diff --git a/tests/acceptance/avocado_qemu/__init__.py b/tests/acceptance/avocado_qemu/__init__.py
index 9a57c020d8..e676d9c4e7 100644
--- a/tests/acceptance/avocado_qemu/__init__.py
+++ b/tests/acceptance/avocado_qemu/__init__.py
@@ -100,14 +100,21 @@ def exec_command_and_wait_for_pattern(test, command,
 
 
 class Test(avocado.Test):
+    def _get_unique_tag_val(self, tag_name):
+        """
+        Gets a tag value, if unique for a key
+        """
+        vals = self.tags.get(tag_name, [])
+        if len(vals) == 1:
+            return vals.pop()
+        return None
+
     def setUp(self):
         self._vms = {}
-        arches = self.tags.get('arch', [])
-        if len(arches) == 1:
-            arch = arches.pop()
-        else:
-            arch = None
-        self.arch = self.params.get('arch', default=arch)
+
+        self.arch = self.params.get('arch',
+                                    default=self._get_unique_tag_val('arch'))
+
         default_qemu_bin = pick_default_qemu_bin(arch=self.arch)
         self.qemu_bin = self.params.get('qemu_bin',
                                         default=default_qemu_bin)