diff --git a/src/target/arm7_9_common.c b/src/target/arm7_9_common.c
index f6f277102fb63d0e8fc139a38940c10fd506563c..9751c213107cbf79ea52bff73b517cacc2d3865c 100644
--- a/src/target/arm7_9_common.c
+++ b/src/target/arm7_9_common.c
@@ -1051,7 +1051,7 @@ int arm7_9_deassert_reset(target_t *target)
 	{
 		LOG_WARNING("srst pulls trst - can not reset into halted mode. Issuing halt after reset.");
 		/* set up embedded ice registers again */
-		if ((retval=target->type->examine(target))!=ERROR_OK)
+		if ((retval = target_examine_one(target)) != ERROR_OK)
 			return retval;
 
 		if ((retval=target_poll(target))!=ERROR_OK)
diff --git a/src/target/target.c b/src/target/target.c
index 16d28727bc9c4c4d7e956f6524e8ec5ed0d55e77..04d162b5c7fe23250d05a9da2ce94daa559f005d 100644
--- a/src/target/target.c
+++ b/src/target/target.c
@@ -467,6 +467,11 @@ static int default_examine(struct target_s *target)
 	return ERROR_OK;
 }
 
+int target_examine_one(struct target_s *target)
+{
+	return target->type->examine(target);
+}
+
 /* Targets that correctly implement init+examine, i.e.
  * no communication with target during init:
  *
@@ -478,7 +483,7 @@ int target_examine(void)
 	target_t *target = all_targets;
 	while (target)
 	{
-		if ((retval = target->type->examine(target))!=ERROR_OK)
+		if ((retval = target_examine_one(target)) != ERROR_OK)
 			return retval;
 		target = target->next;
 	}
diff --git a/src/target/target.h b/src/target/target.h
index 6e282d9ee02fa804d323168e95b311c1835b4661..1eb1ba1b9ac11f5deabaf54b7811c3665a7de596 100644
--- a/src/target/target.h
+++ b/src/target/target.h
@@ -406,6 +406,12 @@ extern target_t *get_target(const char *id);
  */
 extern const char *target_get_name(struct target_s *target);
 
+/**
+ * Examine the specified @a target.
+ *
+ * This routine is a wrapper for target->type->examine.
+ */
+extern int target_examine_one(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.