diff --git a/OpenRA.Game/Traits/Target.cs b/OpenRA.Game/Traits/Target.cs
index a2b3845a56..50e17d9fab 100644
--- a/OpenRA.Game/Traits/Target.cs
+++ b/OpenRA.Game/Traits/Target.cs
@@ -38,11 +38,14 @@ namespace OpenRA.Traits
 
 		public static Target FromActor(Actor a)
 		{
+			if (a == null)
+				return Target.Invalid;
+
 			return new Target
 			{
 				actor = a,
-				targetable = a != null ? a.TraitOrDefault<ITargetable>() : null,
-				type = a != null ? TargetType.Actor : TargetType.Invalid,
+				targetable = a.TraitOrDefault<ITargetable>(),
+				type = TargetType.Actor,
 				generation = a.Generation,
 			};
 		}
@@ -73,7 +76,7 @@ namespace OpenRA.Traits
 
 		public bool IsValidFor(Actor targeter)
 		{
-			if (Type == TargetType.Invalid)
+			if (targeter == null || Type == TargetType.Invalid)
 				return false;
 
 			if (targetable != null && !targetable.TargetableBy(actor, targeter))
diff --git a/OpenRA.Mods.RA/AI/HackyAI.cs b/OpenRA.Mods.RA/AI/HackyAI.cs
index 7437b08734..7b64fa2795 100644
--- a/OpenRA.Mods.RA/AI/HackyAI.cs
+++ b/OpenRA.Mods.RA/AI/HackyAI.cs
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ namespace OpenRA.Mods.RA.AI
 		HackyAI bot;
 		XRandom random;
 
-		Actor target;
+		Target target;
 		StateMachine fsm;
 
 		//fuzzy
@@ -113,7 +113,8 @@ namespace OpenRA.Mods.RA.AI
 			this.world = bot.world;
 			this.random = bot.random;
 			this.type = type;
-			this.target = target;
+			this.target = Traits.Target.FromActor(target);
+
 			fsm = new StateMachine(this);
 
 			switch (type)
@@ -144,14 +145,13 @@ namespace OpenRA.Mods.RA.AI
 
 		public Actor Target
 		{
-			get { return target; }
-			set { target = value; }
+			get { return target.Actor; }
+			set { target = Traits.Target.FromActor(value); }
 		}
 
 		public bool TargetIsValid
 		{
-			get { return (target != null && !target.IsDead() && !target.Destroyed
-				&& target.IsInWorld && !target.HasTrait<Husk>()); }
+			get { return target.IsValidFor(units.FirstOrDefault()) && !target.Actor.HasTrait<Husk>(); }
 		}
 
 		//**********************************************************************************