breakpoint(struct target *target, struct breakpoint *breakpoint);
 int cortex_m_unset_breakpoint(struct target *target, struct breakpoint *breakpoint);
diff --git a/src/target/hla_target.c b/src/target/hla_target.c
index a0f2d7608..3e359b950 100644
--- a/src/target/hla_target.c
+++ b/src/target/hla_target.c
@@ -214,6 +214,8 @@ static int adapter_target_create(struct target *target,
 		return ERROR_FAIL;
 	}
 
+	cortex_m->common_magic = CORTEX_M_COMMON_MAGIC;
+
 	adapter_init_arch_info(target, cortex_m, target->tap);
 
 	return ERROR_OK;