diff --git a/src/copapy/__init__.py b/src/copapy/__init__.py
index 6d6b6b4..afac4db 100644
--- a/src/copapy/__init__.py
+++ b/src/copapy/__init__.py
@@ -14,10 +14,14 @@ def get_var_name(var: Any, scope: dict[str, Any] = globals()) -> list[str]:
     return [name for name, value in scope.items() if value is var]
 
 
-def stencil_db_from_package(arch: str = 'native', optimization: str = 'O3') -> stencil_database:
+def get_local_arch() -> str:
     arch_translation_table = {'ARM64': 'x86_64'}
+    return arch_translation_table.get(platform.machine(), platform.machine())
+
+
+def stencil_db_from_package(arch: str = 'native', optimization: str = 'O3') -> stencil_database:
     if arch == 'native':
-        arch = arch_translation_table.get(platform.machine(), platform.machine())
+        arch = get_local_arch()
     stencil_data = pkgutil.get_data(__name__, f"obj/stencils_{arch}_{optimization}.o")
     assert stencil_data, f"stencils_{arch}_{optimization} not found"
     return stencil_database(stencil_data)
diff --git a/tests/test_stencil_db.py b/tests/test_stencil_db.py
index a5ff581..cc555b1 100644
--- a/tests/test_stencil_db.py
+++ b/tests/test_stencil_db.py
@@ -1,10 +1,8 @@
-from copapy import stencil_database
-from copapy import stencil_db
-import platform
+from copapy import stencil_database, stencil_db, get_local_arch
 
 
 def test_list_symbols():
-    arch = platform.machine()
+    arch = get_local_arch()
     sdb = stencil_database(f'src/copapy/obj/stencils_{arch}_O3.o')
     print('----')
     #print(sdb.function_definitions)
@@ -14,7 +12,7 @@ def test_list_symbols():
 
 
 def test_start_end_function():
-    arch = platform.machine()
+    arch = get_local_arch()
     sdb = stencil_database(f'src/copapy/obj/stencils_{arch}_O3.o')
     for sym_name in sdb.function_definitions.keys():
         data = sdb.elf.symbols[sym_name].data