diff --git a/lava_test_plans/projects/lkft/devices/qemu_arm64 b/lava_test_plans/projects/lkft/devices/qemu_arm64
index 4621968b..4ae39c23 100644
--- a/lava_test_plans/projects/lkft/devices/qemu_arm64
+++ b/lava_test_plans/projects/lkft/devices/qemu_arm64
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
+{% if DEPLOY_OS == "debian" %}
+{% set ROOTFS_URL_COMP = ROOTFS_URL_COMP|default("xz") %}
+{% endif %}
+
 {% extends "devices/qemu_arm64" %}
 
 {% set ROOTFS_URL_FORMAT = ROOTFS_URL_FORMAT|default("ext4") %}
diff --git a/lava_test_plans/projects/lkft/devices/qemu_i386 b/lava_test_plans/projects/lkft/devices/qemu_i386
index 3c312dcb..89994bbf 100644
--- a/lava_test_plans/projects/lkft/devices/qemu_i386
+++ b/lava_test_plans/projects/lkft/devices/qemu_i386
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
+{% if DEPLOY_OS == "debian" %}
+{% set ROOTFS_URL_COMP = ROOTFS_URL_COMP|default("xz") %}
+{% endif %}
+
 {% extends "devices/qemu_i386" %}
 
 {% set ROOTFS_URL_FORMAT = ROOTFS_URL_FORMAT|default("ext4") %}
diff --git a/lava_test_plans/projects/lkft/devices/qemu_x86_64 b/lava_test_plans/projects/lkft/devices/qemu_x86_64
index ff3230cd..86545b21 100644
--- a/lava_test_plans/projects/lkft/devices/qemu_x86_64
+++ b/lava_test_plans/projects/lkft/devices/qemu_x86_64
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
+{% if DEPLOY_OS == "debian" %}
+{% set ROOTFS_URL_COMP = ROOTFS_URL_COMP|default("xz") %}
+{% endif %}
+
 {% extends "devices/qemu_x86_64" %}
 
 {% set ROOTFS_URL_FORMAT = ROOTFS_URL_FORMAT|default("ext4") %}