diff --git a/hooks/nova_compute_utils.py b/hooks/nova_compute_utils.py
index 9afe1fb8..007c6d4f 100644
--- a/hooks/nova_compute_utils.py
+++ b/hooks/nova_compute_utils.py
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ import re
 import shutil
 import pwd
 import subprocess
+import platform
 
 from base64 import b64decode
 from copy import deepcopy
@@ -404,6 +405,16 @@ def register_configs():
     return configs
 
 
+def determine_packages_arch():
+    '''Generate list of architecture-specific packages'''
+    packages = []
+    distro_codename = lsb_release()['DISTRIB_CODENAME'].lower()
+    if platform.machine() == 'aarch64' and distro_codename >= 'wily':
+        packages.extend(['qemu-efi']),  # AArch64 cloud images require UEFI fw
+
+    return packages
+
+
 def determine_packages():
     packages = [] + BASE_PACKAGES
 
@@ -425,6 +436,8 @@ def determine_packages():
     if enable_nova_metadata:
         packages.append('nova-api-metadata')
 
+    packages.extend(determine_packages_arch())
+
     if git_install_requested():
         packages = list(set(packages))
         packages.extend(BASE_GIT_PACKAGES)
diff --git a/unit_tests/test_nova_compute_utils.py b/unit_tests/test_nova_compute_utils.py
index 4929c4c0..91a6e533 100644
--- a/unit_tests/test_nova_compute_utils.py
+++ b/unit_tests/test_nova_compute_utils.py
@@ -82,11 +82,13 @@ class NovaComputeUtilsTests(CharmTestCase):
     @patch.object(utils, 'nova_metadata_requirement')
     @patch.object(utils, 'network_manager')
     @patch.object(utils, 'git_install_requested')
-    def test_determine_packages_nova_network(self, git_requested, net_man,
-                                             en_meta):
+    @patch('platform.machine')
+    def test_determine_packages_nova_network(self, machine, git_requested,
+                                             net_man, en_meta):
         git_requested.return_value = False
         en_meta.return_value = (False, None)
         net_man.return_value = 'flatdhcpmanager'
+        machine.return_value = 'x86_64'
         self.relation_ids.return_value = []
         result = utils.determine_packages()
         ex = utils.BASE_PACKAGES + [
@@ -100,12 +102,14 @@ class NovaComputeUtilsTests(CharmTestCase):
     @patch.object(utils, 'neutron_plugin')
     @patch.object(utils, 'network_manager')
     @patch.object(utils, 'git_install_requested')
-    def test_determine_packages_neutron(self, git_requested, net_man, n_plugin,
-                                        en_meta):
+    @patch('platform.machine')
+    def test_determine_packages_neutron(self, machine, git_requested, net_man,
+                                        n_plugin, en_meta):
         git_requested.return_value = False
         en_meta.return_value = (False, None)
         net_man.return_value = 'neutron'
         n_plugin.return_value = 'ovs'
+        machine.return_value = 'x86_64'
         self.relation_ids.return_value = []
         result = utils.determine_packages()
         ex = utils.BASE_PACKAGES + ['nova-compute-kvm']
@@ -115,12 +119,58 @@ class NovaComputeUtilsTests(CharmTestCase):
     @patch.object(utils, 'neutron_plugin')
     @patch.object(utils, 'network_manager')
     @patch.object(utils, 'git_install_requested')
-    def test_determine_packages_neutron_ceph(self, git_requested, net_man,
-                                             n_plugin, en_meta):
+    @patch('platform.machine')
+    def test_determine_packages_neutron_aarch64_xenial(self, machine,
+                                                       git_requested,
+                                                       net_man, n_plugin,
+                                                       en_meta):
+        self.lsb_release.return_value = {
+            'DISTRIB_CODENAME': 'xenial'
+        }
         git_requested.return_value = False
         en_meta.return_value = (False, None)
         net_man.return_value = 'neutron'
         n_plugin.return_value = 'ovs'
+        machine.return_value = 'aarch64'
+        self.relation_ids.return_value = []
+        result = utils.determine_packages()
+        ex = utils.BASE_PACKAGES + ['nova-compute-kvm', 'qemu-efi']
+        self.assertEquals(ex, result)
+
+    @patch.object(utils, 'nova_metadata_requirement')
+    @patch.object(utils, 'neutron_plugin')
+    @patch.object(utils, 'network_manager')
+    @patch.object(utils, 'git_install_requested')
+    @patch('platform.machine')
+    def test_determine_packages_neutron_aarch64_trusty(self, machine,
+                                                       git_requested,
+                                                       net_man, n_plugin,
+                                                       en_meta):
+        self.lsb_release.return_value = {
+            'DISTRIB_CODENAME': 'trusty'
+        }
+        git_requested.return_value = False
+        en_meta.return_value = (False, None)
+        net_man.return_value = 'neutron'
+        n_plugin.return_value = 'ovs'
+        machine.return_value = 'aarch64'
+        self.relation_ids.return_value = []
+        result = utils.determine_packages()
+        ex = utils.BASE_PACKAGES + ['nova-compute-kvm']
+        self.assertEquals(ex, result)
+
+    @patch.object(utils, 'nova_metadata_requirement')
+    @patch.object(utils, 'neutron_plugin')
+    @patch.object(utils, 'network_manager')
+    @patch.object(utils, 'git_install_requested')
+    @patch('platform.machine')
+    def test_determine_packages_neutron_ceph(self, machine, git_requested,
+                                             net_man, n_plugin, en_meta):
+        git_requested.return_value = False
+        en_meta.return_value = (False, None)
+        net_man.return_value = 'neutron'
+        n_plugin.return_value = 'ovs'
+        machine.return_value = 'x86_64'
         self.relation_ids.return_value = ['ceph:0']
         result = utils.determine_packages()
         ex = (utils.BASE_PACKAGES + ['ceph-common', 'nova-compute-kvm'])