diff --git a/meta-yocto-bsp/lib/oeqa/selftest/cases/systemd_boot.py b/meta-yocto-bsp/lib/oeqa/selftest/cases/systemd_boot.py
index 781763d1f15..961d4ea31d0 100644
--- a/meta-yocto-bsp/lib/oeqa/selftest/cases/systemd_boot.py
+++ b/meta-yocto-bsp/lib/oeqa/selftest/cases/systemd_boot.py
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ class Systemdboot(OESelftestTestCase):
 
         # Set EFI_PROVIDER = "systemdboot" and MACHINE = "genericx86-64" in conf/local.conf
         features = 'EFI_PROVIDER = "systemd-boot"\n'
-        features += 'MACHINE = "genericx86-64"\n'
+        features += 'MACHINE:forcevariable = "genericx86-64"\n'
         features += 'IMAGE_FSTYPES += "wic"\n'
         features += 'COMPATIBLE_MACHINE:pn-ssh-pregen-hostkeys:genericx86-64 = "genericx86-64"\n'
         self.append_config(features)