diff --git a/tests/functional/meson.build b/tests/functional/meson.build
index 439997a85d..b4889d8d7a 100644
--- a/tests/functional/meson.build
+++ b/tests/functional/meson.build
@@ -80,6 +80,10 @@ tests_riscv64_quick = [
   'riscv_opensbi',
 ]
 
+tests_rx_thorough = [
+  'rx_gdbsim',
+]
+
 tests_s390x_thorough = [
   's390x_ccw_virtio',
   's390x_topology',
diff --git a/tests/functional/qemu_test/utils.py b/tests/functional/qemu_test/utils.py
index a12dac51b6..99eae5fc45 100644
--- a/tests/functional/qemu_test/utils.py
+++ b/tests/functional/qemu_test/utils.py
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 # This work is licensed under the terms of the GNU GPL, version 2 or
 # later.  See the COPYING file in the top-level directory.
 
+import gzip
 import lzma
 import os
 import shutil
@@ -23,6 +24,17 @@ def archive_extract(archive, dest_dir, member=None):
         else:
             tf.extractall(path=dest_dir)
 
+def gzip_uncompress(gz_path, output_path):
+    if os.path.exists(output_path):
+        return
+    with gzip.open(gz_path, 'rb') as gz_in:
+        try:
+            with open(output_path, 'wb') as raw_out:
+                shutil.copyfileobj(gz_in, raw_out)
+        except:
+            os.remove(output_path)
+            raise
+
 def lzma_uncompress(xz_path, output_path):
     if os.path.exists(output_path):
         return
diff --git a/tests/avocado/machine_rx_gdbsim.py b/tests/functional/test_rx_gdbsim.py
old mode 100644
new mode 100755
similarity index 54%
rename from tests/avocado/machine_rx_gdbsim.py
rename to tests/functional/test_rx_gdbsim.py
index 412a7a5089..9b2dcc4b90
--- a/tests/avocado/machine_rx_gdbsim.py
+++ b/tests/functional/test_rx_gdbsim.py
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+#
 # Functional test that boots a Linux kernel and checks the console
 #
 # Copyright (c) 2018 Red Hat, Inc.
@@ -10,11 +12,11 @@
 
 import os
 
-from avocado import skipUnless
-from avocado_qemu import QemuSystemTest
-from avocado_qemu import exec_command_and_wait_for_pattern
-from avocado_qemu import wait_for_console_pattern
-from avocado.utils import archive
+from unittest import skipUnless
+from qemu_test import QemuSystemTest, Asset
+from qemu_test import exec_command_and_wait_for_pattern
+from qemu_test import wait_for_console_pattern
+from qemu_test.utils import gzip_uncompress
 
 
 class RxGdbSimMachine(QemuSystemTest):
@@ -22,21 +24,24 @@ class RxGdbSimMachine(QemuSystemTest):
     timeout = 30
     KERNEL_COMMON_COMMAND_LINE = 'printk.time=0 '
 
-    @skipUnless(os.getenv('QEMU_TEST_FLAKY_TESTS'), 'Test is unstable on GitLab')
+    ASSET_UBOOT = Asset('https://acc.dl.osdn.jp/users/23/23888/u-boot.bin.gz',
+                        '9b78dbd43b40b2526848c0b1ce9de02c24f4dcdb')
+    ASSET_DTB = Asset('https://acc.dl.osdn.jp/users/23/23887/rx-virt.dtb',
+                      '7b4e4e2c71905da44e86ce47adee2210b026ac18')
+    ASSET_KERNEL = Asset('http://acc.dl.osdn.jp/users/23/23845/zImage',
+                         '39a81067f8d72faad90866ddfefa19165d68fc99')
 
+    @skipUnless(os.getenv('QEMU_TEST_FLAKY_TESTS'),
+                'Test is unstable on GitLab')
     def test_uboot(self):
         """
         U-Boot and checks that the console is operational.
-
-        :avocado: tags=arch:rx
-        :avocado: tags=machine:gdbsim-r5f562n8
-        :avocado: tags=endian:little
-        :avocado: tags=flaky
         """
-        uboot_url = ('https://acc.dl.osdn.jp/users/23/23888/u-boot.bin.gz')
-        uboot_hash = '9b78dbd43b40b2526848c0b1ce9de02c24f4dcdb'
-        uboot_path = self.fetch_asset(uboot_url, asset_hash=uboot_hash)
-        uboot_path = archive.uncompress(uboot_path, self.workdir)
+        self.set_machine('gdbsim-r5f562n8')
+
+        uboot_path_gz = self.ASSET_UBOOT.fetch()
+        uboot_path = os.path.join(self.workdir, 'u-boot.bin')
+        gzip_uncompress(uboot_path_gz, uboot_path)
 
         self.vm.set_console()
         self.vm.add_args('-bios', uboot_path,
@@ -48,23 +53,16 @@ def test_uboot(self):
         # FIXME limit baudrate on chardev, else we type too fast
         #exec_command_and_wait_for_pattern(self, 'version', gcc_version)
 
-    @skipUnless(os.getenv('QEMU_TEST_FLAKY_TESTS'), 'Test is unstable on GitLab')
-
+    @skipUnless(os.getenv('QEMU_TEST_FLAKY_TESTS'),
+                'Test is unstable on GitLab')
     def test_linux_sash(self):
         """
         Boots a Linux kernel and checks that the console is operational.
-
-        :avocado: tags=arch:rx
-        :avocado: tags=machine:gdbsim-r5f562n7
-        :avocado: tags=endian:little
-        :avocado: tags=flaky
         """
-        dtb_url = ('https://acc.dl.osdn.jp/users/23/23887/rx-virt.dtb')
-        dtb_hash = '7b4e4e2c71905da44e86ce47adee2210b026ac18'
-        dtb_path = self.fetch_asset(dtb_url, asset_hash=dtb_hash)
-        kernel_url = ('http://acc.dl.osdn.jp/users/23/23845/zImage')
-        kernel_hash = '39a81067f8d72faad90866ddfefa19165d68fc99'
-        kernel_path = self.fetch_asset(kernel_url, asset_hash=kernel_hash)
+        self.set_machine('gdbsim-r5f562n7')
+
+        dtb_path = self.ASSET_DTB.fetch()
+        kernel_path = self.ASSET_KERNEL.fetch()
 
         self.vm.set_console()
         kernel_command_line = self.KERNEL_COMMON_COMMAND_LINE + 'earlycon'
@@ -75,3 +73,6 @@ def test_linux_sash(self):
         wait_for_console_pattern(self, 'Sash command shell (version 1.1.1)',
                                  failure_message='Kernel panic - not syncing')
         exec_command_and_wait_for_pattern(self, 'printenv', 'TERM=linux')
+
+if __name__ == '__main__':
+    QemuSystemTest.main()
