diff --git a/meta/lib/oeqa/selftest/cases/gdbserver.py b/meta/lib/oeqa/selftest/cases/gdbserver.py
index 1c713331900..fe1fa6dac1f 100644
--- a/meta/lib/oeqa/selftest/cases/gdbserver.py
+++ b/meta/lib/oeqa/selftest/cases/gdbserver.py
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import os
 import time
 import tempfile
 import shutil
+import tarfile
 import concurrent.futures
 
 from oeqa.selftest.case import OESelftestTestCase
@@ -41,7 +42,8 @@ CORE_IMAGE_EXTRA_INSTALL = "gdbserver"
             filename = os.path.join(bb_vars['DEPLOY_DIR_IMAGE'], "%s-dbg.tar.bz2" % bb_vars['IMAGE_LINK_NAME'])
             shutil.unpack_archive(filename, debugfs)
             filename = os.path.join(bb_vars['DEPLOY_DIR_IMAGE'], "%s.tar.bz2" % bb_vars['IMAGE_LINK_NAME'])
-            shutil.unpack_archive(filename, debugfs)
+            with tarfile.open(filename) as tar:
+                tar.extract("./bin/kmod", path=debugfs)
 
             with runqemu("core-image-minimal", runqemuparams="nographic") as qemu:
                 status, output = qemu.run_serial("kmod --help")