diff --git a/test/test_build.py b/test/test_build.py
index a3fd6d17e..6aaf575eb 100644
--- a/test/test_build.py
+++ b/test/test_build.py
@@ -178,7 +178,6 @@ def test_image_is_generated(image_type):
         f"content: {os.listdir(os.fspath(image_type.img_path))}"
 
 
-@pytest.mark.skipif(platform.system() != "Linux", reason="boot test only runs on linux right now")
 @pytest.mark.parametrize("image_type", gen_testcases("direct-boot"), indirect=["image_type"])
 def test_image_boots(image_type):
     with QEMU(image_type.img_path, arch=image_type.img_arch) as test_vm:
diff --git a/test/testcases.py b/test/testcases.py
index 09e754af2..680d526d9 100644
--- a/test/testcases.py
+++ b/test/testcases.py
@@ -46,12 +46,12 @@ def gen_testcases(what):
         ]
         # do a cross arch test too
         if platform.machine() == "x86_64":
-            # todo: add fedora:eln
+            # todo: add fedora:eln(?)
             test_cases.append(
                 f'{CONTAINERS_TO_TEST["centos"]},raw,arm64')
         elif platform.machine() == "arm64":
-            # TODO: add arm64->x86_64 cross build test too
-            pass
+            test_cases.append(
+                f'{CONTAINERS_TO_TEST["centos"]},raw,amd64')
         return test_cases
     elif what == "all":
         test_cases = []
diff --git a/test/vm.py b/test/vm.py
index 43c376363..bd0ccbc76 100644
--- a/test/vm.py
+++ b/test/vm.py
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import abc
+import glob
 import os
 import pathlib
 import platform
@@ -83,12 +84,18 @@ def __exit__(self, exc_type, exc_value, traceback):
 
 # needed as each distro puts the OVMF.fd in a different location
 def find_ovmf():
+    # linux
     for p in [
             "/usr/share/ovmf/OVMF.fd",       # Debian
             "/usr/share/OVMF/OVMF_CODE.fd",  # Fedora
     ]:
         if os.path.exists(p):
             return p
+    # macos
+    p = "/opt/homebrew/Cellar/qemu/*/share/qemu/edk2-aarch64-code.fd"
+    m = glob.glob(p)
+    if len(m) > 0:
+        return m[0]
     raise ValueError("cannot find a OVMF bios")
 
 
@@ -122,10 +129,18 @@ def _gen_qemu_cmdline(self, snapshot, use_ovmf):
         elif self._arch in ("amd64", "x86_64"):
             qemu_cmdline = [
                 "qemu-system-x86_64",
-                "-M", "accel=kvm",
-                # get "illegal instruction" inside the VM otherwise
-                "-cpu", "host",
             ]
+            if platform.machine() == "x86_64":
+                qemu_cmdline.append([
+                    "-M", "accel=kvm",
+                    # get "illegal instruction" inside the VM otherwise
+                    "-cpu", "host",
+                ])
+            elif platform.machine() == "arm64":
+                qemu_cmdline.append([
+                    "-machine", "q35",
+                    "-cpu", "SkyLake",
+                ])
             if use_ovmf:
                 qemu_cmdline.extend(["-bios", find_ovmf()])
         else: