diff --git a/nova/conf/scheduler.py b/nova/conf/scheduler.py
index a36425e5c16e..401e7606cb50 100644
--- a/nova/conf/scheduler.py
+++ b/nova/conf/scheduler.py
@@ -15,6 +15,8 @@
 
 from oslo_config import cfg
 
+from nova.virt import arch
+
 
 scheduler_group = cfg.OptGroup(name="scheduler",
                                title="Scheduler configuration")
@@ -572,6 +574,21 @@ In such case enabling this option will reduce contention and chances for
 rescheduling events.
 At the same time it will make the instance packing (even in unweighed case)
 less dense.
+"""),
+    cfg.StrOpt(
+        "image_properties_default_architecture",
+        choices=arch.ALL,
+        help="""
+The default architecture to be used when using the image properties filter.
+
+When using the ImagePropertiesFilter, it is possible that you want to define
+a default architecture to make the user experience easier and avoid having
+something like x86_64 images landing on aarch64 compute nodes because the
+user did not specify the 'hw_architecture' property in Glance.
+
+Possible values:
+
+* CPU Architectures such as x86_64, aarch64, s390x.
 """),
     # TODO(mikal): replace this option with something involving host aggregates
     cfg.ListOpt("isolated_images",
diff --git a/nova/objects/fields.py b/nova/objects/fields.py
index b19422edfec9..ab9e8ec69037 100644
--- a/nova/objects/fields.py
+++ b/nova/objects/fields.py
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ import six
 from nova import exception
 from nova.i18n import _
 from nova.network import model as network_model
+from nova.virt import arch
 
 
 # Import field errors from oslo.versionedobjects
@@ -103,56 +104,48 @@ class Architecture(BaseNovaEnum):
     ever adding new ones then ensure it matches libvirt's expectation.
     """
 
-    ALPHA = 'alpha'
-    ARMV6 = 'armv6'
-    ARMV7 = 'armv7l'
-    ARMV7B = 'armv7b'
+    ALPHA = arch.ALPHA
+    ARMV6 = arch.ARMV6
+    ARMV7 = arch.ARMV7
+    ARMV7B = arch.ARMV7B
 
-    AARCH64 = 'aarch64'
-    CRIS = 'cris'
-    I686 = 'i686'
-    IA64 = 'ia64'
-    LM32 = 'lm32'
+    AARCH64 = arch.AARCH64
+    CRIS = arch.CRIS
+    I686 = arch.I686
+    IA64 = arch.IA64
+    LM32 = arch.LM32
 
-    M68K = 'm68k'
-    MICROBLAZE = 'microblaze'
-    MICROBLAZEEL = 'microblazeel'
-    MIPS = 'mips'
-    MIPSEL = 'mipsel'
+    M68K = arch.M68K
+    MICROBLAZE = arch.MICROBLAZE
+    MICROBLAZEEL = arch.MICROBLAZEEL
+    MIPS = arch.MIPS
+    MIPSEL = arch.MIPSEL
 
-    MIPS64 = 'mips64'
-    MIPS64EL = 'mips64el'
-    OPENRISC = 'openrisc'
-    PARISC = 'parisc'
-    PARISC64 = 'parisc64'
+    MIPS64 = arch.MIPS64
+    MIPS64EL = arch.MIPS64EL
+    OPENRISC = arch.OPENRISC
+    PARISC = arch.PARISC
+    PARISC64 = arch.PARISC64
 
-    PPC = 'ppc'
-    PPCLE = 'ppcle'
-    PPC64 = 'ppc64'
-    PPC64LE = 'ppc64le'
-    PPCEMB = 'ppcemb'
+    PPC = arch.PPC
+    PPCLE = arch.PPCLE
+    PPC64 = arch.PPC64
+    PPC64LE = arch.PPC64LE
+    PPCEMB = arch.PPCEMB
 
-    S390 = 's390'
-    S390X = 's390x'
-    SH4 = 'sh4'
-    SH4EB = 'sh4eb'
-    SPARC = 'sparc'
+    S390 = arch.S390
+    S390X = arch.S390X
+    SH4 = arch.SH4
+    SH4EB = arch.SH4EB
+    SPARC = arch.SPARC
 
-    SPARC64 = 'sparc64'
-    UNICORE32 = 'unicore32'
-    X86_64 = 'x86_64'
-    XTENSA = 'xtensa'
-    XTENSAEB = 'xtensaeb'
+    SPARC64 = arch.SPARC64
+    UNICORE32 = arch.UNICORE32
+    X86_64 = arch.X86_64
+    XTENSA = arch.XTENSA
+    XTENSAEB = arch.XTENSAEB
 
-    ALL = (
-        ALPHA, ARMV6, ARMV7, ARMV7B,
-        AARCH64, CRIS, I686, IA64, LM32,
-        M68K, MICROBLAZE, MICROBLAZEEL, MIPS, MIPSEL,
-        MIPS64, MIPS64EL, OPENRISC, PARISC, PARISC64,
-        PPC, PPCLE, PPC64, PPC64LE, PPCEMB,
-        S390, S390X, SH4, SH4EB, SPARC,
-        SPARC64, UNICORE32, X86_64, XTENSA, XTENSAEB,
-    )
+    ALL = arch.ALL
 
     @classmethod
     def from_host(cls):
diff --git a/nova/scheduler/filters/image_props_filter.py b/nova/scheduler/filters/image_props_filter.py
index f6977dffb244..bf60a9f90081 100644
--- a/nova/scheduler/filters/image_props_filter.py
+++ b/nova/scheduler/filters/image_props_filter.py
@@ -19,12 +19,15 @@ from distutils import versionpredicate
 from oslo_log import log as logging
 from oslo_utils import versionutils
 
