diff --git a/nova/tests/unit/virt/libvirt/test_utils.py b/nova/tests/unit/virt/libvirt/test_utils.py
index 674b66f0cbc1..a3a83b745294 100644
--- a/nova/tests/unit/virt/libvirt/test_utils.py
+++ b/nova/tests/unit/virt/libvirt/test_utils.py
@@ -971,18 +971,6 @@ sunrpc /var/lib/nfs/rpc_pipefs rpc_pipefs rw,relatime 0 0
         self.assertEqual('/test/disk', disk_path)
         self.assertEqual('ploop', format)
 
-    def test_machine_type_mappings(self):
-        self.useFixture(nova_fixtures.ConfPatcher(
-            group="libvirt", hw_machine_type=['x86_64=q35', 'i686=legacy']))
-        self.assertDictEqual({'x86_64': 'q35', 'i686': 'legacy'},
-                             libvirt_utils.machine_type_mappings())
-
-    def test_invalid_machine_type_mappings(self):
-        self.useFixture(nova_fixtures.ConfPatcher(
-            group="libvirt", hw_machine_type=['x86_64=q35', 'foo']))
-        self.assertDictEqual({'x86_64': 'q35'},
-                             libvirt_utils.machine_type_mappings())
-
     def test_get_default_machine_type(self):
         self.useFixture(nova_fixtures.ConfPatcher(
             group="libvirt", hw_machine_type=['x86_64=q35', 'i686=legacy']))
@@ -996,3 +984,9 @@ sunrpc /var/lib/nfs/rpc_pipefs rpc_pipefs rw,relatime 0 0
         self.useFixture(nova_fixtures.ConfPatcher(
             group="libvirt", hw_machine_type=['x86_64=q35', 'i686=legacy']))
         self.assertIsNone(libvirt_utils.get_default_machine_type('sparc'))
+
+    def test_get_default_machine_type_invalid(self):
+        self.useFixture(nova_fixtures.ConfPatcher(
+            group="libvirt", hw_machine_type=['x86_64=q35', 'foo']))
+        self.assertEqual('q35',
+                         libvirt_utils.get_default_machine_type('x86_64'))
diff --git a/nova/virt/libvirt/utils.py b/nova/virt/libvirt/utils.py
index cb80afdd9d83..abc662b10da3 100644
--- a/nova/virt/libvirt/utils.py
+++ b/nova/virt/libvirt/utils.py
@@ -554,23 +554,15 @@ def get_machine_type(image_meta):
     return get_default_machine_type(get_arch(image_meta))
 
 
-def machine_type_mappings():
-    mappings = {}
+def get_default_machine_type(arch):
+    # NOTE(lyarwood): Values defined in [libvirt]/hw_machine_type take
+    # precedence here if available for the provided arch.
     for mapping in CONF.libvirt.hw_machine_type or {}:
         host_arch, _, machine_type = mapping.partition('=')
         if machine_type == '':
             LOG.warning("Invalid hw_machine_type config value %s", mapping)
-        else:
-            mappings[host_arch] = machine_type
-    return mappings
-
-
-def get_default_machine_type(arch):
-    # NOTE(lyarwood): Values defined in [libvirt]/hw_machine_type take
-    # precedence here if available for the provided arch.
-    machine_type = machine_type_mappings().get(arch)
-    if machine_type:
-        return machine_type
+        elif host_arch == arch:
+            return machine_type
     # NOTE(kchamart): For ARMv7 and AArch64, use the 'virt' board as the
     # default machine type.  It is the recommended board, which is designed
     # to be used with virtual machines.  The 'virt' board is more flexible,