diff --git a/docs/devel/testing.rst b/docs/devel/testing.rst
index bf75675fb0..1816ada919 100644
--- a/docs/devel/testing.rst
+++ b/docs/devel/testing.rst
@@ -744,6 +744,17 @@ name.  If one is not given explicitly, it will either be set to
 ``None``, or, if the test is tagged with one (and only one)
 ``:avocado: tags=arch:VALUE`` tag, it will be set to ``VALUE``.
 
+machine
+~~~~~~~
+
+The machine type that will be set to all QEMUMachine instances created
+by the test.
+
+The ``machine`` attribute will be set to the test parameter of the same
+name.  If one is not given explicitly, it will either be set to
+``None``, or, if the test is tagged with one (and only one)
+``:avocado: tags=machine:VALUE`` tag, it will be set to ``VALUE``.
+
 qemu_bin
 ~~~~~~~~
 
@@ -779,6 +790,13 @@ architecture of a kernel or disk image to boot a VM with.
 This parameter has a direct relation with the ``arch`` attribute.  If
 not given, it will default to None.
 
+machine
+~~~~~~~
+
+The machine type that will be set to all QEMUMachine instances created
+by the test.
+
+
 qemu_bin
 ~~~~~~~~
 
diff --git a/tests/acceptance/avocado_qemu/__init__.py b/tests/acceptance/avocado_qemu/__init__.py
index 02775bafcf..fb5d6616bc 100644
--- a/tests/acceptance/avocado_qemu/__init__.py
+++ b/tests/acceptance/avocado_qemu/__init__.py
@@ -69,6 +69,9 @@ class Test(avocado.Test):
         self.arch = self.params.get('arch',
                                     default=self._get_unique_tag_val('arch'))
 
+        self.machine = self.params.get('machine',
+                                       default=self._get_unique_tag_val('machine'))
+
         default_qemu_bin = pick_default_qemu_bin(arch=self.arch)
         self.qemu_bin = self.params.get('qemu_bin',
                                         default=default_qemu_bin)
@@ -90,6 +93,8 @@ class Test(avocado.Test):
             name = str(uuid.uuid4())
         if self._vms.get(name) is None:
             self._vms[name] = self._new_vm(*args)
+            if self.machine is not None:
+                self._vms[name].set_machine(self.machine)
         return self._vms[name]
 
     def tearDown(self):
diff --git a/tests/acceptance/boot_linux_console.py b/tests/acceptance/boot_linux_console.py
index 8a9a314ab4..3d2a53d4c8 100644
--- a/tests/acceptance/boot_linux_console.py
+++ b/tests/acceptance/boot_linux_console.py
@@ -82,7 +82,6 @@ class BootLinuxConsole(Test):
         kernel_hash = '23bebd2680757891cf7adedb033532163a792495'
         kernel_path = self.fetch_asset(kernel_url, asset_hash=kernel_hash)
 
-        self.vm.set_machine('pc')
         self.vm.set_console()
         kernel_command_line = self.KERNEL_COMMON_COMMAND_LINE + 'console=ttyS0'
         self.vm.add_args('-kernel', kernel_path,
@@ -105,7 +104,6 @@ class BootLinuxConsole(Test):
         kernel_path = self.extract_from_deb(deb_path,
                                             '/boot/vmlinux-2.6.32-5-4kc-malta')
 
-        self.vm.set_machine('malta')
         self.vm.set_console()
         kernel_command_line = self.KERNEL_COMMON_COMMAND_LINE + 'console=ttyS0'
         self.vm.add_args('-kernel', kernel_path,
@@ -138,7 +136,6 @@ class BootLinuxConsole(Test):
         kernel_path = self.extract_from_deb(deb_path,
                                             '/boot/vmlinux-2.6.32-5-5kc-malta')
 
-        self.vm.set_machine('malta')
         self.vm.set_console()
         kernel_command_line = self.KERNEL_COMMON_COMMAND_LINE + 'console=ttyS0'
         self.vm.add_args('-kernel', kernel_path,
@@ -171,7 +168,6 @@ class BootLinuxConsole(Test):
             with open(initrd_path, 'wb') as f_out:
                 shutil.copyfileobj(f_in, f_out)
 
