diff --git a/xCAT-test/unit/debian_arch_map.t b/xCAT-test/unit/debian_arch_map.t
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..617004a43
--- /dev/null
+++ b/xCAT-test/unit/debian_arch_map.t
@@ -0,0 +1,52 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env perl
+use strict;
+use warnings;
+
+use FindBin;
+use Test::More;
+
+# Debian, xCAT and the kernel each name the same architecture differently. copycd reads the
+# name from the media and genimage gives debootstrap the Debian one, so both directions have
+# to agree on every architecture xCAT supports.
+
+use lib "$FindBin::Bin/../lib";
+use lib "$FindBin::Bin/../../perl-xCAT";
+use xCAT::Utils;
+
+# --- what debootstrap and the package lists are given ----------------------
+is(xCAT::Utils->debian_arch('x86_64'), 'amd64',
+    'Debian calls x86_64 amd64');
+is(xCAT::Utils->debian_arch('ppc64el'), 'ppc64el',
+    'the Debian name for POWER LE is unchanged');
+is(xCAT::Utils->debian_arch('ppc64le'), 'ppc64le',
+    'the POWER LE alias is left alone, because only ppc64el reaches the driver table');
+is(xCAT::Utils->debian_arch('s390x'), 's390x',
+    'an architecture Debian names the same is passed through');
+is(xCAT::Utils->debian_arch('ppc64'), 'ppc64',
+    'POWER BE is passed through');
+is(xCAT::Utils->debian_arch(undef), undef,
+    'no architecture resolves to nothing');
+
+# --- what copycd reads from the media --------------------------------------
+is(xCAT::Utils->xcat_arch_from_debian('amd64'), 'x86_64',
+    'amd64 media installs x86_64 nodes');
+is(xCAT::Utils->xcat_arch_from_debian('i386'), 'x86',
+    'i386 media installs x86 nodes');
+is(xCAT::Utils->xcat_arch_from_debian('i686'), 'x86',
+    'every 32-bit x86 spelling installs x86 nodes');
+is(xCAT::Utils->xcat_arch_from_debian('ppc64el'), 'ppc64el',
+    'POWER LE media keeps the Debian name xCAT uses for Ubuntu');
+is(xCAT::Utils->xcat_arch_from_debian('powerpc'), 'ppc64',
+    'POWER BE media installs ppc64 nodes');
+is(xCAT::Utils->xcat_arch_from_debian('nonesuch'), undef,
+    'media xCAT has no name for resolves to nothing');
+is(xCAT::Utils->xcat_arch_from_debian(''), undef,
+    'media with no architecture resolves to nothing');
+
+# --- the two directions agree ----------------------------------------------
+foreach my $arch (qw(x86_64 ppc64el)) {
+    is(xCAT::Utils->xcat_arch_from_debian(xCAT::Utils->debian_arch($arch)), $arch,
+        "$arch survives a round trip through both directions");
+}
+
+done_testing();