diff --git a/tests/functional/qemu_test/archive.py b/tests/functional/qemu_test/archive.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..9872f08d23
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/functional/qemu_test/archive.py
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0-or-later
+#
+# Utilities for python-based QEMU tests
+#
+# Copyright 2024 Red Hat, Inc.
+#
+# Authors:
+#  Thomas Huth <thuth@redhat.com>
+
+import os
+import subprocess
+import tarfile
+
+
+def tar_extract(archive, dest_dir, member=None):
+    with tarfile.open(archive) as tf:
+        if hasattr(tarfile, 'data_filter'):
+            tf.extraction_filter = getattr(tarfile, 'data_filter',
+                                           (lambda member, path: member))
+        if member:
+            tf.extract(member=member, path=dest_dir)
+        else:
+            tf.extractall(path=dest_dir)
+
+def cpio_extract(cpio_handle, output_path):
+    cwd = os.getcwd()
+    os.chdir(output_path)
+    subprocess.run(['cpio', '-i'],
+                   input=cpio_handle.read(),
+                   stderr=subprocess.DEVNULL)
+    os.chdir(cwd)
diff --git a/tests/functional/qemu_test/utils.py b/tests/functional/qemu_test/utils.py
index 1bf1c410d5..5ce1c4388e 100644
--- a/tests/functional/qemu_test/utils.py
+++ b/tests/functional/qemu_test/utils.py
@@ -12,8 +12,9 @@ import gzip
 import lzma
 import os
 import shutil
-import subprocess
-import tarfile
+
+from .archive import tar_extract as archive_extract
+from .archive import cpio_extract
 
 """
 Round up to next power of 2
@@ -36,16 +37,6 @@ def image_pow2ceil_expand(path):
             with open(path, 'ab+') as fd:
                 fd.truncate(size_aligned)
 
-def archive_extract(archive, dest_dir, member=None):
-    with tarfile.open(archive) as tf:
-        if hasattr(tarfile, 'data_filter'):
-            tf.extraction_filter = getattr(tarfile, 'data_filter',
-                                           (lambda member, path: member))
-        if member:
-            tf.extract(member=member, path=dest_dir)
-        else:
-            tf.extractall(path=dest_dir)
-
 def gzip_uncompress(gz_path, output_path):
     if os.path.exists(output_path):
         return
@@ -67,11 +58,3 @@ def lzma_uncompress(xz_path, output_path):
         except:
             os.remove(output_path)
             raise
-
-def cpio_extract(cpio_handle, output_path):
-    cwd = os.getcwd()
-    os.chdir(output_path)
-    subprocess.run(['cpio', '-i'],
-                   input=cpio_handle.read(),
-                   stderr=subprocess.DEVNULL)
-    os.chdir(cwd)