diff --git a/examples/experimental/riscv64.yaml b/examples/experimental/riscv64.yaml
index 636b58e5459..f71e978a887 100644
--- a/examples/experimental/riscv64.yaml
+++ b/examples/experimental/riscv64.yaml
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 arch: "riscv64"
 images:
 - location: "https://cloud-images.ubuntu.com/releases/23.04/release-20230810/ubuntu-23.04-server-cloudimg-riscv64.img"
+  arch: "riscv64"
   digest: "sha256:d9f56eac9c644f78353154d9f17e1ce739d7c63beac63ccefe2380b2f2e9aa38"
   kernel:
     # Extracted from http://http.us.debian.org/debian/pool/main/u/u-boot/u-boot-qemu_2023.01+dfsg-2_all.deb (GPL-2.0)
@@ -11,6 +12,7 @@ images:
 # Fallback to the latest release image.
 # Hint: run `limactl prune` to invalidate the cache
 - location: "https://cloud-images.ubuntu.com/releases/23.04/release/ubuntu-23.04-server-cloudimg-riscv64.img"
+  arch: "riscv64"
   kernel:
     # Extracted from http://http.us.debian.org/debian/pool/main/u/u-boot/u-boot-qemu_2023.04+dfsg-1_all.deb (GPL-2.0)
     location: "/~https://github.com/lima-vm/u-boot-qemu-mirror/releases/download/2023.04%2Bdfsg-1/qemu-riscv64_smode_uboot.elf"
diff --git a/pkg/limayaml/validate.go b/pkg/limayaml/validate.go
index 47a93520257..7495216d38a 100644
--- a/pkg/limayaml/validate.go
+++ b/pkg/limayaml/validate.go
@@ -75,8 +75,8 @@ func Validate(y LimaYAML, warn bool) error {
 			if err := validateFileObject(f.Kernel.File, fmt.Sprintf("images[%d].kernel", i)); err != nil {
 				return err
 			}
-			if f.Kernel.Arch != *y.Arch {
-				return fmt.Errorf("images[%d].kernel has unexpected architecture %q, must be %q", i, f.Kernel.Arch, *y.Arch)
+			if f.Kernel.Arch != f.Arch {
+				return fmt.Errorf("images[%d].kernel has unexpected architecture %q, must be %q", i, f.Kernel.Arch, f.Arch)
 			}
 		} else if f.Arch == RISCV64 {
 			return errors.New("riscv64 needs the kernel (e.g., \"uboot.elf\") to be specified")
@@ -88,8 +88,8 @@ func Validate(y LimaYAML, warn bool) error {
 			if f.Kernel == nil {
 				return errors.New("initrd requires the kernel to be specified")
 			}
-			if f.Initrd.Arch != *y.Arch {
-				return fmt.Errorf("images[%d].initrd has unexpected architecture %q, must be %q", i, f.Initrd.Arch, *y.Arch)
+			if f.Initrd.Arch != f.Arch {
+				return fmt.Errorf("images[%d].initrd has unexpected architecture %q, must be %q", i, f.Initrd.Arch, f.Arch)
 			}
 		}
 	}