-        self.vm.set_machine('malta')
         self.vm.set_console()
         kernel_command_line = (self.KERNEL_COMMON_COMMAND_LINE
                                + 'console=ttyS0 console=tty '
@@ -197,7 +193,6 @@ class BootLinuxConsole(Test):
             with open(kernel_path, 'wb') as f_out:
                 shutil.copyfileobj(f_in, f_out)
 
-        self.vm.set_machine('malta')
         self.vm.set_console()
         kernel_command_line = (self.KERNEL_COMMON_COMMAND_LINE
                                + 'mem=256m@@0x0 '
@@ -257,7 +252,6 @@ class BootLinuxConsole(Test):
         kernel_hash = '8c73e469fc6ea06a58dc83a628fc695b693b8493'
         kernel_path = self.fetch_asset(kernel_url, asset_hash=kernel_hash)
 
-        self.vm.set_machine('virt')
         self.vm.set_console()
         kernel_command_line = (self.KERNEL_COMMON_COMMAND_LINE +
                                'console=ttyAMA0')
@@ -279,7 +273,6 @@ class BootLinuxConsole(Test):
         kernel_hash = 'e9826d741b4fb04cadba8d4824d1ed3b7fb8b4d4'
         kernel_path = self.fetch_asset(kernel_url, asset_hash=kernel_hash)
 
-        self.vm.set_machine('virt')
         self.vm.set_console()
         kernel_command_line = (self.KERNEL_COMMON_COMMAND_LINE +
                                'console=ttyAMA0')
@@ -292,7 +285,7 @@ class BootLinuxConsole(Test):
     def test_arm_emcraft_sf2(self):
         """
         :avocado: tags=arch:arm
-        :avocado: tags=machine:emcraft_sf2
+        :avocado: tags=machine:emcraft-sf2
         :avocado: tags=endian:little
         """
         uboot_url = ('https://raw.githubusercontent.com/'
@@ -306,7 +299,6 @@ class BootLinuxConsole(Test):
         spi_hash = '85f698329d38de63aea6e884a86fbde70890a78a'
         spi_path = self.fetch_asset(spi_url, asset_hash=spi_hash)
 
-        self.vm.set_machine('emcraft-sf2')
         self.vm.set_console()
         kernel_command_line = self.KERNEL_COMMON_COMMAND_LINE
         self.vm.add_args('-kernel', uboot_path,
@@ -319,7 +311,7 @@ class BootLinuxConsole(Test):
     def test_s390x_s390_ccw_virtio(self):
         """
         :avocado: tags=arch:s390x
-        :avocado: tags=machine:s390_ccw_virtio
+        :avocado: tags=machine:s390-ccw-virtio
         """
         kernel_url = ('https://archives.fedoraproject.org/pub/archive'
                       '/fedora-secondary/releases/29/Everything/s390x/os/images'
@@ -327,7 +319,6 @@ class BootLinuxConsole(Test):
         kernel_hash = 'e8e8439103ef8053418ef062644ffd46a7919313'
         kernel_path = self.fetch_asset(kernel_url, asset_hash=kernel_hash)
 
-        self.vm.set_machine('s390-ccw-virtio')
         self.vm.set_console()
         kernel_command_line = self.KERNEL_COMMON_COMMAND_LINE + 'console=sclp0'
         self.vm.add_args('-nodefaults',
@@ -349,7 +340,6 @@ class BootLinuxConsole(Test):
 
         uncompressed_kernel = archive.uncompress(kernel_path, self.workdir)
 
-        self.vm.set_machine('clipper')
         self.vm.set_console()
         kernel_command_line = self.KERNEL_COMMON_COMMAND_LINE + 'console=ttyS0'
         self.vm.add_args('-vga', 'std',
@@ -370,7 +360,6 @@ class BootLinuxConsole(Test):
         kernel_hash = '3fe04abfc852b66653b8c3c897a59a689270bc77'
         kernel_path = self.fetch_asset(kernel_url, asset_hash=kernel_hash)
 
