diff --git a/MAINTAINERS b/MAINTAINERS
index ffacd60f40..7f7f4c2be6 100644
--- a/MAINTAINERS
+++ b/MAINTAINERS
@@ -1005,6 +1005,7 @@ S: Maintained
 F: hw/arm/vexpress.c
 F: hw/display/sii9022.c
 F: docs/system/arm/vexpress.rst
+F: tests/functional/test_arm_vexpress.py
 
 Versatile PB
 M: Peter Maydell <peter.maydell@linaro.org>
diff --git a/tests/avocado/boot_linux_console.py b/tests/avocado/boot_linux_console.py
index 6c50284986..7a776c2818 100644
--- a/tests/avocado/boot_linux_console.py
+++ b/tests/avocado/boot_linux_console.py
@@ -893,15 +893,6 @@ class BootLinuxConsole(LinuxKernelTest):
         self.vm.launch()
         self.wait_for_console_pattern('QEMU advent calendar')
 
-    def test_arm_vexpressa9(self):
-        """
-        :avocado: tags=arch:arm
-        :avocado: tags=machine:vexpress-a9
-        """
-        tar_hash = '32b7677ce8b6f1471fb0059865f451169934245b'
-        self.vm.add_args('-dtb', self.workdir + '/day16/vexpress-v2p-ca9.dtb')
-        self.do_test_advcal_2018('16', tar_hash, 'winter.zImage')
-
     def test_arm_ast2600_debian(self):
         """
         :avocado: tags=arch:arm
diff --git a/tests/functional/meson.build b/tests/functional/meson.build
index 8d5520349d..3fc1bb192d 100644
--- a/tests/functional/meson.build
+++ b/tests/functional/meson.build
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ tests_arm_system_thorough = [
   'arm_canona1100',
   'arm_integratorcp',
   'arm_raspi2',
+  'arm_vexpress',
 ]
 
 tests_arm_linuxuser_thorough = [
diff --git a/tests/functional/test_arm_vexpress.py b/tests/functional/test_arm_vexpress.py
new file mode 100755
index 0000000000..cc6015112b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/functional/test_arm_vexpress.py
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+#
+# Functional test that boots a Linux kernel on an versatile express machine
+# and checks the console
+#
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0-or-later
+
+from qemu_test import LinuxKernelTest, Asset
+from qemu_test.utils import archive_extract
+
+class VExpressTest(LinuxKernelTest):
+
+    ASSET_DAY16 = Asset(
+        'https://www.qemu-advent-calendar.org/2018/download/day16.tar.xz',
+        '63311adb2d4c4e7a73214a86d29988add87266a909719c56acfadd026b4110a7')
+
+    def test_arm_vexpressa9(self):
+        self.set_machine('vexpress-a9')
+        file_path = self.ASSET_DAY16.fetch()
+        archive_extract(file_path, self.workdir)
+        self.launch_kernel(self.workdir + '/day16/winter.zImage',
+                           dtb=self.workdir + '/day16/vexpress-v2p-ca9.dtb',
+                           wait_for='QEMU advent calendar')
+
+if __name__ == '__main__':
+    LinuxKernelTest.main()