diff --git a/tests/acceptance/avocado_qemu/__init__.py b/tests/acceptance/avocado_qemu/__init__.py
index bd41e0443c..e3101cba30 100644
--- a/tests/acceptance/avocado_qemu/__init__.py
+++ b/tests/acceptance/avocado_qemu/__init__.py
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 # This work is licensed under the terms of the GNU GPL, version 2 or
 # later.  See the COPYING file in the top-level directory.
 
+import logging
 import os
 import sys
 import uuid
@@ -53,6 +54,30 @@ def pick_default_qemu_bin(arch=None):
         return qemu_bin_from_src_dir_path
 
 
+def wait_for_console_pattern(test, success_message, failure_message=None):
+    """
+    Waits for messages to appear on the console, while logging the content
+
+    :param test: an Avocado test containing a VM that will have its console
+                 read and probed for a success or failure message
+    :type test: :class:`avocado_qemu.Test`
+    :param success_message: if this message appears, test succeeds
+    :param failure_message: if this message appears, test fails
+    """
+    console = test.vm.console_socket.makefile()
+    console_logger = logging.getLogger('console')
+    while True:
+        msg = console.readline().strip()
+        if not msg:
+            continue
+        console_logger.debug(msg)
+        if success_message in msg:
+            break
+        if failure_message and failure_message in msg:
+            fail = 'Failure message found in console: %s' % failure_message
+            test.fail(fail)
+
+
 class Test(avocado.Test):
     def setUp(self):
         self._vms = {}
diff --git a/tests/acceptance/boot_linux_console.py b/tests/acceptance/boot_linux_console.py
index 8a9a314ab4..8897e0c253 100644
--- a/tests/acceptance/boot_linux_console.py
+++ b/tests/acceptance/boot_linux_console.py
@@ -9,12 +9,12 @@
 # later.  See the COPYING file in the top-level directory.
 
 import os
-import logging
 import lzma
 import gzip
 import shutil
 
 from avocado_qemu import Test
+from avocado_qemu import wait_for_console_pattern
 from avocado.utils import process
 from avocado.utils import archive
 
@@ -29,31 +29,14 @@ class BootLinuxConsole(Test):
 
     KERNEL_COMMON_COMMAND_LINE = 'printk.time=0 '
 
-    def wait_for_console_pattern(self, success_message,
-                                 failure_message='Kernel panic - not syncing'):
-        """
-        Waits for messages to appear on the console, while logging the content
-
-        :param success_message: if this message appears, test succeeds
-        :param failure_message: if this message appears, test fails
-        """
-        console = self.vm.console_socket.makefile()
-        console_logger = logging.getLogger('console')
-        while True:
-            msg = console.readline().strip()
-            if not msg:
-                continue
-            console_logger.debug(msg)
-            if success_message in msg:
-                break
-            if failure_message in msg:
-                fail = 'Failure message found in console: %s' % failure_message
-                self.fail(fail)
+    def wait_for_console_pattern(self, success_message):
+        wait_for_console_pattern(self, success_message,
+                                 failure_message='Kernel panic - not syncing')
 
     def exec_command_and_wait_for_pattern(self, command, success_message):
         command += '\n'
         self.vm.console_socket.sendall(command.encode())
-        self.wait_for_console_pattern(success_message)
+        wait_for_console_pattern(self, success_message)
 
     def extract_from_deb(self, deb, path):
         """
diff --git a/tests/acceptance/linux_ssh_mips_malta.py b/tests/acceptance/linux_ssh_mips_malta.py
index 25a1df5098..ffbb06f846 100644
--- a/tests/acceptance/linux_ssh_mips_malta.py
+++ b/tests/acceptance/linux_ssh_mips_malta.py
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ import time
 
 from avocado import skipUnless
 from avocado_qemu import Test
+from avocado_qemu import wait_for_console_pattern
 from avocado.utils import process
 from avocado.utils import archive
 from avocado.utils import ssh
@@ -40,19 +41,6 @@ class LinuxSSH(Test):
     def setUp(self):
         super(LinuxSSH, self).setUp()
 
-    def wait_for_console_pattern(self, success_message,
-                                 failure_message='Oops'):
-        console = self.vm.console_socket.makefile()
-        console_logger = logging.getLogger('console')
-        while True:
-            msg = console.readline()
-            console_logger.debug(msg.strip())
-            if success_message in msg:
-                break
-            if failure_message in msg:
-                fail = 'Failure message found in console: %s' % failure_message
-                self.fail(fail)
-
     def get_portfwd(self):
         res = self.vm.command('human-monitor-command',
                               command_line='info usernet')
@@ -109,7 +97,7 @@ class LinuxSSH(Test):
 
         self.log.info('VM launched, waiting for sshd')
         console_pattern = 'Starting OpenBSD Secure Shell server: sshd'
-        self.wait_for_console_pattern(console_pattern)
+        wait_for_console_pattern(self, console_pattern, 'Oops')
         self.log.info('sshd ready')
 
         self.ssh_connect('root', 'root')
@@ -117,7 +105,7 @@ class LinuxSSH(Test):
     def shutdown_via_ssh(self):
         self.ssh_command('poweroff')
         self.ssh_disconnect_vm()
-        self.wait_for_console_pattern('Power down')
+        wait_for_console_pattern(self, 'Power down', 'Oops')
 
     def ssh_command_output_contains(self, cmd, exp):
         stdout, _ = self.ssh_command(cmd)
