diff --git a/tests/qemuxml2argvdata/qemuxml2argv-aarch64-gic.args b/tests/qemuxml2argvdata/qemuxml2argv-aarch64-gic-v2.args
similarity index 57%
rename from tests/qemuxml2argvdata/qemuxml2argv-aarch64-gic.args
rename to tests/qemuxml2argvdata/qemuxml2argv-aarch64-gic-v2.args
index be19ea4e1695e7ea5425f7a56fc9551c7065700a..d30f4493b2b5727bfcbd8b648932795eee87584f 100644
--- a/tests/qemuxml2argvdata/qemuxml2argv-aarch64-gic.args
+++ b/tests/qemuxml2argvdata/qemuxml2argv-aarch64-gic-v2.args
@@ -7,19 +7,14 @@ QEMU_AUDIO_DRV=none \
 /usr/bin/qemu-system-aarch64 \
 -name aarch64test \
 -S \
--M virt \
--no-kvm \
--cpu cortex-a53 \
+-machine virt,accel=kvm \
+-cpu host \
 -m 1024 \
 -smp 1 \
 -uuid 6ba410c5-1e5c-4d57-bee7-2228e7ffa32f \
 -nographic \
 -nodefaults \
 -monitor unix:/tmp/test-monitor,server,nowait \
+-no-acpi \
 -boot c \
--kernel /aarch64.kernel \
--initrd /aarch64.initrd \
--append console=ttyAMA0 \
--usb \
--net nic,macaddr=52:54:00:09:a4:37,vlan=0,model=virtio,name=net0 \
--net user,vlan=0,name=hostnet0
+-usb
diff --git a/tests/qemuxml2xmloutdata/qemuxml2xmlout-aarch64-gic.xml b/tests/qemuxml2argvdata/qemuxml2argv-aarch64-gic-v2.xml
similarity index 61%
rename from tests/qemuxml2xmloutdata/qemuxml2xmlout-aarch64-gic.xml
rename to tests/qemuxml2argvdata/qemuxml2argv-aarch64-gic-v2.xml
index cb595e4a7a6b1183a49a471728791942f6d9f43e..9ccba9904228de87fa1bc69e58ff375da2df4dd9 100644
--- a/tests/qemuxml2xmloutdata/qemuxml2xmlout-aarch64-gic.xml
+++ b/tests/qemuxml2argvdata/qemuxml2argv-aarch64-gic-v2.xml
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-<domain type='qemu'>
+<domain type='kvm'>
   <name>aarch64test</name>
   <uuid>6ba410c5-1e5c-4d57-bee7-2228e7ffa32f</uuid>
   <memory unit='KiB'>1048576</memory>
@@ -6,27 +6,17 @@
   <vcpu placement='static'>1</vcpu>
   <os>
     <type arch='aarch64' machine='virt'>hvm</type>
-    <kernel>/aarch64.kernel</kernel>
-    <initrd>/aarch64.initrd</initrd>
-    <cmdline>console=ttyAMA0</cmdline>
     <boot dev='hd'/>
   </os>
   <features>
-    <acpi/>
     <gic version='2'/>
   </features>
-  <cpu mode='custom' match='exact'>
-    <model fallback='allow'>cortex-a53</model>
-  </cpu>
+  <cpu mode='host-passthrough'/>
   <clock offset='utc'/>
   <on_poweroff>destroy</on_poweroff>
   <on_reboot>restart</on_reboot>
   <on_crash>destroy</on_crash>
   <devices>
     <emulator>/usr/bin/qemu-system-aarch64</emulator>
-    <interface type='user'>
-      <mac address='52:54:00:09:a4:37'/>
-      <model type='virtio'/>
-    </interface>
   </devices>
 </domain>
diff --git a/tests/qemuxml2argvdata/qemuxml2argv-aarch64-gicv3.args b/tests/qemuxml2argvdata/qemuxml2argv-aarch64-gic-v3.args
similarity index 55%
rename from tests/qemuxml2argvdata/qemuxml2argv-aarch64-gicv3.args
rename to tests/qemuxml2argvdata/qemuxml2argv-aarch64-gic-v3.args
index a3530bbc0dcbb2b061e1a01a3fcde1cd4f258146..9cd86acc67104037d133015d38febf78998a4ed0 100644
--- a/tests/qemuxml2argvdata/qemuxml2argv-aarch64-gicv3.args
+++ b/tests/qemuxml2argvdata/qemuxml2argv-aarch64-gic-v3.args
@@ -7,18 +7,14 @@ QEMU_AUDIO_DRV=none \
 /usr/bin/qemu-system-aarch64 \
 -name aarch64test \
 -S \
--machine virt,accel=tcg,gic-version=3 \
--cpu cortex-a53 \
+-machine virt,accel=kvm,gic-version=3 \
+-cpu host \
 -m 1024 \
 -smp 1 \
 -uuid 6ba410c5-1e5c-4d57-bee7-2228e7ffa32f \
 -nographic \
 -nodefaults \
 -monitor unix:/tmp/test-monitor,server,nowait \
+-no-acpi \
 -boot c \
--kernel /aarch64.kernel \
--initrd /aarch64.initrd \
--append console=ttyAMA0 \