-        self.vm.set_machine('pseries')
         self.vm.set_console()
         kernel_command_line = self.KERNEL_COMMON_COMMAND_LINE + 'console=hvc0'
         self.vm.add_args('-kernel', kernel_path,
diff --git a/tests/acceptance/cpu_queries.py b/tests/acceptance/cpu_queries.py
index af47d2795a..293dccb89a 100644
--- a/tests/acceptance/cpu_queries.py
+++ b/tests/acceptance/cpu_queries.py
@@ -20,8 +20,8 @@ class QueryCPUModelExpansion(Test):
     def test(self):
         """
         :avocado: tags=arch:x86_64
+        :avocado: tags=machine:none
         """
-        self.vm.set_machine('none')
         self.vm.add_args('-S')
         self.vm.launch()
 
diff --git a/tests/acceptance/linux_initrd.py b/tests/acceptance/linux_initrd.py
index c61d9826a4..3a0ff7b098 100644
--- a/tests/acceptance/linux_initrd.py
+++ b/tests/acceptance/linux_initrd.py
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ class LinuxInitrd(Test):
     Checks QEMU evaluates correctly the initrd file passed as -initrd option.
 
     :avocado: tags=arch:x86_64
+    :avocado: tags=machine:pc
     """
 
     timeout = 300
@@ -66,7 +67,6 @@ class LinuxInitrd(Test):
             initrd.write(b'\0')
             initrd.flush()
 
-            self.vm.set_machine('pc')
             self.vm.set_console()
             kernel_command_line = 'console=ttyS0'
             self.vm.add_args('-kernel', kernel_path,
diff --git a/tests/acceptance/linux_ssh_mips_malta.py b/tests/acceptance/linux_ssh_mips_malta.py
index 25a1df5098..e40a57de51 100644
--- a/tests/acceptance/linux_ssh_mips_malta.py
+++ b/tests/acceptance/linux_ssh_mips_malta.py
@@ -95,7 +95,6 @@ class LinuxSSH(Test):
         image_hash = self.IMAGE_INFO[endianess]['image_hash']
         image_path = self.fetch_asset(image_url, asset_hash=image_hash)
 
-        self.vm.set_machine('malta')
         self.vm.set_console()
         kernel_command_line = (self.KERNEL_COMMON_COMMAND_LINE
                                + 'console=ttyS0 root=/dev/sda1')
@@ -199,7 +198,6 @@ class LinuxSSH(Test):
     def test_mips_malta32eb_kernel3_2_0(self):
         """
         :avocado: tags=arch:mips
-        :avocado: tags=machine:malta
         :avocado: tags=endian:big
         :avocado: tags=device:pcnet32
         """
@@ -213,7 +211,6 @@ class LinuxSSH(Test):
     def test_mips_malta32el_kernel3_2_0(self):
         """
         :avocado: tags=arch:mipsel
-        :avocado: tags=machine:malta
         :avocado: tags=endian:little
         :avocado: tags=device:pcnet32
         """
@@ -227,7 +224,6 @@ class LinuxSSH(Test):
     def test_mips_malta64eb_kernel3_2_0(self):
         """
         :avocado: tags=arch:mips64
-        :avocado: tags=machine:malta
         :avocado: tags=endian:big
         :avocado: tags=device:pcnet32
         """
@@ -240,7 +236,6 @@ class LinuxSSH(Test):
     def test_mips_malta64el_kernel3_2_0(self):
         """
         :avocado: tags=arch:mips64el
-        :avocado: tags=machine:malta
         :avocado: tags=endian:little
         :avocado: tags=device:pcnet32
         """
diff --git a/tests/acceptance/machine_m68k_nextcube.py b/tests/acceptance/machine_m68k_nextcube.py
index fcd2c58ee7..32cf571f94 100644
--- a/tests/acceptance/machine_m68k_nextcube.py
+++ b/tests/acceptance/machine_m68k_nextcube.py
@@ -43,6 +43,11 @@ def tesseract_available(expected_version):
 
 
 class NextCubeMachine(Test):
+    """
+    :avocado: tags=arch:m68k
+    :avocado: tags=machine:next-cube
+    :avocado: tags=device:framebuffer
+    """
 
     timeout = 15
 
@@ -52,7 +57,6 @@ class NextCubeMachine(Test):
         rom_hash = 'b3534796abae238a0111299fc406a9349f7fee24'
         rom_path = self.fetch_asset(rom_url, asset_hash=rom_hash)
 
-        self.vm.set_machine('next-cube')
         self.vm.add_args('-bios', rom_path)
         self.vm.launch()
 
@@ -66,11 +70,6 @@ class NextCubeMachine(Test):
 
