diff --git a/client/client.go b/client/client.go
index 87c6d6bc..e2701327 100644
--- a/client/client.go
+++ b/client/client.go
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import (
 	"bytes"
 	"encoding/hex"
 	"encoding/json"
+	"fmt"
 	"io"
 
 	"github.com/theupdateframework/go-tuf/data"
@@ -400,8 +401,8 @@ func (c *Client) getLocalMeta() error {
 		}
 	}
 
+	snapshot := &data.Snapshot{}
 	if snapshotJSON, ok := meta["snapshot.json"]; ok {
-		snapshot := &data.Snapshot{}
 		if err := c.db.UnmarshalTrusted(snapshotJSON, snapshot, "snapshot"); err != nil {
 			loadFailed = true
 			retErr = err
@@ -425,12 +426,33 @@ func (c *Client) getLocalMeta() error {
 		}
 	}
 
+	if loadFailed {
+		// If any of the metadata failed to be verified, return the reason for that failure
+		// and fail fast before delegated targets
+		return retErr
+	}
+
+	verifiedDelegatedTargets := make(map[string]bool)
 	for fileName := range meta {
 		if roles.IsDelegatedTargetsManifest(fileName) {
-			c.localMeta[fileName] = meta[fileName]
+			if delegations, err := c.getDelegationPathFromRaw(snapshot, meta[fileName]); err != nil {
+				loadFailed = true
+				retErr = err
+			} else {
+				for _, key := range delegations {
+					fileName := fmt.Sprintf("%s.json", key)
+					if !verifiedDelegatedTargets[fileName] {
+						verifiedDelegatedTargets[fileName] = true
+					}
+				}
+			}
 		}
 	}
 
+	for fileName := range verifiedDelegatedTargets {
+		c.localMeta[fileName] = meta[fileName]
+	}
+
 	if loadFailed {
 		// If any of the metadata failed to be verified, return the reason for that failure
 		return retErr
@@ -438,6 +460,33 @@ func (c *Client) getLocalMeta() error {
 	return nil
 }
 
+// getDelegationPathFromRaw verifies a delegated targets against
+// a given snapshot and returns an error if it's invalid
+//
+// Delegation must have targets to get a path, else an empty list
+// will be returned: this is because the delegation iterator is leveraged.
+func (c *Client) getDelegationPathFromRaw(snapshot *data.Snapshot, delegatedTargetsJSON json.RawMessage) ([]string, error) {
+	// unmarshal the delegated targets first without verifying as
+	// we need at least one targets file name to leverage the
+	// getTargetFileMetaDelegationPath method
+	s := &data.Signed{}
+	if err := json.Unmarshal(delegatedTargetsJSON, s); err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	targets := &data.Targets{}
+	if err := json.Unmarshal(s.Signed, targets); err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	for targetPath := range targets.Targets {
+		_, resp, err := c.getTargetFileMetaDelegationPath(targetPath, snapshot)
+		// We only need to test one targets file:
+		// - If it is valid, it means the delegated targets has been validated
+		// - If it is not, the delegated targets isn't valid
+		return resp, err
+	}
+	return nil, nil
+}
+
 // loadAndVerifyLocalRootMeta decodes and verifies root metadata from
 // local storage and loads the top-level keys. This method first clears
 // the DB for top-level keys and then loads the new keys.
diff --git a/client/delegations.go b/client/delegations.go
index de3e6647..cc0fc482 100644
--- a/client/delegations.go
+++ b/client/delegations.go
@@ -8,13 +8,23 @@ import (
 
 // getTargetFileMeta searches for a verified TargetFileMeta matching a target
 // Requires a local snapshot to be loaded and is locked to the snapshot versions.
-// Searches through delegated targets following TUF spec 1.0.19 section 5.6.
 func (c *Client) getTargetFileMeta(target string) (data.TargetFileMeta, error) {
 	snapshot, err := c.loadLocalSnapshot()
 	if err != nil {
 		return data.TargetFileMeta{}, err
 	}
 
