diff --git a/internal/setup/setup.go b/internal/setup/setup.go
index db3d9518..b59e30f9 100644
--- a/internal/setup/setup.go
+++ b/internal/setup/setup.go
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ import (
 	"golang.org/x/crypto/openpgp/packet"
 
 	"github.com/canonical/chisel/internal/apacheutil"
+	"github.com/canonical/chisel/internal/deb"
 	"github.com/canonical/chisel/internal/strdist"
 )
 
@@ -369,7 +370,7 @@ func order(pkgs map[string]*Package, keys []SliceKey, arch string) ([]SliceKey,
 		fqslice := slice.String()
 		predecessors := successors[fqslice]
 		for req, info := range slice.Essential {
-			if len(info.Arch) > 0 && !slices.Contains(info.Arch, arch) {
+			if len(info.Arch) > 0 && arch != "" && !slices.Contains(info.Arch, arch) {
 				continue
 			}
 			fqreq := req.String()
@@ -465,6 +466,16 @@ func stripBase(baseDir, path string) string {
 func Select(release *Release, slices []SliceKey, arch string) (*Selection, error) {
 	logf("Selecting slices...")
 
+	var err error
+	if arch == "" {
+		arch, err = deb.InferArch()
+	} else {
+		err = deb.ValidateArch(arch)
+	}
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
 	selection := &Selection{
 		Release: release,
 	}
diff --git a/internal/setup/setup_test.go b/internal/setup/setup_test.go
index ac956ce1..96495800 100644
--- a/internal/setup/setup_test.go
+++ b/internal/setup/setup_test.go
@@ -3548,6 +3548,44 @@ var setupTests = []setupTest{{
 		`,
 	},
 	relerror: `package "mypkg" repeats mypkg_myslice2 in essential fields`,
+}, {
+	summary: "Cycles are detected with 'v3-essential'",
+	input: map[string]string{
+		"slices/mydir/mypkg1.yaml": `
+			package: mypkg1
+			slices:
+				myslice:
+					v3-essential:
+						mypkg2_myslice: {arch: [amd64, i386]}
+		`,
+		"slices/mydir/mypkg2.yaml": `
+			package: mypkg2
+			slices:
+				myslice:
+					v3-essential:
+						mypkg1_myslice: {arch: [amd64, i386]}
+		`,
+	},
+	relerror: "essential loop detected: mypkg1_myslice, mypkg2_myslice",
+}, {
+	summary: "Cycles are detected with 'v3-essential' without architecture",
+	input: map[string]string{
+		"slices/mydir/mypkg1.yaml": `
+			package: mypkg1
+			slices:
+				myslice:
+					v3-essential:
+						mypkg2_myslice:
+		`,
+		"slices/mydir/mypkg2.yaml": `
+			package: mypkg2
+			slices:
+				myslice:
+					v3-essential:
+						mypkg1_myslice: {arch: [amd64, i386]}
+		`,
+	},
+	relerror: "essential loop detected: mypkg1_myslice, mypkg2_myslice",
 }}
 
 func (s *S) TestParseRelease(c *C) {
@@ -3625,7 +3663,7 @@ func runParseReleaseTests(c *C, tests []setupTest) {
 		}
 
 		if test.selslices != nil {
-			selection, err := setup.Select(release, test.selslices, "")
+			selection, err := setup.Select(release, test.selslices, "amd64")
 			if test.selerror != "" {
 				c.Assert(err, ErrorMatches, test.selerror)
 				continue
@@ -3850,3 +3888,52 @@ func (s *S) TestYAMLPathGenerate(c *C) {
 		c.Assert(result, Equals, test.result)
 	}
 }
+
+var selectWithArchTests = []struct {
+	summary  string
+	arch     string
+	input    map[string]string
+	selerror string
+}{{
+	summary: "Empty arch",
+	arch:    "",
+}, {
+	summary:  "Invalid arch",
+	arch:     "foo",
+	selerror: "invalid package architecture: foo",
+}}
+
+func (s *S) TestSelectWithArch(c *C) {
+	input := map[string]string{
+		"chisel.yaml": string(testutil.DefaultChiselYaml),
+		"slices/mydir/mypkg.yaml": `
+			package: mypkg
+			slices:
+				myslice:
+					contents:
+						/dir/file1: {}
+		`,
+	}
+	selslices := []setup.SliceKey{{"mypkg", "myslice"}}
+	dir := c.MkDir()
+	for path, data := range input {
+		fpath := filepath.Join(dir, path)
+		err := os.MkdirAll(filepath.Dir(fpath), 0o755)
+		c.Assert(err, IsNil)
+		err = os.WriteFile(fpath, testutil.Reindent(data), 0o644)
+		c.Assert(err, IsNil)
+	}
+
+	release, err := setup.ReadRelease(dir)
+	c.Assert(err, IsNil)
+
+	for _, test := range selectWithArchTests {
+		_, err = setup.Select(release, selslices, test.arch)
+		if test.selerror != "" {
+			c.Assert(err, ErrorMatches, test.selerror)
+			continue
+		} else {
+			c.Assert(err, IsNil)
+		}
+	}
+}