     @skipUnless(PIL_AVAILABLE, 'Python PIL not installed')
     def test_bootrom_framebuffer_size(self):
-        """
-        :avocado: tags=arch:m68k
-        :avocado: tags=machine:next_cube
-        :avocado: tags=device:framebuffer
-        """
         screenshot_path = os.path.join(self.workdir, "dump.png")
         self.check_bootrom_framebuffer(screenshot_path)
 
@@ -80,11 +79,6 @@ class NextCubeMachine(Test):
 
     @skipUnless(tesseract_available(3), 'tesseract v3 OCR tool not available')
     def test_bootrom_framebuffer_ocr_with_tesseract_v3(self):
-        """
-        :avocado: tags=arch:m68k
-        :avocado: tags=machine:next_cube
-        :avocado: tags=device:framebuffer
-        """
         screenshot_path = os.path.join(self.workdir, "dump.png")
         self.check_bootrom_framebuffer(screenshot_path)
 
@@ -101,11 +95,6 @@ class NextCubeMachine(Test):
     # that it is still alpha-level software.
     @skipUnless(tesseract_available(4), 'tesseract v4 OCR tool not available')
     def test_bootrom_framebuffer_ocr_with_tesseract_v4(self):
-        """
-        :avocado: tags=arch:m68k
-        :avocado: tags=machine:next_cube
-        :avocado: tags=device:framebuffer
-        """
         screenshot_path = os.path.join(self.workdir, "dump.png")
         self.check_bootrom_framebuffer(screenshot_path)
 
diff --git a/tests/acceptance/x86_cpu_model_versions.py b/tests/acceptance/x86_cpu_model_versions.py
index 6eb977954d..90558d9a71 100644
--- a/tests/acceptance/x86_cpu_model_versions.py
+++ b/tests/acceptance/x86_cpu_model_versions.py
@@ -75,12 +75,15 @@ class X86CPUModelAliases(avocado_qemu.Test):
                          "EPYC-IBPB shouldn't be versioned")
 
     def test_4_0_alias_compatibility(self):
-        """Check if pc-*-4.0 unversioned CPU model won't be reported as aliases"""
+        """
+        Check if pc-*-4.0 unversioned CPU model won't be reported as aliases
+
+        :avocado: tags=machine:pc-i440fx-4.0
+        """
         # pc-*-4.0 won't expose non-versioned CPU models as aliases
         # We do this to help management software to keep compatibility
         # with older QEMU versions that didn't have the versioned CPU model
         self.vm.add_args('-S')
-        self.vm.set_machine('pc-i440fx-4.0')
         self.vm.launch()
         cpus = dict((m['name'], m) for m in self.vm.command('query-cpu-definitions'))
 
@@ -105,9 +108,12 @@ class X86CPUModelAliases(avocado_qemu.Test):
             self.assertNotIn('alias-of', c, "%s shouldn't be an alias" % (name))
 
     def test_4_1_alias(self):
-        """Check if unversioned CPU model is an alias pointing to right version"""
+        """
+        Check if unversioned CPU model is an alias pointing to right version
+
+        :avocado: tags=machine:pc-i440fx-4.1
+        """
         self.vm.add_args('-S')
-        self.vm.set_machine('pc-i440fx-4.1')
         self.vm.launch()
 
         cpus = dict((m['name'], m) for m in self.vm.command('query-cpu-definitions'))
@@ -207,9 +213,12 @@ class X86CPUModelAliases(avocado_qemu.Test):
         self.validate_aliases(cpus)
 
     def test_none_alias(self):
-        """Check if unversioned CPU model is an alias pointing to some version"""
+        """
+        Check if unversioned CPU model is an alias pointing to some version
+
+        :avocado: tags=machine:none
+        """
         self.vm.add_args('-S')
-        self.vm.set_machine('none')
         self.vm.launch()
 
         cpus = dict((m['name'], m) for m in self.vm.command('query-cpu-definitions'))
@@ -242,68 +251,84 @@ class CascadelakeArchCapabilities(avocado_qemu.Test):
         return self.vm.command('qom-get', path=cpu_path, property=prop)
 
