diff --git a/cesium/featurize.py b/cesium/featurize.py
index df6966ff..b79d2790 100644
--- a/cesium/featurize.py
+++ b/cesium/featurize.py
@@ -135,7 +135,7 @@ def assemble_featureset(feature_dicts, time_series=None, targets=None,
     featureset = xr.Dataset(combined_feature_dict)
     if names is not None:
         featureset.coords['name'] = ('name', np.array(names))
-    if targets is not None:
+    if targets is not None and any(targets):
         featureset.coords['target'] = ('name', np.array(targets))
     return featureset
 
diff --git a/cesium/tests/test_featurize.py b/cesium/tests/test_featurize.py
index 54ea219b..fb8022fc 100644
--- a/cesium/tests/test_featurize.py
+++ b/cesium/tests/test_featurize.py
@@ -288,4 +288,4 @@ def test_featurize_time_series_no_targets():
                                            scheduler=get_sync)
     npt.assert_array_equal(sorted(fset.data_vars),
                            ['amplitude', 'meta1', 'std_err'])
-    npt.assert_array_equal(fset.target.values, [None])
+    assert('target' not in fset)