diff --git a/src/runtime/utils.ts b/src/runtime/utils.ts
index 3644bbc6..7445fa47 100644
--- a/src/runtime/utils.ts
+++ b/src/runtime/utils.ts
@@ -35,13 +35,43 @@ export function inOwnerDocument(el?: HTMLElement) {
   return rootNode instanceof ShadowRoot && el.ownerDocument.contains(rootNode.host);
 }
 
+/**
+ * Determine whether the given element is contained in a specific root documnet:
+ * either directly or with a shadow root in between or in an iframe.
+ */
+function isAttachedToDocument(
+  element: HTMLElement | ShadowRoot,
+  documentElement: Document
+): boolean {
+  let current: Node = element;
+  const shadowRoot = documentElement.defaultView!.ShadowRoot;
+  while (current) {
+    if (current === documentElement) {
+      return true;
+    }
+    if (current.parentNode) {
+      current = current.parentNode;
+    } else if (current instanceof shadowRoot && current.host) {
+      current = current.host;
+    } else {
+      return false;
+    }
+  }
+  return false;
+}
+
 export function validateTarget(target: HTMLElement | ShadowRoot) {
   // Get the document and HTMLElement corresponding to the target to allow mounting in iframes
   const document = target && target.ownerDocument;
   if (document) {
-    const HTMLElement = document.defaultView!.HTMLElement;
+    if (!document.defaultView) {
+      throw new OwlError(
+        "Cannot mount a component: the target document is not attached to a window (defaultView is missing)"
+      );
+    }
+    const HTMLElement = document.defaultView.HTMLElement;
     if (target instanceof HTMLElement || target instanceof ShadowRoot) {
-      if (!document.body.contains(target instanceof HTMLElement ? target : target.host)) {
+      if (!isAttachedToDocument(target, document)) {
         throw new OwlError("Cannot mount a component on a detached dom node");
       }
       return;
diff --git a/tests/shadow_dom/__snapshots__/shadow_dom.test.ts.snap b/tests/shadow_dom/__snapshots__/shadow_dom.test.ts.snap
index 60644d42..6a2bf9a1 100644
--- a/tests/shadow_dom/__snapshots__/shadow_dom.test.ts.snap
+++ b/tests/shadow_dom/__snapshots__/shadow_dom.test.ts.snap
@@ -27,6 +27,58 @@ exports[`shadow_dom can mount app 1`] = `
 }"
 `;
 
+exports[`shadow_dom can mount app in closed shadow dom 1`] = `
+"function anonymous(app, bdom, helpers
+) {
+  let { text, createBlock, list, multi, html, toggler, comment } = bdom;
+  
+  let block1 = createBlock(\`<div class=\\"my-div\\"/>\`);
+  
+  return function template(ctx, node, key = \\"\\") {
+    return block1();
+  }
+}"
+`;
+
+exports[`shadow_dom can mount app inside a separate HTML document 1`] = `
+"function anonymous(app, bdom, helpers
+) {
+  let { text, createBlock, list, multi, html, toggler, comment } = bdom;
+  
+  let block1 = createBlock(\`<div class=\\"my-div\\"/>\`);
+  
+  return function template(ctx, node, key = \\"\\") {
+    return block1();
+  }
+}"
+`;
+
+exports[`shadow_dom can mount app inside a shadow child element 1`] = `
+"function anonymous(app, bdom, helpers
+) {
+  let { text, createBlock, list, multi, html, toggler, comment } = bdom;
+  
+  let block1 = createBlock(\`<div class=\\"my-div\\"/>\`);
+  
+  return function template(ctx, node, key = \\"\\") {
+    return block1();
+  }
+}"
+`;
+
+exports[`shadow_dom can mount app inside an element in a shadow root inside an iframe 1`] = `
+"function anonymous(app, bdom, helpers
+) {
+  let { text, createBlock, list, multi, html, toggler, comment } = bdom;
+  
+  let block1 = createBlock(\`<div class=\\"my-div\\"/>\`);
+  
+  return function template(ctx, node, key = \\"\\") {
+    return block1();
+  }
+}"
+`;
+
 exports[`shadow_dom useRef hook 1`] = `
 "function anonymous(app, bdom, helpers
 ) {
diff --git a/tests/shadow_dom/shadow_dom.test.ts b/tests/shadow_dom/shadow_dom.test.ts
index 06233935..69848113 100644
--- a/tests/shadow_dom/shadow_dom.test.ts
+++ b/tests/shadow_dom/shadow_dom.test.ts
@@ -29,6 +29,24 @@ describe("shadow_dom", () => {
     expect(status(comp)).toBe("destroyed");
   });
 
