diff --git a/meta/lib/oeqa/utils/data.py b/meta/lib/oeqa/utils/data.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..539ca4a026
--- /dev/null
+++ b/meta/lib/oeqa/utils/data.py
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+# Copyright (C) 2022 Linaro Limited
+#
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
+
+import os
+import json
+
+from oeqa.core.utils.test import getCaseID, getCaseFile, getCaseMethod
+
+
+def get_data(self, key = None):
+    """get_data() returns test case specific data to the test case implementation.
+    data is stored in image specific json file called "testimage_data.json" in
+    image deploy directory. Data matching test method name and an optional key
+    is returned to the test case. This data can then be used by generic test
+    cases to match image specific functionality and expected behavior. For example
+    list of expected kernel error strings, list of active systemd services etc.
+    can be image specific while the test case implementation to check them is
+    generic. Example json file for runtime test parselogs.py to ignore image
+    specific kernel error strings in dmesg:
+
+    {"test_parselogs":{"ignore_errors":[
+        "Error to be ignored in dmesg"
+    ]}}
+    """
+    test_method = getCaseMethod(self)
+    self.logger.info("%s: get_data() called by test_method =  %s, key = %s" % (__file__, test_method, key))
+
+    json_file_name = os.path.join(self.td['DEPLOY_DIR_IMAGE'], "testimage_data.json")
+    self.logger.debug("%s: json_file_name = %s" % (__file__, json_file_name))
+
+    with open(json_file_name) as json_file:
+        self.logger.debug("%s: json_file = %s" % (__file__, json_file))
+        json_data = json.load(json_file)
+        self.logger.debug("%s: json_data = %s" % (__file__, json_data))
+        if key:
+            data = json_data[test_method][key]
+        else:
+            data = json_data[test_method]
+        self.logger.debug("%s: data = %s" % (__file__, data))
+        return data