diff --git a/src/runtime/app.ts b/src/runtime/app.ts
index caca43f5..3fc6f5d7 100644
--- a/src/runtime/app.ts
+++ b/src/runtime/app.ts
@@ -84,7 +84,10 @@ export class App<
     this.props = config.props || ({} as P);
   }
 
-  mount(target: HTMLElement, options?: MountOptions): Promise<Component<P, E> & InstanceType<T>> {
+  mount(
+    target: HTMLElement | ShadowRoot,
+    options?: MountOptions
+  ): Promise<Component<P, E> & InstanceType<T>> {
     App.validateTarget(target);
     if (this.dev) {
       validateProps(this.Root, this.props, { __owl__: { app: this } });
@@ -99,7 +102,7 @@ export class App<
     return new ComponentNode(Component, props, this, null, null);
   }
 
-  mountNode(node: ComponentNode, target: HTMLElement, options?: MountOptions) {
+  mountNode(node: ComponentNode, target: HTMLElement | ShadowRoot, options?: MountOptions) {
     const promise: any = new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
       let isResolved = false;
       // manually set a onMounted callback.
diff --git a/src/runtime/blockdom/events.ts b/src/runtime/blockdom/events.ts
index f2b3b474..9a6c7338 100644
--- a/src/runtime/blockdom/events.ts
+++ b/src/runtime/blockdom/events.ts
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import { inOwnerDocument } from "../utils";
 import { config } from "./config";
 
 type EventHandlerSetter = (this: HTMLElement, data: any) => void;
@@ -28,7 +29,7 @@ function createElementHandler(evName: string, capture: boolean = false): EventHa
 
   function listener(ev: Event) {
     const currentTarget = ev.currentTarget as HTMLElement;
-    if (!currentTarget || !currentTarget.ownerDocument.contains(currentTarget)) return;
+    if (!currentTarget || !inOwnerDocument(currentTarget)) return;
     const data = (currentTarget as any)[eventKey];
     if (!data) return;
     config.mainEventHandler(data, ev, currentTarget);
diff --git a/src/runtime/hooks.ts b/src/runtime/hooks.ts
index ebc3b1d1..7fecd555 100644
--- a/src/runtime/hooks.ts
+++ b/src/runtime/hooks.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import type { Env } from "./app";
 import { getCurrent } from "./component_node";
 import { onMounted, onPatched, onWillUnmount } from "./lifecycle_hooks";
+import { inOwnerDocument } from "./utils";
 
 // -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // useRef
@@ -16,7 +17,7 @@ export function useRef<T extends HTMLElement = HTMLElement>(name: string): { el:
   return {
     get el(): T | null {
       const el = refs[name];
-      return el?.ownerDocument.contains(el) ? el : null;
+      return inOwnerDocument(el) ? el : null;
     },
   };
 }
diff --git a/src/runtime/utils.ts b/src/runtime/utils.ts
index 2bc5c8c0..b1c6c92e 100644
--- a/src/runtime/utils.ts
+++ b/src/runtime/utils.ts
@@ -27,13 +27,28 @@ export function batched(callback: Callback): Callback {
   };
 }
 
-export function validateTarget(target: HTMLElement) {
+/**
+ * Determine whether the given element is contained in its ownerDocument:
+ * either directly or with a shadow root in between.
+ */
+export function inOwnerDocument(el?: HTMLElement) {
+  if (!el) {
+    return false;
+  }
+  if (el.ownerDocument.contains(el)) {
+    return true;
+  }
+  const rootNode = el.getRootNode();
+  return rootNode instanceof ShadowRoot && el.ownerDocument.contains(rootNode.host);
+}
+
+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 (target instanceof HTMLElement) {
-      if (!document.body.contains(target)) {
+    if (target instanceof HTMLElement || target instanceof ShadowRoot) {
+      if (!document.body.contains(target instanceof HTMLElement ? target : target.host)) {
         throw new OwlError("Cannot mount a component on a detached dom node");
       }
       return;
diff --git a/tests/shadow_dom/shadow_dom.test.ts b/tests/shadow_dom/shadow_dom.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..06233935
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/shadow_dom/shadow_dom.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,67 @@
+import { App, Component, useRef, xml } from "../../src";
+import { status } from "../../src/runtime/status";
+import { makeTestFixture, snapshotEverything } from "../helpers";
+
+let fixture: HTMLElement;
+
+snapshotEverything();
+
+beforeEach(() => {
+  fixture = makeTestFixture();
+});
+
+describe("shadow_dom", () => {
+  test("can mount app", 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: "open" });
+    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 {
+      static template = xml`<button t-on-click="add">Click</button>`;
+
+      add() {
+        a = 3;
+      }
+    }
+    const container = document.createElement("div");
+    fixture.appendChild(container);
+    const shadow = container.attachShadow({ mode: "open" });
+    await new App(SomeComponent).mount(shadow);
+    expect(a).toBe(1);
+    shadow.querySelector("button")!.click();
+    expect(a).toBe(3);
+  });
+
+  test("useRef hook", async () => {
+    let comp: SomeComponent;
+    class SomeComponent extends Component {
+      static template = xml`<div t-ref="refName" class="my-div"/>`;
+      div = useRef("refName");
+      setup() {
+        comp = this;
+      }
+    }
+    const container = document.createElement("div");
+    fixture.appendChild(container);
+    const shadow = container.attachShadow({ mode: "open" });
+    const mountedProm = new App(SomeComponent).mount(shadow);
+    expect(comp!.div.el).toBe(null);
+    await mountedProm;
+    expect(comp!.div.el).toBe(shadow.querySelector(".my-div"));
+  });
+});