diff --git a/python/gvtest/runner.py b/python/gvtest/runner.py
index 49fb3f7..ea235c9 100644
--- a/python/gvtest/runner.py
+++ b/python/gvtest/runner.py
@@ -131,6 +131,7 @@ def __init__(
         self.properties: dict[str, str] = {}
         self.test_list: list[str] | None = test_list
         self.target_names: list[str] = targets if targets is not None else ['default']
+        self._cli_targets_explicit: bool = targets is not None
         self.platform: str = platform
         if targets is None:
             self.default_target: Target = Target('default')
@@ -417,7 +418,7 @@ def stop(self) -> None:
     @property
     def _cli_targets_specified(self) -> bool:
         """True when the user explicitly passed --target."""
-        return self.target_names != ['default']
+        return self._cli_targets_explicit
 
     def add_testset(self, file: str) -> None:
         if not os.path.isabs(file):
@@ -480,10 +481,18 @@ def _resolve_targets_for_dir(
             loader, '_targets_config_dir', None
         )
         targets: list[Target] = []
+        # Filter by --target names, but only filter out
+        # YAML targets that aren't requested. 'default'
+        # in target_names means "untargeted tests" and
+        # doesn't affect YAML target resolution.
+        cli_real_targets = (
+            [n for n in self.target_names if n != 'default']
+            if self._cli_targets_specified
+            else []
+        )
         for name, cfg in yaml_targets.items():
-            # If CLI specifies targets, filter
-            if (self.target_names != ['default']
-                    and name not in self.target_names):
+            if (cli_real_targets
+                    and name not in cli_real_targets):
                 continue
             t = Target.from_dict(name, cfg)
             t.config_dir = config_dir
diff --git a/python/gvtest/tests.py b/python/gvtest/tests.py
index 13bce4c..3d1cce2 100644
--- a/python/gvtest/tests.py
+++ b/python/gvtest/tests.py
@@ -427,17 +427,30 @@ def enqueue(self) -> None:
             else self.runner.get_config()
         )
 
-        # When --target is specified, skip tests whose target
-        # is just the fallback (not from a gvtest.yaml
-        # targets section). This ensures only tests
-        # belonging to a real target are executed.
-        if (self.runner._cli_targets_specified
-                and self.target is not None
-                and getattr(
-                    self.target, '_is_fallback', False
-                )):
-            # Don't count or show — silently excluded
-            return
+        # Target filtering when --target is specified:
+        is_fallback = (
+            self.target is not None
+            and getattr(self.target, '_is_fallback', False)
+        )
+        if self.runner._cli_targets_specified:
+            want_default = 'default' in self.runner.target_names
+            if is_fallback:
+                # Untargeted test — only run if 'default'
+                # is in the requested targets
+                if not want_default:
+                    return
+            else:
+                # Targeted test — only run if its target
+                # name is in the requested targets
+                target_name = (
+                    self.target.name
+                    if self.target is not None
+                    else None
+                )
+                if (target_name is not None
+                        and target_name
+                        not in self.runner.target_names):
+                    return
 
         self.runner.count_test()
         if self.runner.tui is not None:
diff --git a/tests/test_runner.py b/tests/test_runner.py
index 95b4452..a53c43c 100644
--- a/tests/test_runner.py
+++ b/tests/test_runner.py
@@ -916,6 +916,86 @@ def testset_build(testset):
         # Both sub-testsets should run (1 test each)
         assert r.stats.stats['passed'] == 2
 
+    def test_target_default_runs_only_untargeted(
+        self, tmp_path
+    ):
+        """--target default should run only tests without
+        a target definition, skipping targeted tests."""
+        # Sub with real targets
+        sub = tmp_path / 'sub'
+        sub.mkdir()
+        (sub / 'gvtest.yaml').write_text(
+            'targets:\n  target_a: {}\n'
+        )
+        (sub / 'testset.cfg').write_text('''
+from gvtest.testsuite import *
+
+def testset_build(testset):
+    testset.set_name('sub')
+    test = testset.new_test('targeted')
+    test.add_command(Shell('run', 'echo targeted'))
+''')
+        # Root with untargeted test + import of sub
+        root = tmp_path / 'testset.cfg'
+        root.write_text('''
+from gvtest.testsuite import *
+
+def testset_build(testset):
+    testset.set_name('root')
+    test = testset.new_test('untargeted')
+    test.add_command(Shell('run', 'echo untargeted'))
+    testset.import_testset('sub/testset.cfg')
+''')
+        r = Runner(
+            properties=[], flags=[], nb_threads=1,
+            targets=['default']
+        )
+        r.add_testset(str(root))
+        r.start()
+        r.run()
+        r.stop()
+        # Only the untargeted test should run
+        assert r.stats.stats['passed'] == 1
+
+    def test_target_default_and_named_together(
+        self, tmp_path
+    ):
+        """--target default --target X should run both
+        untargeted tests and tests for target X."""
+        sub = tmp_path / 'sub'
+        sub.mkdir()
+        (sub / 'gvtest.yaml').write_text(
+            'targets:\n  target_a: {}\n'
+        )
+        (sub / 'testset.cfg').write_text('''
+from gvtest.testsuite import *
+
+def testset_build(testset):
+    testset.set_name('sub')
+    test = testset.new_test('targeted')
+    test.add_command(Shell('run', 'echo targeted'))
+''')
+        root = tmp_path / 'testset.cfg'
+        root.write_text('''
+from gvtest.testsuite import *
+
+def testset_build(testset):
+    testset.set_name('root')
+    test = testset.new_test('untargeted')
+    test.add_command(Shell('run', 'echo untargeted'))
+    testset.import_testset('sub/testset.cfg')
+''')
+        r = Runner(
+            properties=[], flags=[], nb_threads=1,
+            targets=['default', 'target_a']
+        )
+        r.add_testset(str(root))
+        r.start()
+        r.run()
+        r.stop()
+        # Both should run
+        assert r.stats.stats['passed'] == 2
+
     def test_no_cli_target_runs_all_yaml_targets(
         self, tmp_path
     ):