diff --git a/data/test_graph_default_key_target.xml b/data/test_graph_default_key_target.xml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4f65941
--- /dev/null
+++ b/data/test_graph_default_key_target.xml
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
+<graphml xmlns="http://graphml.graphdrawing.org/xmlns">
+    <key id="key0" attr.name="test-key">
+        <desc>Messages related to this host</desc>
+        <default />
+    </key>
+    <graph edgedefault="directed" parse.nodeids="canonical" parse.edgeids="canonical" parse.order="nodesfirst">
+        <node id="n0">
+            <desc>test node #1</desc>
+            <data key="key0">test data</data>
+        </node>
+    </graph>
+</graphml>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/graphml/graphml.go b/graphml/graphml.go
index e46a03d..8c69098 100644
--- a/graphml/graphml.go
+++ b/graphml/graphml.go
@@ -241,6 +241,9 @@ func (gml *GraphML) Decode(r io.Reader) error {
 		if key.KeyType == "" {
 			key.KeyType = gml.keyTypeDefault
 		}
+		if key.Target == "" {
+			key.Target = KeyForAll
+		}
 		gml.keysByIdentifier[keyIdentifier(key.Name, key.Target)] = key
 		gml.keysById[key.ID] = key
 	}
diff --git a/graphml/graphml_test.go b/graphml/graphml_test.go
index bfd2fc1..83cc58b 100644
--- a/graphml/graphml_test.go
+++ b/graphml/graphml_test.go
@@ -39,6 +39,45 @@ func TestNewGraphMLWithAttributes(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.Equal(t, attributes, attr)
 }
 
+func TestGraphML_Decode_keyTargetDefault(t *testing.T) {
+	graphFile, err := os.Open("../data/test_graph_default_key_target.xml")
+	require.NoError(t, err, "failed to open file")
+	// decode
+	gml := NewGraphML("")
+	err = gml.Decode(graphFile)
+	require.NoError(t, err, "failed to decode")
+
+	// test results
+	attributes := map[string]interface{}{
+		"test-key": "test data",
+	}
+
+	// check Graph element
+	//
+	require.Len(t, gml.Graphs, 1, "wrong graphs number")
+	graph := gml.Graphs[0]
+
+	// check Node elements
+	//
+	require.Len(t, graph.Nodes, 1, "wrong nodes number")
+	for i, n := range graph.Nodes {
+		id := fmt.Sprintf("n%d", i)
+		assert.Equal(t, id, n.ID, "wrong node ID at: %d", i)
+		desc := fmt.Sprintf("test node #%d", i+1)
+		assert.Equal(t, desc, n.Description, "wrong node description at: %d", i)
+		// check GetAttributes
+		attrs, err := n.GetAttributes()
+		require.NoError(t, err, "failed to get attributes")
+		assert.Equal(t, attributes, attrs)
+	}
+
+	// check Key target was set properly
+	//
+	key := gml.GetKey("test-key", KeyForAll)
+	require.NotNil(t, key, "key expected")
+	assert.Equal(t, KeyForAll, key.Target)
+}
+
 func TestGraphML_Decode_keyTypeDefault(t *testing.T) {
 	graphFile, err := os.Open("../data/test_graph_default_key_type.xml")
 	require.NoError(t, err, "failed to open file")