diff --git a/qiskit/transpiler/passes/basis/basis_translator.py b/qiskit/transpiler/passes/basis/basis_translator.py
index df329165e61b..7dbea4dee2e0 100644
--- a/qiskit/transpiler/passes/basis/basis_translator.py
+++ b/qiskit/transpiler/passes/basis/basis_translator.py
@@ -269,6 +269,9 @@ def _basis_search(equiv_lib, source_basis, target_basis, heuristic):
         closed_set.add(current_basis)
 
         for gate_name, gate_num_qubits in current_basis:
+            if gate_name in target_basis:
+                continue
+
             equivs = equiv_lib._get_equivalences((gate_name, gate_num_qubits))
 
             basis_remain = current_basis - {(gate_name, gate_num_qubits)}
diff --git a/releasenotes/notes/bugfix-skip-target-basis-translation-12a9fa02c9ceef25.yaml b/releasenotes/notes/bugfix-skip-target-basis-translation-12a9fa02c9ceef25.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..c139b7919036
--- /dev/null
+++ b/releasenotes/notes/bugfix-skip-target-basis-translation-12a9fa02c9ceef25.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+fixes:
+  - |
+    Fixed an issue with :class:`~qiskit.transpiler.passes.BasisTranslator` where in some
+    cases it would translate gates already in the target basis.