diff --git a/arch/x86/lib/acpi_table.c b/arch/x86/lib/acpi_table.c
index f57323b5c3..321faaeb18 100644
--- a/arch/x86/lib/acpi_table.c
+++ b/arch/x86/lib/acpi_table.c
@@ -503,10 +503,10 @@ static int acpi_create_ssdt(struct acpi_ctx *ctx,
 /*
  * QEMU's version of write_acpi_tables is defined in drivers/misc/qfw.c
  */
-ulong write_acpi_tables(ulong start_addr)
+static int write_acpi_tables_x86(struct acpi_ctx *ctx,
+				 const struct acpi_writer *entry)
 {
 	const int thl = sizeof(struct acpi_table_header);
-	struct acpi_ctx *ctx;
 	struct acpi_facs *facs;
 	struct acpi_table_header *dsdt;
 	struct acpi_fadt *fadt;
@@ -516,22 +516,11 @@ ulong write_acpi_tables(ulong start_addr)
 	struct acpi_madt *madt;
 	struct acpi_csrt *csrt;
 	struct acpi_spcr *spcr;
-	void *start;
 	int aml_len;
 	ulong addr;
 	int ret;
 	int i;
 
-	ctx = malloc(sizeof(*ctx));
-	if (!ctx)
-		return log_msg_ret("mem", -ENOMEM);
-
-	start = map_sysmem(start_addr, 0);
-
-	debug("ACPI: Writing ACPI tables at %lx\n", start_addr);
-
-	acpi_reset_items();
-	acpi_setup_ctx(ctx, start);
 	acpi_setup_base_tables(ctx);
 
 	debug("ACPI:    * FACS\n");
@@ -674,14 +663,12 @@ ulong write_acpi_tables(ulong start_addr)
 
 	acpi_write_dev_tables(ctx);
 
-	addr = map_to_sysmem(ctx->current);
-	debug("current = %lx\n", addr);
-
 	acpi_rsdp_addr = (unsigned long)ctx->rsdp;
 	debug("ACPI: done\n");
 
-	return addr;
+	return 0;
 }
+ACPI_WRITER(x86, NULL, write_acpi_tables_x86, 0);
 
 ulong acpi_get_rsdp_addr(void)
 {
diff --git a/drivers/misc/qfw.c b/drivers/misc/qfw.c
index a298e5cf72..677841aac5 100644
--- a/drivers/misc/qfw.c
+++ b/drivers/misc/qfw.c
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@
 #include <asm/tables.h>
 #endif
 
-#ifdef CONFIG_GENERATE_ACPI_TABLE
+#if defined(CONFIG_GENERATE_ACPI_TABLE) && !defined(CONFIG_SANDBOX)
 /*
  * This function allocates memory for ACPI tables
  *
diff --git a/lib/acpi/acpi_writer.c b/lib/acpi/acpi_writer.c
index 7779bf38aa..53fc753aee 100644
--- a/lib/acpi/acpi_writer.c
+++ b/lib/acpi/acpi_writer.c
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ int acpi_write_one(struct acpi_ctx *ctx, const struct acpi_writer *entry)
 	return 0;
 }
 
+#ifndef CONFIG_QEMU
 static int acpi_write_all(struct acpi_ctx *ctx)
 {
 	const struct acpi_writer *writer =
@@ -60,7 +61,7 @@ static int acpi_write_all(struct acpi_ctx *ctx)
 /*
  * QEMU's version of write_acpi_tables is defined in drivers/misc/qfw.c
  */
-ulong new_write_acpi_tables(ulong start_addr)
+ulong write_acpi_tables(ulong start_addr)
 {
 	struct acpi_ctx *ctx;
 	ulong addr;
@@ -86,6 +87,7 @@ ulong new_write_acpi_tables(ulong start_addr)
 
 	return addr;
 }
+#endif /* QEMU */
 
 void acpi_setup_ctx(struct acpi_ctx *ctx, ulong start)
 {
diff --git a/test/dm/acpi.c b/test/dm/acpi.c
index a1d70b5859..49b71bec3c 100644
--- a/test/dm/acpi.c
+++ b/test/dm/acpi.c
@@ -322,8 +322,8 @@ static int dm_test_acpi_basic(struct unit_test_state *uts)
 }
 DM_TEST(dm_test_acpi_basic, UT_TESTF_SCAN_PDATA | UT_TESTF_SCAN_FDT);
 
-/* Test acpi_setup_base_tables */
-static int dm_test_acpi_setup_base_tables(struct unit_test_state *uts)
+/* Test setup_ctx_and_base_tables */
+static int dm_test_setup_ctx_and_base_tables(struct unit_test_state *uts)
 {
 	struct acpi_rsdp *rsdp;
 	struct acpi_rsdt *rsdt;
@@ -369,7 +369,7 @@ static int dm_test_acpi_setup_base_tables(struct unit_test_state *uts)
 
 	return 0;
 }
-DM_TEST(dm_test_acpi_setup_base_tables,
+DM_TEST(dm_test_setup_ctx_and_base_tables,
 	UT_TESTF_SCAN_PDATA | UT_TESTF_SCAN_FDT);
 
 /* Test 'acpi list' command */