diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_domain.c b/src/qemu/qemu_domain.c
index 00ac5e1307..670b928c4c 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_domain.c
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_domain.c
@@ -4221,8 +4221,9 @@ qemuDomainDefValidate(const virDomainDef *def,
     }
 
     /* On x86, UEFI requires ACPI */
-    if (def->os.loader &&
-        def->os.loader->type == VIR_DOMAIN_LOADER_TYPE_PFLASH &&
+    if ((def->os.firmware == VIR_DOMAIN_OS_DEF_FIRMWARE_EFI ||
+         (def->os.loader &&
+          def->os.loader->type == VIR_DOMAIN_LOADER_TYPE_PFLASH)) &&
         ARCH_IS_X86(def->os.arch) &&
         def->features[VIR_DOMAIN_FEATURE_ACPI] != VIR_TRISTATE_SWITCH_ON) {
         virReportError(VIR_ERR_CONFIG_UNSUPPORTED, "%s",
@@ -4233,8 +4234,9 @@ qemuDomainDefValidate(const virDomainDef *def,
     /* On aarch64, ACPI requires UEFI */
     if (def->features[VIR_DOMAIN_FEATURE_ACPI] == VIR_TRISTATE_SWITCH_ON &&
         def->os.arch == VIR_ARCH_AARCH64 &&
-        (!def->os.loader ||
-         def->os.loader->type != VIR_DOMAIN_LOADER_TYPE_PFLASH)) {
+        (def->os.firmware != VIR_DOMAIN_OS_DEF_FIRMWARE_EFI &&
+         (!def->os.loader ||
+          def->os.loader->type != VIR_DOMAIN_LOADER_TYPE_PFLASH))) {
         virReportError(VIR_ERR_CONFIG_UNSUPPORTED, "%s",
                        _("ACPI requires UEFI on this architecture"));
         goto cleanup;
diff --git a/tests/qemuxml2argvdata/aarch64-os-firmware-efi.aarch64-latest.args b/tests/qemuxml2argvdata/aarch64-os-firmware-efi.aarch64-latest.args
index 9821e28358..3914b6bf6e 100644
--- a/tests/qemuxml2argvdata/aarch64-os-firmware-efi.aarch64-latest.args
+++ b/tests/qemuxml2argvdata/aarch64-os-firmware-efi.aarch64-latest.args
@@ -29,7 +29,6 @@ format=raw,unit=1 \
 -mon chardev=charmonitor,id=monitor,mode=control \
 -rtc base=utc \
 -no-shutdown \
--no-acpi \
 -boot strict=on \
 -kernel /aarch64.kernel \
 -initrd /aarch64.initrd \
diff --git a/tests/qemuxml2argvdata/aarch64-os-firmware-efi.xml b/tests/qemuxml2argvdata/aarch64-os-firmware-efi.xml
index c3e25f3052..48605f7198 100644
--- a/tests/qemuxml2argvdata/aarch64-os-firmware-efi.xml
+++ b/tests/qemuxml2argvdata/aarch64-os-firmware-efi.xml
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
     <boot dev='hd'/>
   </os>
   <features>
+    <acpi/>
     <apic/>
     <pae/>
     <gic version='2'/>
diff --git a/tests/qemuxml2xmloutdata/aarch64-os-firmware-efi.aarch64-latest.xml b/tests/qemuxml2xmloutdata/aarch64-os-firmware-efi.aarch64-latest.xml
index 529ce6f3c2..1e51d55305 100644
--- a/tests/qemuxml2xmloutdata/aarch64-os-firmware-efi.aarch64-latest.xml
+++ b/tests/qemuxml2xmloutdata/aarch64-os-firmware-efi.aarch64-latest.xml
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
     <boot dev='hd'/>
   </os>
   <features>
+    <acpi/>
     <apic/>
     <pae/>
     <gic version='2'/>