+	targetFileMeta, _, err := c.getTargetFileMetaDelegationPath(target, snapshot)
+	if err != nil {
+		return data.TargetFileMeta{}, err
+	}
+	return targetFileMeta, nil
+}
+
+// getTargetFileMetaDelegationPath searches for a verified TargetFileMeta matching a target
+// Requires snapshot to be passed and is locked to that specific snapshot versions.
+// Searches through delegated targets following TUF spec 1.0.19 section 5.6.
+func (c *Client) getTargetFileMetaDelegationPath(target string, snapshot *data.Snapshot) (data.TargetFileMeta, []string, error) {
 	// delegationsIterator covers 5.6.7
 	// - pre-order depth-first search starting with the top targets
 	// - filter delegations with paths or path_hash_prefixes matching searched target
@@ -22,50 +32,75 @@ func (c *Client) getTargetFileMeta(target string) (data.TargetFileMeta, error) {
 	// - 5.6.7.2 terminations
 	delegations, err := targets.NewDelegationsIterator(target, c.db)
 	if err != nil {
-		return data.TargetFileMeta{}, err
+		return data.TargetFileMeta{}, nil, err
 	}
 
+	targetFileMeta := data.TargetFileMeta{}
+	delegationRole := ""
+
 	for i := 0; i < c.MaxDelegations; i++ {
 		d, ok := delegations.Next()
 		if !ok {
-			return data.TargetFileMeta{}, ErrUnknownTarget{target, snapshot.Version}
+			return data.TargetFileMeta{}, nil, ErrUnknownTarget{target, snapshot.Version}
 		}
 
 		// covers 5.6.{1,2,3,4,5,6}
 		targets, err := c.loadDelegatedTargets(snapshot, d.Delegatee.Name, d.DB)
 		if err != nil {
-			return data.TargetFileMeta{}, err
+			return data.TargetFileMeta{}, nil, err
 		}
 
 		// stop when the searched TargetFileMeta is found
 		if m, ok := targets.Targets[target]; ok {
-			return m, nil
+			delegationRole = d.Delegatee.Name
+			targetFileMeta = m
+			break
 		}
 
 		if targets.Delegations != nil {
 			delegationsDB, err := verify.NewDBFromDelegations(targets.Delegations)
 			if err != nil {
-				return data.TargetFileMeta{}, err
+				return data.TargetFileMeta{}, nil, err
 			}
 			err = delegations.Add(targets.Delegations.Roles, d.Delegatee.Name, delegationsDB)
 			if err != nil {
-				return data.TargetFileMeta{}, err
+				return data.TargetFileMeta{}, nil, err
 			}
 		}
 	}
 
-	return data.TargetFileMeta{}, ErrMaxDelegations{
+	if len(delegationRole) > 0 {
+		return targetFileMeta, buildPath(delegations.Parent, delegationRole, ""), nil
+	}
+
+	return data.TargetFileMeta{}, nil, ErrMaxDelegations{
 		Target:          target,
 		MaxDelegations:  c.MaxDelegations,
 		SnapshotVersion: snapshot.Version,
 	}
 }
 
+func buildPath(parent func(string) string, start string, end string) []string {
+	if start == end {
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	path := []string{start}
+	current := start
+	for {
+		current = parent(current)
+		if current == end {
+			break
+		}
+		path = append(path, current)
+	}
+	return path
+}
+
 func (c *Client) loadLocalSnapshot() (*data.Snapshot, error) {
 	if err := c.getLocalMeta(); err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
-
 	rawS, ok := c.localMeta["snapshot.json"]
 	if !ok {
 		return nil, ErrNoLocalSnapshot
diff --git a/pkg/targets/delegation.go b/pkg/targets/delegation.go
index ccd52bae..dce61710 100644
--- a/pkg/targets/delegation.go
+++ b/pkg/targets/delegation.go
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ type delegationsIterator struct {
 	stack        []Delegation
 	target       string
 	visitedRoles map[string]struct{}
+	parents      map[string]string
 }
 
 var ErrTopLevelTargetsRoleMissing = errors.New("tuf: top level targets role missing from top level keys DB")
@@ -43,6 +44,7 @@ func NewDelegationsIterator(target string, topLevelKeysDB *verify.DB) (*delegati
 			},
 		},
 		visitedRoles: make(map[string]struct{}),
+		parents:      make(map[string]string),
 	}
 	return i, nil
 }
@@ -88,8 +90,13 @@ func (d *delegationsIterator) Add(roles []data.DelegatedRole, delegator string,
 				DB:        db,
 			}
 			d.stack = append(d.stack, delegation)
+			d.parents[r.Name] = delegator
 		}
 	}
 
 	return nil
 }
+
+func (d *delegationsIterator) Parent(role string) string {
+	return d.parents[role]
+}