diff --git a/packages/core/database/src/__tests__/target-key.test.ts b/packages/core/database/src/__tests__/target-key.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..4c315ef003
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/core/database/src/__tests__/target-key.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,232 @@
+/**
+ * This file is part of the NocoBase (R) project.
+ * Copyright (c) 2020-2024 NocoBase Co., Ltd.
+ * Authors: NocoBase Team.
+ *
+ * This project is dual-licensed under AGPL-3.0 and NocoBase Commercial License.
+ * For more information, please refer to: https://www.nocobase.com/agreement.
+ */
+
+import { Database } from '../database';
+import { mockDatabase } from './index';
+
+describe('targetKey', () => {
+  let db: Database;
+
+  beforeEach(async () => {
+    db = mockDatabase();
+    await db.clean({ drop: true });
+  });
+
+  afterEach(async () => {
+    await db.close();
+  });
+
+  test('default targetKey', async () => {
+    db.collection({
+      name: 'a1',
+      fields: [
+        {
+          type: 'hasMany',
+          name: 'b1',
+          target: 'b1',
+        },
+      ],
+    });
+    db.collection({
+      name: 'b1',
+      fields: [],
+    });
+    await db.sync();
+    const r1 = db.getRepository('a1');
+    const r2 = db.getRepository('b1');
+    const b1 = await r2.create({
+      values: {},
+    });
+    await r1.create({
+      values: {
+        name: 'a1',
+        b1: [b1.toJSON()],
+      },
+    });
+    const b1r = await b1.reload();
+    expect(b1r.a1Id).toBe(b1.id);
+  });
+
+  test('targetKey=code', async () => {
+    db.collection({
+      name: 'a1',
+      fields: [
+        {
+          type: 'hasMany',
+          name: 'b1',
+          target: 'b1',
+          targetKey: 'code',
+        },
+      ],
+    });
+    db.collection({
+      name: 'b1',
+      fields: [
+        {
+          type: 'string',
+          name: 'code',
+        },
+      ],
+    });
+    await db.sync();
+    const r1 = db.getRepository('a1');
+    const r2 = db.getRepository('b1');
+    const b1 = await r2.create({
+      values: {},
+    });
+    await r1.create({
+      values: {
+        name: 'a1',
+        b1: [b1.toJSON()],
+      },
+    });
+    const b1r = await b1.reload();
+    expect(b1r.a1Id).toBe(b1.id);
+  });
+
+  test('should throw an error', async () => {
+    db.collection({
+      name: 'a1',
+      fields: [
+        {
+          type: 'hasMany',
+          name: 'b1',
+          target: 'b1',
+          targetKey: 'code',
+        },
+      ],
+    });
+    db.collection({
+      name: 'b1',
+      fields: [
+        {
+          type: 'string',
+          name: 'code',
+          unique: true,
+        },
+      ],
+    });
+    await db.sync();
+    const r1 = db.getRepository('a1');
+    const r2 = db.getRepository('b1');
+    const b1 = await r2.create({
+      values: {},
+    });
+    await expect(async () => {
+      await r1.create({
+        values: {
+          name: 'a1',
+          b1: [b1.toJSON()],
+        },
+      });
+    }).rejects.toThrowError('code field value is empty');
+  });
+
+  test('should find by code', async () => {
+    db.collection({
+      name: 'a1',
+      fields: [
+        {
+          type: 'hasMany',
+          name: 'b1',
+          target: 'b1',
+          targetKey: 'code',
+        },
+      ],
+    });
+    db.collection({
+      name: 'b1',
+      fields: [
+        {
+          type: 'string',
+          name: 'code',
+          unique: true,
+        },
+      ],
+    });
+    await db.sync();
+    const r1 = db.getRepository('a1');
+    const r2 = db.getRepository('b1');
+    const b1 = await r2.create({
+      values: {
+        code: 'code1',
+      },
+    });
+    await r1.create({
+      values: {
+        name: 'a1',
+        b1: [b1.toJSON()],
+      },
+    });
+    const b1r = await b1.reload();
+    expect(b1r.a1Id).toBe(b1.id);
+  });
+
+  test('should find by a1Code and code', async () => {
+    db.collection({
+      name: 'a1',
+      fields: [
+        {
+          type: 'string',
+          name: 'code',
+          unique: true,
+        },
+        {
+          type: 'hasMany',
+          name: 'b1',
+          target: 'b1',
+          sourceKey: 'code',
+          foreignKey: 'a1Code',
+          targetKey: 'code',
+        },
+      ],
+    });
+    db.collection({
+      name: 'b1',
+      indexes: [
+        {
+          type: 'UNIQUE',
+          fields: ['a1Code', 'code'],
+        },
+      ],
+      fields: [
+        {
+          type: 'string',
+          name: 'a1Code',
+        },
+        {
+          type: 'string',
+          name: 'code',
+        },
+      ],
+    });
+    await db.sync();
+    const r1 = db.getRepository('a1');
+    const r2 = db.getRepository('b1');
+    await r2.create({
+      values: {
+        code: 'b1',
+      },
+    });
+    const b1 = await r2.create({
+      values: {
+        code: 'b1',
+      },
+    });
+    await r1.create({
+      values: {
+        code: 'a1',
+        b1: [b1.toJSON()],
+      },
+    });
+    const b1r = await b1.reload();
+    expect(b1r.a1Code).toBe('a1');
+    expect(b1r.code).toBe('b1');
+  });
+});
diff --git a/packages/core/database/src/update-associations.ts b/packages/core/database/src/update-associations.ts
index 14629cb1a3..d7889fc60c 100644
--- a/packages/core/database/src/update-associations.ts
+++ b/packages/core/database/src/update-associations.ts
@@ -490,6 +490,10 @@ export async function updateMultipleAssociation(
       accessorOptions['through'] = throughValue;
     }
 
+    if (pk !== targetKey && !isUndefinedOrNull(item[pk]) && isUndefinedOrNull(item[targetKey])) {
+      throw new Error(`${targetKey} field value is empty`);
+    }
+
     if (isUndefinedOrNull(item[targetKey])) {
       // create new record
       const instance = await model[createAccessor](item, accessorOptions);
diff --git a/packages/core/database/src/update-guard.ts b/packages/core/database/src/update-guard.ts
index 80dacd7ea3..12d0e84df0 100644
--- a/packages/core/database/src/update-guard.ts
+++ b/packages/core/database/src/update-guard.ts
@@ -157,8 +157,8 @@ export class UpdateGuard {
           return value;
         }
 
-        const associationKeyName = (<any>associationObj).targetKey
-          ? (<any>associationObj).targetKey
+        const associationKeyName = associationObj?.['options']?.targetKey
+          ? associationObj['options'].targetKey
           : associationObj.target.primaryKeyAttribute;
 
         if (value[associationKeyName]) {