diff --git a/src/vmm/LibVirtDriverKVM.cc b/src/vmm/LibVirtDriverKVM.cc
index 4fdd14a4c1..2a8e71f614 100644
--- a/src/vmm/LibVirtDriverKVM.cc
+++ b/src/vmm/LibVirtDriverKVM.cc
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ int LibVirtDriver::deployment_description_kvm(
     string  root       = "";
     string  kernel_cmd = "";
     string  bootloader = "";
+    string  arch       = "";
 
     const VectorAttribute * disk;
     const VectorAttribute * context;
@@ -142,11 +143,6 @@ int LibVirtDriver::deployment_description_kvm(
 
     file << "\t<os>" << endl;
 
-    if (emulator == "kvm")
-    {
-        file << "\t\t<type>hvm</type>" << endl;
-    }
-
     num = vm->get_template_attribute("OS",attrs);
 
     // Get values & defaults
@@ -165,9 +161,25 @@ int LibVirtDriver::deployment_description_kvm(
             root       = os->vector_value("ROOT");
             kernel_cmd = os->vector_value("KERNEL_CMD");
             bootloader = os->vector_value("BOOTLOADER");
+            arch       = os->vector_value("ARCH");
         }
     }
 
+    if ( arch.empty() )
+    {
+        get_default("OS","ARCH",arch);
+
+        if ( arch.empty() )
+        {
+            goto error_arch;
+        }
+    }
+
+    if (emulator == "kvm")
+    {
+        file << "\t\t<type arch='" << arch << "'>hvm</type>" << endl;
+    }
+
     if ( kernel.empty() )
     {
         get_default("OS","KERNEL",kernel);
@@ -621,6 +633,11 @@ error_memory:
     file.close();
     return -1;
 
+error_arch:
+    vm->log("VMM", Log::ERROR, "No ARCH defined and no default provided.");
+    file.close();
+    return -1;
+
 error_boot:
     vm->log("VMM", Log::ERROR, "No BOOT device defined and no default provided.");
     file.close();
diff --git a/src/vmm_mad/ssh/vmm_ssh_kvm.conf b/src/vmm_mad/ssh/vmm_ssh_kvm.conf
index 17b50215d5..fc11a10ca9 100644
--- a/src/vmm_mad/ssh/vmm_ssh_kvm.conf
+++ b/src/vmm_mad/ssh/vmm_ssh_kvm.conf
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 # Default configuration attributes for the KVM driver
 # (all domains will use these values as defaults)
 # Valid atributes are:
-#  - os [kernel,initrd,boot,root,kernel_cmd]
+#  - os [kernel,initrd,boot,root,kernel_cmd,arch]
 #  - memory
 #  - cpu
 #  - vcpu
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
 
 #VCPU = 1
 #MEMORY =  128
-OS       = [ boot = "hd" ]
+OS       = [ boot = "hd", arch = "i686" ]
 FEATURES = [ PAE = "no", ACPI = "yes" ]
 
 DISK     = [ driver = "raw" ]