+import nova.conf
 from nova.objects import fields
 from nova.scheduler import filters
 
 
 LOG = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
+CONF = nova.conf.CONF
+
 
 class ImagePropertiesFilter(filters.BaseHostFilter):
     """Filter compute nodes that satisfy instance image properties.
@@ -41,9 +44,14 @@ class ImagePropertiesFilter(filters.BaseHostFilter):
     # a request
     run_filter_once_per_request = True
 
+    def _get_default_architecture(self):
+        return CONF.filter_scheduler.image_properties_default_architecture
+
     def _instance_supported(self, host_state, image_props,
                             hypervisor_version):
-        img_arch = image_props.get('hw_architecture')
+        default_img_arch = self._get_default_architecture()
+
+        img_arch = image_props.get('hw_architecture', default_img_arch)
         img_h_type = image_props.get('img_hv_type')
         img_vm_mode = image_props.get('hw_vm_mode')
         checked_img_props = (
diff --git a/nova/tests/unit/scheduler/filters/test_image_props_filters.py b/nova/tests/unit/scheduler/filters/test_image_props_filters.py
index 18a4346b61ef..da7a3a8cd0be 100644
--- a/nova/tests/unit/scheduler/filters/test_image_props_filters.py
+++ b/nova/tests/unit/scheduler/filters/test_image_props_filters.py
@@ -43,6 +43,21 @@ class TestImagePropsFilter(test.NoDBTestCase):
         host = fakes.FakeHostState('host1', 'node1', capabilities)
         self.assertTrue(self.filt_cls.host_passes(host, spec_obj))
 
+    def test_image_properties_filter_uses_default_conf_value(self):
+        self.flags(image_properties_default_architecture='x86_64',
+                   group='filter_scheduler')
+        img_props = objects.ImageMeta(properties=objects.ImageMetaProps())
+        hypervisor_version = versionutils.convert_version_to_int('6.0.0')
+        spec_obj = objects.RequestSpec(image=img_props)
+        capabilities = {
+            'supported_instances': [(
+                obj_fields.Architecture.AARCH64,
+                obj_fields.HVType.KVM,
+                obj_fields.VMMode.HVM)],
+            'hypervisor_version': hypervisor_version}
+        host = fakes.FakeHostState('host1', 'node1', capabilities)
+        self.assertFalse(self.filt_cls.host_passes(host, spec_obj))
+
     def test_image_properties_filter_fails_different_inst_props(self):
         img_props = objects.ImageMeta(
             properties=objects.ImageMetaProps(
diff --git a/nova/virt/arch.py b/nova/virt/arch.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..7518ab9ab333
--- /dev/null
+++ b/nova/virt/arch.py
@@ -0,0 +1,65 @@
+# Copyright 2018 VEXXHOST, Inc.
+# All Rights Reserved.
+#
+#    Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License"); you may
+#    not use this file except in compliance with the License. You may obtain
+#    a copy of the License at
+#
+#         http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+#    Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+#    distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT
+#    WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied. See the
+#    License for the specific language governing permissions and limitations
+#    under the License.
+
+ALPHA = 'alpha'
+ARMV6 = 'armv6'
+ARMV7 = 'armv7l'
+ARMV7B = 'armv7b'
+
+AARCH64 = 'aarch64'
+CRIS = 'cris'
+I686 = 'i686'
+IA64 = 'ia64'
+LM32 = 'lm32'
+
+M68K = 'm68k'
+MICROBLAZE = 'microblaze'
+MICROBLAZEEL = 'microblazeel'
+MIPS = 'mips'
+MIPSEL = 'mipsel'
+
+MIPS64 = 'mips64'
+MIPS64EL = 'mips64el'
+OPENRISC = 'openrisc'
+PARISC = 'parisc'
+PARISC64 = 'parisc64'
+
+PPC = 'ppc'
+PPCLE = 'ppcle'
+PPC64 = 'ppc64'
+PPC64LE = 'ppc64le'
+PPCEMB = 'ppcemb'
+
+S390 = 's390'
+S390X = 's390x'
+SH4 = 'sh4'
+SH4EB = 'sh4eb'
+SPARC = 'sparc'
+
+SPARC64 = 'sparc64'
+UNICORE32 = 'unicore32'
+X86_64 = 'x86_64'
+XTENSA = 'xtensa'
+XTENSAEB = 'xtensaeb'
+
+ALL = (
+    ALPHA, ARMV6, ARMV7, ARMV7B,
+    AARCH64, CRIS, I686, IA64, LM32,
+    M68K, MICROBLAZE, MICROBLAZEEL, MIPS, MIPSEL,
+    MIPS64, MIPS64EL, OPENRISC, PARISC, PARISC64,
+    PPC, PPCLE, PPC64, PPC64LE, PPCEMB,
+    S390, S390X, SH4, SH4EB, SPARC,
+    SPARC64, UNICORE32, X86_64, XTENSA, XTENSAEB,
+)
diff --git a/releasenotes/notes/fix-multiarch-image-props-filter-f2e885aa53d585ea.yaml b/releasenotes/notes/fix-multiarch-image-props-filter-f2e885aa53d585ea.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..5af2cf005817
--- /dev/null
+++ b/releasenotes/notes/fix-multiarch-image-props-filter-f2e885aa53d585ea.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+---
+fixes:
+  - The behaviour of ImagePropertiesFilter when using multiple architectures
+    in a cloud can be unpredictable for a user if they forget to set the
+    architecture property in their image.  Nova now allows the deployer to
+    specify a fallback in ``[filter_scheduler]image_properties_default_architecture``
+    to use a default architecture if none is specified.  Without this, it
+    is possible that a VM would get scheduled on a compute node that does not
+    support the image.