diff --git a/core/dbobject.class.php b/core/dbobject.class.php
index f701af3b7..d9185af11 100644
--- a/core/dbobject.class.php
+++ b/core/dbobject.class.php
@@ -1859,9 +1859,7 @@ abstract class DBObject implements iDisplay
 			{
 				/** @var \AttributeExternalKey $oAtt */
 				$sTargetClass = $oAtt->GetTargetClass();
-				$oTargetObj = MetaModel::GetObject($sTargetClass, $toCheck, false /*must be found*/, true /*allow all data*/);
-				if (is_null($oTargetObj))
-				{
+				if (false === MetaModel::IsObjectExistsInDb($sTargetClass, $toCheck)) {
 					return "Target object not found ($sTargetClass::$toCheck)";
 				}
 			}
diff --git a/core/metamodel.class.php b/core/metamodel.class.php
index 5aa45a4db..8018d93ae 100644
--- a/core/metamodel.class.php
+++ b/core/metamodel.class.php
@@ -6976,12 +6976,9 @@ abstract class MetaModel
 
 		if (!utils::IsArchiveMode() && $oObject->IsArchived())
 		{
-			if ($bMustBeFound)
-			{
+			if ($bMustBeFound) {
 				throw new ArchivedObjectException("The object $sClass::$iKey is archived");
-			}
-			else
-			{
+			} else {
 				return null;
 			}
 		}
@@ -6989,6 +6986,15 @@ abstract class MetaModel
 		return $oObject;
 	}
 
+	public static function IsObjectExistsInDb(string $sClass, int $iKey): bool
+	{
+		$oFilter = DBObjectSearch::FromOQL('SELECT '.$sClass.' WHERE id = :id', ['id' => $iKey,]);
+		$oSet = new DBObjectSet($oFilter);
+		$iCount = $oSet->Count();
+
+		return ($iCount > 0);
+	}
+
 	/**
 	 * Search for the specified class and id. If the object is archived it will be returned anyway (this is for pre-2.4
 	 * module compatibility, see N.1108)