diff --git a/manifests/compute/libvirt.pp b/manifests/compute/libvirt.pp
index 13ed152b7..6a2240f8c 100644
--- a/manifests/compute/libvirt.pp
+++ b/manifests/compute/libvirt.pp
@@ -50,6 +50,10 @@
 #   Qemu1.5 (raw format) Qemu1.6(qcow2 format).
 #   Defaults to $::os_service_default
 #
+# [*libvirt_hw_machine_type*]
+#   (optional) Option to specify a default machine type per host architecture.
+#   Defaults to $::os_service_default
+#
 # [*libvirt_inject_password*]
 #   (optional) Inject the admin password at boot time, without an agent.
 #   Defaults to false
@@ -119,6 +123,7 @@ class nova::compute::libvirt (
   $libvirt_snapshot_image_format              = $::os_service_default,
   $libvirt_disk_cachemodes                    = [],
   $libvirt_hw_disk_discard                    = $::os_service_default,
+  $libvirt_hw_machine_type                    = $::os_service_default,
   $libvirt_inject_password                    = false,
   $libvirt_inject_key                         = false,
   $libvirt_inject_partition                   = -2,
@@ -192,6 +197,7 @@ class nova::compute::libvirt (
     'libvirt/inject_key':            value => $libvirt_inject_key;
     'libvirt/inject_partition':      value => $libvirt_inject_partition;
     'libvirt/hw_disk_discard':       value => $libvirt_hw_disk_discard;
+    'libvirt/hw_machine_type':       value => $libvirt_hw_machine_type;
   }
 
   # cpu_model param is only valid if cpu_mode=custom
diff --git a/releasenotes/notes/add_libvirt_hw_machine_type_parameter-a385e959c6aea16d.yaml b/releasenotes/notes/add_libvirt_hw_machine_type_parameter-a385e959c6aea16d.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..d762c60da
--- /dev/null
+++ b/releasenotes/notes/add_libvirt_hw_machine_type_parameter-a385e959c6aea16d.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+features:
+  - Add libvirt_hw_machine_type parameter to
+    nova::compute::libvirt to allow setting the
+    libvirt/hw_machine_type option in nova.conf
diff --git a/spec/classes/nova_compute_libvirt_spec.rb b/spec/classes/nova_compute_libvirt_spec.rb
index ac39454bb..cd72b68bb 100644
--- a/spec/classes/nova_compute_libvirt_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/classes/nova_compute_libvirt_spec.rb
@@ -70,6 +70,7 @@ describe 'nova::compute::libvirt' do
           :libvirt_snapshot_image_format              => 'raw',
           :libvirt_disk_cachemodes                    => ['file=directsync','block=none'],
           :libvirt_hw_disk_discard                    => 'unmap',
+          :libvirt_hw_machine_type                    => 'x86_64=machinetype1,armv7l=machinetype2',
           :remove_unused_base_images                  => true,
           :remove_unused_resized_minimum_age_seconds  => 3600,
           :remove_unused_original_minimum_age_seconds => 3600,
@@ -91,6 +92,7 @@ describe 'nova::compute::libvirt' do
       it { is_expected.to contain_nova_config('libvirt/snapshot_image_format').with_ensure('absent')}
       it { is_expected.to contain_nova_config('libvirt/disk_cachemodes').with_value('file=directsync,block=none')}
       it { is_expected.to contain_nova_config('libvirt/hw_disk_discard').with_value('unmap')}
+      it { is_expected.to contain_nova_config('libvirt/hw_machine_type').with_value('x86_64=machinetype1,armv7l=machinetype2')}
       it { is_expected.to contain_nova_config('vnc/vncserver_listen').with_value('0.0.0.0')}
       it { is_expected.to contain_nova_config('DEFAULT/remove_unused_base_images').with_value(true)}
       it { is_expected.to contain_nova_config('DEFAULT/remove_unused_original_minimum_age_seconds').with_value(3600)}