diff --git a/src/runtime/utils.ts b/src/runtime/utils.ts
index 9c5c067d..2bc5c8c0 100644
--- a/src/runtime/utils.ts
+++ b/src/runtime/utils.ts
@@ -28,12 +28,18 @@ export function batched(callback: Callback): Callback {
 }
 
 export function validateTarget(target: HTMLElement) {
-  if (!(target instanceof HTMLElement)) {
-    throw new OwlError("Cannot mount component: the target is not a valid DOM element");
-  }
-  if (!document.body.contains(target)) {
-    throw new OwlError("Cannot mount a component on a detached dom node");
+  // 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 (target instanceof HTMLElement) {
+      if (!document.body.contains(target)) {
+        throw new OwlError("Cannot mount a component on a detached dom node");
+      }
+      return;
+    }
   }
+  throw new OwlError("Cannot mount component: the target is not a valid DOM element");
 }
 
 export class EventBus extends EventTarget {
diff --git a/tests/app/__snapshots__/app.test.ts.snap b/tests/app/__snapshots__/app.test.ts.snap
index 010c4172..bbb6fabe 100644
--- a/tests/app/__snapshots__/app.test.ts.snap
+++ b/tests/app/__snapshots__/app.test.ts.snap
@@ -29,6 +29,19 @@ exports[`app can configure an app with props 1`] = `
 }"
 `;
 
+exports[`app can mount app in 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[`app destroy remove the widget from the DOM 1`] = `
 "function anonymous(app, bdom, helpers
 ) {
diff --git a/tests/app/app.test.ts b/tests/app/app.test.ts
index 0111d2c5..37699a70 100644
--- a/tests/app/app.test.ts
+++ b/tests/app/app.test.ts
@@ -76,4 +76,22 @@ describe("app", () => {
       "Component 'Root' does not have a static props description"
     );
   });
+
+  test("can mount app in an iframe", async () => {
+    class SomeComponent extends Component {
+      static template = xml`<div class="my-div"/>`;
+    }
+
+    const iframe = document.createElement("iframe");
+    fixture.appendChild(iframe);
+    const app = new App(SomeComponent);
+    const iframeDoc = iframe.contentDocument!;
+    const comp = await app.mount(iframeDoc.body);
+    const div = iframeDoc.querySelector(".my-div");
+    expect(div).not.toBe(null);
+    expect(iframeDoc.contains(div)).toBe(true);
+    app.destroy();
+    expect(iframeDoc.contains(div)).toBe(false);
+    expect(status(comp)).toBe("destroyed");
+  });
 });