--usb \
--net nic,macaddr=52:54:00:09:a4:37,vlan=0,model=virtio,name=net0 \
--net user,vlan=0,name=hostnet0
+-usb
diff --git a/tests/qemuxml2xmloutdata/qemuxml2xmlout-aarch64-gicv3.xml b/tests/qemuxml2argvdata/qemuxml2argv-aarch64-gic-v3.xml
similarity index 61%
rename from tests/qemuxml2xmloutdata/qemuxml2xmlout-aarch64-gicv3.xml
rename to tests/qemuxml2argvdata/qemuxml2argv-aarch64-gic-v3.xml
index 72aaaf7fe5cdabd9b02d3f3bc7da41dc71f6d913..7c9ee92b3923ce61089d8600468820ce47b939cb 100644
--- a/tests/qemuxml2xmloutdata/qemuxml2xmlout-aarch64-gicv3.xml
+++ b/tests/qemuxml2argvdata/qemuxml2argv-aarch64-gic-v3.xml
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-<domain type='qemu'>
+<domain type='kvm'>
   <name>aarch64test</name>
   <uuid>6ba410c5-1e5c-4d57-bee7-2228e7ffa32f</uuid>
   <memory unit='KiB'>1048576</memory>
@@ -6,27 +6,17 @@
   <vcpu placement='static'>1</vcpu>
   <os>
     <type arch='aarch64' machine='virt'>hvm</type>
-    <kernel>/aarch64.kernel</kernel>
-    <initrd>/aarch64.initrd</initrd>
-    <cmdline>console=ttyAMA0</cmdline>
     <boot dev='hd'/>
   </os>
   <features>
-    <acpi/>
     <gic version='3'/>
   </features>
-  <cpu mode='custom' match='exact'>
-    <model fallback='allow'>cortex-a53</model>
-  </cpu>
+  <cpu mode='host-passthrough'/>
   <clock offset='utc'/>
   <on_poweroff>destroy</on_poweroff>
   <on_reboot>restart</on_reboot>
   <on_crash>destroy</on_crash>
   <devices>
     <emulator>/usr/bin/qemu-system-aarch64</emulator>
-    <interface type='user'>
-      <mac address='52:54:00:09:a4:37'/>
-      <model type='virtio'/>
-    </interface>
   </devices>
 </domain>
diff --git a/tests/qemuxml2argvdata/qemuxml2argv-aarch64-gic.xml b/tests/qemuxml2argvdata/qemuxml2argv-aarch64-gic.xml
deleted file mode 100644
index cb595e4a7a6b1183a49a471728791942f6d9f43e..0000000000000000000000000000000000000000
--- a/tests/qemuxml2argvdata/qemuxml2argv-aarch64-gic.xml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,32 +0,0 @@
-<domain type='qemu'>
-  <name>aarch64test</name>
-  <uuid>6ba410c5-1e5c-4d57-bee7-2228e7ffa32f</uuid>
-  <memory unit='KiB'>1048576</memory>
-  <currentMemory unit='KiB'>1048576</currentMemory>
-  <vcpu placement='static'>1</vcpu>
-  <os>
-    <type arch='aarch64' machine='virt'>hvm</type>
-    <kernel>/aarch64.kernel</kernel>
-    <initrd>/aarch64.initrd</initrd>
-    <cmdline>console=ttyAMA0</cmdline>
-    <boot dev='hd'/>
-  </os>
-  <features>
-    <acpi/>
-    <gic version='2'/>
-  </features>
-  <cpu mode='custom' match='exact'>
-    <model fallback='allow'>cortex-a53</model>
-  </cpu>
-  <clock offset='utc'/>
-  <on_poweroff>destroy</on_poweroff>
-  <on_reboot>restart</on_reboot>
-  <on_crash>destroy</on_crash>
-  <devices>
-    <emulator>/usr/bin/qemu-system-aarch64</emulator>
-    <interface type='user'>
-      <mac address='52:54:00:09:a4:37'/>
-      <model type='virtio'/>
-    </interface>
-  </devices>
-</domain>
diff --git a/tests/qemuxml2argvdata/qemuxml2argv-aarch64-gicv3.xml b/tests/qemuxml2argvdata/qemuxml2argv-aarch64-gicv3.xml
deleted file mode 100644
index 72aaaf7fe5cdabd9b02d3f3bc7da41dc71f6d913..0000000000000000000000000000000000000000
--- a/tests/qemuxml2argvdata/qemuxml2argv-aarch64-gicv3.xml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,32 +0,0 @@
-<domain type='qemu'>
-  <name>aarch64test</name>
-  <uuid>6ba410c5-1e5c-4d57-bee7-2228e7ffa32f</uuid>
-  <memory unit='KiB'>1048576</memory>
-  <currentMemory unit='KiB'>1048576</currentMemory>
-  <vcpu placement='static'>1</vcpu>