+  test("can mount app in closed shadow dom", async () => {
+    class SomeComponent extends Component {
+      static template = xml`<div class="my-div"/>`;
+    }
+
+    const container = document.createElement("div");
+    fixture.appendChild(container);
+    const shadow = container.attachShadow({ mode: "closed" });
+    const app = new App(SomeComponent);
+    const comp = await app.mount(shadow);
+    const div = shadow.querySelector(".my-div");
+    expect(div).not.toBe(null);
+    expect(shadow.contains(div)).toBe(true);
+    app.destroy();
+    expect(shadow.contains(div)).toBe(false);
+    expect(status(comp)).toBe("destroyed");
+  });
+
   test("can bind event handler", async () => {
     let a = 1;
     class SomeComponent extends Component {
@@ -64,4 +82,73 @@ describe("shadow_dom", () => {
     await mountedProm;
     expect(comp!.div.el).toBe(shadow.querySelector(".my-div"));
   });
+
+  test("can mount app inside a shadow child element", async () => {
+    class SomeComponent extends Component {
+      static template = xml`<div class="my-div"/>`;
+    }
+    const shadow = fixture.attachShadow({ mode: "open" });
+    const shadowDiv = document.createElement("div");
+    shadow.append(shadowDiv);
+    const app = new App(SomeComponent);
+    const comp = await app.mount(shadowDiv);
+    const div = shadow.querySelector(".my-div");
+    expect(div).not.toBe(null);
+    expect(shadow.contains(div)).toBe(true);
+    app.destroy();
+    expect(shadow.contains(div)).toBe(false);
+    expect(status(comp)).toBe("destroyed");
+  });
+
+  test("can mount app inside a separate HTML document", async () => {
+    class SomeComponent extends Component {
+      static template = xml`<div class="my-div"/>`;
+    }
+
+    const separateDoc = document.implementation.createHTMLDocument();
+    const container = separateDoc.createElement("div");
+    separateDoc.body.appendChild(container);
+
+    const app = new App(SomeComponent);
+    let error: Error;
+    try {
+      await app.mount(container);
+    } catch (e) {
+      error = e as Error;
+    }
+    expect(error!).toBeDefined();
+    expect(error!.message).toBe(
+      "Cannot mount a component: the target document is not attached to a window (defaultView is missing)"
+    );
+  });
+
+  test("can mount app inside an element in a shadow root inside an iframe", async () => {
+    class SomeComponent extends Component {
+      static template = xml`<div class="my-div"/>`;
+    }
+
+    const iframe = document.createElement("iframe");
+    fixture.appendChild(iframe);
+
+    const iframeDoc = iframe.contentDocument!;
+    const container = iframeDoc.createElement("div");
+    iframeDoc.body.appendChild(container);
+
+    const shadow = container.attachShadow({ mode: "open" });
+
+    const shadowTarget = iframeDoc.createElement("div");
+    shadow.appendChild(shadowTarget);
+
+    const app = new App(SomeComponent);
+    const comp = await app.mount(shadowTarget);
+
+    const div = shadow.querySelector(".my-div");
+    expect(div).not.toBe(null);
+    expect(shadow.contains(div)).toBe(true);
+    expect(iframeDoc.body.contains(container)).toBe(true);
+
+    app.destroy();
+    expect(shadow.contains(div)).toBe(false);
+    expect(status(comp)).toBe("destroyed");
+  });
 });