diff --git a/MAINTAINERS b/MAINTAINERS
index a8b942dea4..214124c84c 100644
--- a/MAINTAINERS
+++ b/MAINTAINERS
@@ -943,6 +943,7 @@ L: qemu-arm@nongnu.org
 S: Maintained
 F: hw/arm/sbsa-ref.c
 F: docs/system/arm/sbsa.rst
+F: tests/avocado/machine_aarch64_sbsaref.py
 
 Sharp SL-5500 (Collie) PDA
 M: Peter Maydell <peter.maydell@linaro.org>
diff --git a/tests/avocado/machine_aarch64_sbsaref.py b/tests/avocado/machine_aarch64_sbsaref.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..0a79fa7ab6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/avocado/machine_aarch64_sbsaref.py
@@ -0,0 +1,158 @@
+# Functional test that boots a Linux kernel and checks the console
+#
+# SPDX-FileCopyrightText: 2023 Linaro Ltd.
+# SPDX-FileContributor: Philippe Mathieu-Daudé <philmd@linaro.org>
+# SPDX-FileContributor: Marcin Juszkiewicz <marcin.juszkiewicz@linaro.org>
+#
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0-or-later
+
+import os
+
+from avocado import skip
+from avocado import skipUnless
+from avocado.utils import archive
+
+from avocado_qemu import QemuSystemTest
+from avocado_qemu import wait_for_console_pattern
+from avocado_qemu import interrupt_interactive_console_until_pattern
+
+
+class Aarch64SbsarefMachine(QemuSystemTest):
+    """
+    :avocado: tags=arch:aarch64
+    :avocado: tags=machine:sbsa-ref
+    """
+
+    timeout = 180
+
+    def fetch_firmware(self):
+        """
+        Flash volumes generated using:
+
+        - Fedora GNU Toolchain version 12.2.1 20220819 (Red Hat Cross 12.2.1-2)
+
+        - Trusted Firmware-A
+          https://github.com/ARM-software/arm-trusted-firmware/tree/5fdb2e54
+
+        - Tianocore EDK II
+          https://github.com/tianocore/edk2/tree/494127613b
+          https://github.com/tianocore/edk2-non-osi/tree/41876073
+          https://github.com/tianocore/edk2-platforms/tree/8efa4f42
+        """
+
+        # Secure BootRom (TF-A code)
+        fs0_xz_url = (
+            "https://fileserver.linaro.org/s/ATnSmq6k8SoXgbH/"
+            "download/SBSA_FLASH0.fd.xz"
+        )
+        fs0_xz_hash = "a210a09692bcbe0a3743ffd0df44e80e0c7ad8ab"
+        tar_xz_path = self.fetch_asset(fs0_xz_url, asset_hash=fs0_xz_hash)
+        archive.extract(tar_xz_path, self.workdir)
+        fs0_path = os.path.join(self.workdir, "SBSA_FLASH0.fd")
+
+        # Non-secure rom (UEFI and EFI variables)
+        fs1_xz_url = (
+            "https://fileserver.linaro.org/s/t8foNnMPz74DZZy/"
+            "download/SBSA_FLASH1.fd.xz"
+        )
+        fs1_xz_hash = "13a9a262953787c7fc5a9155dfaa26e703631e02"
+        tar_xz_path = self.fetch_asset(fs1_xz_url, asset_hash=fs1_xz_hash)
+        archive.extract(tar_xz_path, self.workdir)
+        fs1_path = os.path.join(self.workdir, "SBSA_FLASH1.fd")
+
+        for path in [fs0_path, fs1_path]:
+            with open(path, "ab+") as fd:
+                fd.truncate(256 << 20)  # Expand volumes to 256MiB
+
+        self.vm.set_console()
+        self.vm.add_args(
+            "-drive",
+            f"if=pflash,file={fs0_path},format=raw",
+            "-drive",
+            f"if=pflash,file={fs1_path},format=raw",
+            "-smp",
+            "1",
+            "-machine",
+            "sbsa-ref",
+        )
+
+    def test_sbsaref_edk2_firmware(self):
+        """
+        :avocado: tags=cpu:cortex-a57
+        """
+
+        self.fetch_firmware()
+        self.vm.launch()
+
+        # TF-A boot sequence:
+        #
+        # https://github.com/ARM-software/arm-trusted-firmware/blob/v2.8.0/\
+        #     docs/design/trusted-board-boot.rst#trusted-board-boot-sequence
+        # https://trustedfirmware-a.readthedocs.io/en/v2.8/\
+        #     design/firmware-design.html#cold-boot
+
+        # AP Trusted ROM
+        wait_for_console_pattern(self, "Booting Trusted Firmware")
+        wait_for_console_pattern(self, "BL1: v2.8(release):v2.8")
+        wait_for_console_pattern(self, "BL1: Booting BL2")
+
+        # Trusted Boot Firmware
+        wait_for_console_pattern(self, "BL2: v2.8(release)")
+        wait_for_console_pattern(self, "Booting BL31")
+
+        # EL3 Runtime Software
+        wait_for_console_pattern(self, "BL31: v2.8(release)")
+
+        # Non-trusted Firmware
+        wait_for_console_pattern(self, "UEFI firmware (version 1.0")
+        interrupt_interactive_console_until_pattern(self, "QEMU SBSA-REF Machine")
+
+    # This tests the whole boot chain from EFI to Userspace
+    # We only boot a whole OS for the current top level CPU and GIC
+    # Other test profiles should use more minimal boots
+    def boot_alpine_linux(self, cpu):
+        self.fetch_firmware()
+
+        iso_url = (
+            "https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/"
+            "alpine/v3.17/releases/aarch64/alpine-standard-3.17.2-aarch64.iso"
+        )
+
+        iso_hash = "5a36304ecf039292082d92b48152a9ec21009d3a62f459de623e19c4bd9dc027"
+        iso_path = self.fetch_asset(iso_url, algorithm="sha256", asset_hash=iso_hash)
+
+        self.vm.set_console()
+        self.vm.add_args(
+            "-cpu",
+            cpu,
+            "-drive",
+            f"file={iso_path},format=raw",
+            "-device",
+            "virtio-rng-pci,rng=rng0",
+            "-object",
+            "rng-random,id=rng0,filename=/dev/urandom",
+        )
+
+        self.vm.launch()
+        wait_for_console_pattern(self, "Welcome to Alpine Linux 3.17")
+
+    @skipUnless(os.getenv("AVOCADO_TIMEOUT_EXPECTED"), "Test might timeout")
+    def test_sbsaref_alpine_linux_cortex_a57(self):
+        """
+        :avocado: tags=cpu:cortex-a57
+        """
+        self.boot_alpine_linux("cortex-a57")
+
+    @skipUnless(os.getenv("AVOCADO_TIMEOUT_EXPECTED"), "Test might timeout")
+    def test_sbsaref_alpine_linux_neoverse_n1(self):
+        """
+        :avocado: tags=cpu:max
+        """
+        self.boot_alpine_linux("neoverse-n1")
+
+    @skip("requires TF-A update to handle FEAT_FGT")
+    def test_sbsaref_alpine_linux_max(self):
+        """
+        :avocado: tags=cpu:max
+        """
+        self.boot_alpine_linux("max,pauth-impdef=on")