-  <os>
-    <type arch='aarch64' machine='virt'>hvm</type>
-    <kernel>/aarch64.kernel</kernel>
-    <initrd>/aarch64.initrd</initrd>
-    <cmdline>console=ttyAMA0</cmdline>
-    <boot dev='hd'/>
-  </os>
-  <features>
-    <acpi/>
-    <gic version='3'/>
-  </features>
-  <cpu mode='custom' match='exact'>
-    <model fallback='allow'>cortex-a53</model>
-  </cpu>
-  <clock offset='utc'/>
-  <on_poweroff>destroy</on_poweroff>
-  <on_reboot>restart</on_reboot>
-  <on_crash>destroy</on_crash>
-  <devices>
-    <emulator>/usr/bin/qemu-system-aarch64</emulator>
-    <interface type='user'>
-      <mac address='52:54:00:09:a4:37'/>
-      <model type='virtio'/>
-    </interface>
-  </devices>
-</domain>
diff --git a/tests/qemuxml2argvtest.c b/tests/qemuxml2argvtest.c
index 3c7693bf25f4fc549d773581cc0db0ab01947afb..360ba25c79ef04c62df61881c108b68cc07f4baa 100644
--- a/tests/qemuxml2argvtest.c
+++ b/tests/qemuxml2argvtest.c
@@ -1679,13 +1679,14 @@ mymain(void)
     DO_TEST("aarch64-cpu-passthrough",
             QEMU_CAPS_NODEFCONFIG, QEMU_CAPS_DEVICE_VIRTIO_MMIO,
             QEMU_CAPS_CPU_HOST, QEMU_CAPS_KVM);
-    DO_TEST("aarch64-gic",
-            QEMU_CAPS_KVM);
-    DO_TEST("aarch64-gicv3",
-            QEMU_CAPS_KVM, QEMU_CAPS_MACHINE_OPT,
+    DO_TEST("aarch64-gic-v2",
+            QEMU_CAPS_KVM, QEMU_CAPS_MACHINE_OPT, QEMU_CAPS_CPU_HOST,
             QEMU_CAPS_MACH_VIRT_GIC_VERSION);
-    DO_TEST_FAILURE("aarch64-gicv3",
-            QEMU_CAPS_KVM, QEMU_CAPS_MACHINE_OPT);
+    DO_TEST("aarch64-gic-v3",
+            QEMU_CAPS_KVM, QEMU_CAPS_MACHINE_OPT, QEMU_CAPS_CPU_HOST,
+            QEMU_CAPS_MACH_VIRT_GIC_VERSION);
+    DO_TEST_FAILURE("aarch64-gic-v3",
+            QEMU_CAPS_KVM, QEMU_CAPS_MACHINE_OPT, QEMU_CAPS_CPU_HOST);
 
     driver.caps->host.cpu->arch = VIR_ARCH_AARCH64;
     DO_TEST("aarch64-kvm-32-on-64",
diff --git a/tests/qemuxml2xmloutdata/qemuxml2xmlout-aarch64-gic-v2.xml b/tests/qemuxml2xmloutdata/qemuxml2xmlout-aarch64-gic-v2.xml
new file mode 120000
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..80a01c2185335dac0bdc22dd0caf604da6b52ec8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/qemuxml2xmloutdata/qemuxml2xmlout-aarch64-gic-v2.xml
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+../qemuxml2argvdata/qemuxml2argv-aarch64-gic-v2.xml
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/qemuxml2xmloutdata/qemuxml2xmlout-aarch64-gic-v3.xml b/tests/qemuxml2xmloutdata/qemuxml2xmlout-aarch64-gic-v3.xml
new file mode 120000
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..f586fa19546ffdcceee78f360ba1c224a4c691de
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/qemuxml2xmloutdata/qemuxml2xmlout-aarch64-gic-v3.xml
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+../qemuxml2argvdata/qemuxml2argv-aarch64-gic-v3.xml
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/qemuxml2xmltest.c b/tests/qemuxml2xmltest.c
index d9550ccee89a3968993d49b07443740e6bce72db..b13e2bd95de65f4c4b58bad3a9921e03510cc077 100644
--- a/tests/qemuxml2xmltest.c
+++ b/tests/qemuxml2xmltest.c
@@ -737,8 +737,8 @@ mymain(void)
             QEMU_CAPS_DEVICE_VIRTIO_RNG, QEMU_CAPS_OBJECT_RNG_RANDOM,
             QEMU_CAPS_OBJECT_GPEX, QEMU_CAPS_DEVICE_PCI_BRIDGE,
             QEMU_CAPS_DEVICE_DMI_TO_PCI_BRIDGE, QEMU_CAPS_VIRTIO_SCSI);
-    DO_TEST("aarch64-gic");
-    DO_TEST("aarch64-gicv3");
+    DO_TEST("aarch64-gic-v2");
+    DO_TEST("aarch64-gic-v3");
 
     DO_TEST("memory-hotplug");
     DO_TEST("memory-hotplug-nonuma");