diff --git a/tests/acceptance/boot_linux.py b/tests/acceptance/boot_linux.py
index 34c4366366..ab19146d1e 100644
--- a/tests/acceptance/boot_linux.py
+++ b/tests/acceptance/boot_linux.py
@@ -79,7 +79,6 @@ def test_virt_tcg_gicv2(self):
         """
         self.require_accelerator("tcg")
         self.vm.add_args("-accel", "tcg")
-        self.vm.add_args("-cpu", "max")
         self.vm.add_args("-machine", "virt,gic-version=2")
         self.add_common_args()
         self.launch_and_wait(set_up_ssh_connection=False)
@@ -92,7 +91,6 @@ def test_virt_tcg_gicv3(self):
         """
         self.require_accelerator("tcg")
         self.vm.add_args("-accel", "tcg")
-        self.vm.add_args("-cpu", "max")
         self.vm.add_args("-machine", "virt,gic-version=3")
         self.add_common_args()
         self.launch_and_wait(set_up_ssh_connection=False)
@@ -104,7 +102,6 @@ def test_virt_kvm(self):
         """
         self.require_accelerator("kvm")
         self.vm.add_args("-accel", "kvm")
-        self.vm.add_args("-cpu", "host")
         self.vm.add_args("-machine", "virt,gic-version=host")
         self.add_common_args()
         self.launch_and_wait(set_up_ssh_connection=False)
diff --git a/tests/acceptance/boot_xen.py b/tests/acceptance/boot_xen.py
index 75c2d44492..3479b5233b 100644
--- a/tests/acceptance/boot_xen.py
+++ b/tests/acceptance/boot_xen.py
@@ -48,7 +48,6 @@ def launch_xen(self, xen_path):
 
         xen_command_line = self.XEN_COMMON_COMMAND_LINE
         self.vm.add_args('-machine', 'virtualization=on',
-                         '-cpu', 'cortex-a57',
                          '-m', '768',
                          '-kernel', xen_path,
                          '-append', xen_command_line,
diff --git a/tests/acceptance/machine_mips_malta.py b/tests/acceptance/machine_mips_malta.py
index b1fd075f51..b67d8cb141 100644
--- a/tests/acceptance/machine_mips_malta.py
+++ b/tests/acceptance/machine_mips_malta.py
@@ -62,7 +62,6 @@ def do_test_i6400_framebuffer_logo(self, cpu_cores_count):
         kernel_command_line = (self.KERNEL_COMMON_COMMAND_LINE +
                                'clocksource=GIC console=tty0 console=ttyS0')
         self.vm.add_args('-kernel', kernel_path,
-                         '-cpu', 'I6400',
                          '-smp', '%u' % cpu_cores_count,
                          '-vga', 'std',
                          '-append', kernel_command_line)
diff --git a/tests/acceptance/replay_kernel.py b/tests/acceptance/replay_kernel.py
index 71facdaa75..75f80506c1 100644
--- a/tests/acceptance/replay_kernel.py
+++ b/tests/acceptance/replay_kernel.py
@@ -156,8 +156,7 @@ def test_aarch64_virt(self):
                                'console=ttyAMA0')
         console_pattern = 'VFS: Cannot open root device'
 
-        self.run_rr(kernel_path, kernel_command_line, console_pattern,
-                    args=('-cpu', 'cortex-a53'))
+        self.run_rr(kernel_path, kernel_command_line, console_pattern)
 
     def test_arm_virt(self):
         """
@@ -301,7 +300,7 @@ def test_ppc64_e500(self):
         tar_url = ('https://www.qemu-advent-calendar.org'
                    '/2018/download/day19.tar.xz')
         file_path = self.fetch_asset(tar_url, asset_hash=tar_hash)
-        self.do_test_advcal_2018(file_path, 'uImage', ('-cpu', 'e5500'))
+        self.do_test_advcal_2018(file_path, 'uImage')
 
     def test_ppc_g3beige(self):
         """
@@ -348,8 +347,7 @@ def test_xtensa_lx60(self):
         tar_url = ('https://www.qemu-advent-calendar.org'
                    '/2018/download/day02.tar.xz')
         file_path = self.fetch_asset(tar_url, asset_hash=tar_hash)
-        self.do_test_advcal_2018(file_path, 'santas-sleigh-ride.elf',
-                                 args=('-cpu', 'dc233c'))
+        self.do_test_advcal_2018(file_path, 'santas-sleigh-ride.elf')
 
 @skipUnless(os.getenv('AVOCADO_TIMEOUT_EXPECTED'), 'Test might timeout')
 class ReplayKernelSlow(ReplayKernelBase):
diff --git a/tests/acceptance/reverse_debugging.py b/tests/acceptance/reverse_debugging.py
index be01aca217..d2921e70c3 100644
--- a/tests/acceptance/reverse_debugging.py
+++ b/tests/acceptance/reverse_debugging.py
@@ -207,4 +207,4 @@ def test_aarch64_virt(self):
         kernel_path = self.fetch_asset(kernel_url, asset_hash=kernel_hash)
 
         self.reverse_debugging(
-            args=('-kernel', kernel_path, '-cpu', 'cortex-a53'))
+            args=('-kernel', kernel_path))
diff --git a/tests/acceptance/tcg_plugins.py b/tests/acceptance/tcg_plugins.py
index aa6e18b62d..9ca1515c3b 100644
--- a/tests/acceptance/tcg_plugins.py
+++ b/tests/acceptance/tcg_plugins.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ class PluginKernelBase(LinuxKernelTest):
     KERNEL_COMMON_COMMAND_LINE = 'printk.time=1 panic=-1 '
 
     def run_vm(self, kernel_path, kernel_command_line,
-               plugin, plugin_log, console_pattern, args):
+               plugin, plugin_log, console_pattern, args=None):
 
         vm = self.get_vm()
         vm.set_console()
@@ -80,8 +80,7 @@ def test_aarch64_virt_insn(self):
 
         self.run_vm(kernel_path, kernel_command_line,
                     "tests/plugin/libinsn.so", plugin_log.name,
-                    console_pattern,
-                    args=('-cpu', 'cortex-a53'))
+                    console_pattern)
 
         with plugin_log as lf, \
              mmap.mmap(lf.fileno(), 0, access=mmap.ACCESS_READ) as s:
@@ -108,7 +107,7 @@ def test_aarch64_virt_insn_icount(self):
         self.run_vm(kernel_path, kernel_command_line,
                     "tests/plugin/libinsn.so", plugin_log.name,
                     console_pattern,
-                    args=('-cpu', 'cortex-a53', '-icount', 'shift=1'))
+                    args=('-icount', 'shift=1'))
 
         with plugin_log as lf, \
              mmap.mmap(lf.fileno(), 0, access=mmap.ACCESS_READ) as s:
@@ -134,7 +133,7 @@ def test_aarch64_virt_mem_icount(self):
         self.run_vm(kernel_path, kernel_command_line,
                     "tests/plugin/libmem.so,arg=both", plugin_log.name,
                     console_pattern,
-                    args=('-cpu', 'cortex-a53', '-icount', 'shift=1'))
+                    args=('-icount', 'shift=1'))
 
         with plugin_log as lf, \
              mmap.mmap(lf.fileno(), 0, access=mmap.ACCESS_READ) as s:
