diff --git a/tests/avocado/boot_linux.py b/tests/avocado/boot_linux.py
index 2be4be395d..0b747d5aa9 100644
--- a/tests/avocado/boot_linux.py
+++ b/tests/avocado/boot_linux.py
@@ -58,56 +58,29 @@ def test_pc_q35_kvm(self):
         self.launch_and_wait(set_up_ssh_connection=False)
 
 
+# For Aarch64 we only boot KVM tests with the full LinuxTest cloud
+# init. The TCG tests are run with lighter weight distros in the
+# machine_aarch64_virt.py tests.
 class BootLinuxAarch64(LinuxTest):
     """
     :avocado: tags=arch:aarch64
     :avocado: tags=machine:virt
-    :avocado: tags=machine:gic-version=2
     """
     timeout = 240
 
-    def add_common_args(self):
-        self.vm.add_args('-bios',
-                         os.path.join(BUILD_DIR, 'pc-bios',
-                                      'edk2-aarch64-code.fd'))
-        self.vm.add_args('-device', 'virtio-rng-pci,rng=rng0')
-        self.vm.add_args('-object', 'rng-random,id=rng0,filename=/dev/urandom')
-
-    def test_virt_tcg_gicv2(self):
-        """
-        :avocado: tags=accel:tcg
-        :avocado: tags=cpu:max
-        :avocado: tags=device:gicv2
-        """
-        self.require_accelerator("tcg")
-        self.vm.add_args("-accel", "tcg")
-        self.vm.add_args("-cpu", "max,lpa2=off")
-        self.vm.add_args("-machine", "virt,gic-version=2")
-        self.add_common_args()
-        self.launch_and_wait(set_up_ssh_connection=False)
-
-    def test_virt_tcg_gicv3(self):
-        """
-        :avocado: tags=accel:tcg
-        :avocado: tags=cpu:max
-        :avocado: tags=device:gicv3
-        """
-        self.require_accelerator("tcg")
-        self.vm.add_args("-accel", "tcg")
-        self.vm.add_args("-cpu", "max,lpa2=off")
-        self.vm.add_args("-machine", "virt,gic-version=3")
-        self.add_common_args()
-        self.launch_and_wait(set_up_ssh_connection=False)
-
     def test_virt_kvm(self):
         """
         :avocado: tags=accel:kvm
         :avocado: tags=cpu:host
+        :avocado: tags=machine:gic-version=host
         """
         self.require_accelerator("kvm")
         self.vm.add_args("-accel", "kvm")
         self.vm.add_args("-machine", "virt,gic-version=host")
-        self.add_common_args()
+        self.vm.add_args('-bios', os.path.join(BUILD_DIR, 'pc-bios',
+                                               'edk2-aarch64-code.fd'))
+        self.vm.add_args('-device', 'virtio-rng-pci,rng=rng0')
+        self.vm.add_args('-object', 'rng-random,id=rng0,filename=/dev/urandom')
         self.launch_and_wait(set_up_ssh_connection=False)
 
 
diff --git a/tests/avocado/machine_aarch64_virt.py b/tests/avocado/machine_aarch64_virt.py
index 21848cba70..19a2bcb7ad 100644
--- a/tests/avocado/machine_aarch64_virt.py
+++ b/tests/avocado/machine_aarch64_virt.py
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
-# Functional test that boots a Linux kernel and checks the console
+# Functional test that boots a various Linux systems and checks the
+# console output.
 #
 # Copyright (c) 2022 Linaro Ltd.
 #
@@ -8,19 +9,62 @@
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0-or-later
 
 import time
+import os
 
 from avocado_qemu import QemuSystemTest
 from avocado_qemu import wait_for_console_pattern
 from avocado_qemu import exec_command
+from avocado_qemu import BUILD_DIR
 
 class Aarch64VirtMachine(QemuSystemTest):
     KERNEL_COMMON_COMMAND_LINE = 'printk.time=0 '
+    timeout = 360
 
     def wait_for_console_pattern(self, success_message, vm=None):
         wait_for_console_pattern(self, success_message,
                                  failure_message='Kernel panic - not syncing',
                                  vm=vm)
 
+    # 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 test_virt_tcg_gic_max(self):
+        """
+        :avocado: tags=arch:aarch64
+        :avocado: tags=machine:virt
+        :avocado: tags=accel:tcg
+        """
+        iso_url = ('https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/'
+                   'alpine/v3.16/releases/aarch64/'
+                   'alpine-standard-3.16.3-aarch64.iso')
+
+        # Alpine use sha256 so I recalculated this myself
+        iso_sha1 = 'd2c461648ed9fe217c0f1bf90c2747d17244f1dc'
+        iso_path = self.fetch_asset(iso_url, asset_hash=iso_sha1)
+
+        self.vm.set_console()
+        kernel_command_line = (self.KERNEL_COMMON_COMMAND_LINE +
+                               'console=ttyAMA0')
+        self.require_accelerator("tcg")
+
+        self.vm.add_args("-accel", "tcg")
+        self.vm.add_args("-cpu", "max,pauth-impdef=on")
+        self.vm.add_args("-machine",
+                         "virt,acpi=on,"
+                         "virtualization=on,"
+                         "mte=on,"
+                         "gic-version=max,iommu=smmuv3")
+        self.vm.add_args("-smp", "2", "-m", "1024")
+        self.vm.add_args('-bios', os.path.join(BUILD_DIR, 'pc-bios',
+                                               'edk2-aarch64-code.fd'))
+        self.vm.add_args("-drive", f"file={iso_path},format=raw")
+        self.vm.add_args('-device', 'virtio-rng-pci,rng=rng0')
+        self.vm.add_args('-object', 'rng-random,id=rng0,filename=/dev/urandom')
+
+        self.vm.launch()
+        self.wait_for_console_pattern('Welcome to Alpine Linux 3.16')
+
+
     def test_aarch64_virt(self):
         """
         :avocado: tags=arch:aarch64