     def test_4_1(self):
+        """
+        :avocado: tags=machine:pc-i440fx-4.1
+        """
         # machine-type only:
         self.vm.add_args('-S')
-        self.vm.set_machine('pc-i440fx-4.1')
         self.vm.add_args('-cpu', 'Cascadelake-Server,x-force-features=on,check=off,enforce=off')
         self.vm.launch()
         self.assertFalse(self.get_cpu_prop('arch-capabilities'),
                          'pc-i440fx-4.1 + Cascadelake-Server should not have arch-capabilities')
 
     def test_4_0(self):
+        """
+        :avocado: tags=machine:pc-i440fx-4.0
+        """
         self.vm.add_args('-S')
-        self.vm.set_machine('pc-i440fx-4.0')
         self.vm.add_args('-cpu', 'Cascadelake-Server,x-force-features=on,check=off,enforce=off')
         self.vm.launch()
         self.assertFalse(self.get_cpu_prop('arch-capabilities'),
                          'pc-i440fx-4.0 + Cascadelake-Server should not have arch-capabilities')
 
     def test_set_4_0(self):
+        """
+        :avocado: tags=machine:pc-i440fx-4.0
+        """
         # command line must override machine-type if CPU model is not versioned:
         self.vm.add_args('-S')
-        self.vm.set_machine('pc-i440fx-4.0')
         self.vm.add_args('-cpu', 'Cascadelake-Server,x-force-features=on,check=off,enforce=off,+arch-capabilities')
         self.vm.launch()
         self.assertTrue(self.get_cpu_prop('arch-capabilities'),
                         'pc-i440fx-4.0 + Cascadelake-Server,+arch-capabilities should have arch-capabilities')
 
     def test_unset_4_1(self):
+        """
+        :avocado: tags=machine:pc-i440fx-4.1
+        """
         self.vm.add_args('-S')
-        self.vm.set_machine('pc-i440fx-4.1')
         self.vm.add_args('-cpu', 'Cascadelake-Server,x-force-features=on,check=off,enforce=off,-arch-capabilities')
         self.vm.launch()
         self.assertFalse(self.get_cpu_prop('arch-capabilities'),
                          'pc-i440fx-4.1 + Cascadelake-Server,-arch-capabilities should not have arch-capabilities')
 
     def test_v1_4_0(self):
+        """
+        :avocado: tags=machine:pc-i440fx-4.0
+        """
         # versioned CPU model overrides machine-type:
         self.vm.add_args('-S')
-        self.vm.set_machine('pc-i440fx-4.0')
         self.vm.add_args('-cpu', 'Cascadelake-Server-v1,x-force-features=on,check=off,enforce=off')
         self.vm.launch()
         self.assertFalse(self.get_cpu_prop('arch-capabilities'),
                          'pc-i440fx-4.0 + Cascadelake-Server-v1 should not have arch-capabilities')
 
     def test_v2_4_0(self):
+        """
+        :avocado: tags=machine:pc-i440fx-4.0
+        """
         self.vm.add_args('-S')
-        self.vm.set_machine('pc-i440fx-4.0')
         self.vm.add_args('-cpu', 'Cascadelake-Server-v2,x-force-features=on,check=off,enforce=off')
         self.vm.launch()
         self.assertTrue(self.get_cpu_prop('arch-capabilities'),
                         'pc-i440fx-4.0 + Cascadelake-Server-v2 should have arch-capabilities')
 
     def test_v1_set_4_0(self):
+        """
+        :avocado: tags=machine:pc-i440fx-4.0
+        """
         # command line must override machine-type and versioned CPU model:
         self.vm.add_args('-S')
-        self.vm.set_machine('pc-i440fx-4.0')
         self.vm.add_args('-cpu', 'Cascadelake-Server-v1,x-force-features=on,check=off,enforce=off,+arch-capabilities')
         self.vm.launch()
         self.assertTrue(self.get_cpu_prop('arch-capabilities'),
                         'pc-i440fx-4.0 + Cascadelake-Server-v1,+arch-capabilities should have arch-capabilities')
 
     def test_v2_unset_4_1(self):
+        """
+        :avocado: tags=machine:pc-i440fx-4.1
+        """
         self.vm.add_args('-S')
-        self.vm.set_machine('pc-i440fx-4.1')
         self.vm.add_args('-cpu', 'Cascadelake-Server-v2,x-force-features=on,check=off,enforce=off,-arch-capabilities')
         self.vm.launch()
         self.assertFalse(self.get_cpu_prop('arch-capabilities'),
