diff --git a/programs/ssl/ssl_client2.c b/programs/ssl/ssl_client2.c
index 1b3dedb22..83be1073f 100644
--- a/programs/ssl/ssl_client2.c
+++ b/programs/ssl/ssl_client2.c
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ int main(void)
 #define DFL_KEY_OPAQUE          0
 #define DFL_KEY_PWD             ""
 #define DFL_PSK                 ""
-#define DFL_EARLY_DATA          ""
+#define DFL_EARLY_DATA          MBEDTLS_SSL_EARLY_DATA_DISABLED
 #define DFL_PSK_OPAQUE          0
 #define DFL_PSK_IDENTITY        "Client_identity"
 #define DFL_ECJPAKE_PW          NULL
@@ -347,9 +347,8 @@ int main(void)
 
 #if defined(MBEDTLS_SSL_EARLY_DATA)
 #define USAGE_EARLY_DATA \
-    "    early_data=%%s      The file path to read early data from\n" \
-    "                        default: \"\" (do nothing)\n"            \
-    "                        option: a file path\n"
+    "    early_data=%%d      default: 0 (disabled)\n" \
+    "                        options: 0 (disabled), 1 (enabled)\n"
 #else
 #define USAGE_EARLY_DATA ""
 #endif /* MBEDTLS_SSL_EARLY_DATA && MBEDTLS_SSL_PROTO_TLS1_3 */
@@ -544,7 +543,7 @@ struct options {
     int reproducible;           /* make communication reproducible          */
     int skip_close_notify;      /* skip sending the close_notify alert      */
 #if defined(MBEDTLS_SSL_EARLY_DATA)
-    const char *early_data;     /* the path of the file to read early data from */
+    int early_data;             /* early data enablement flag               */
 #endif
     int query_config_mode;      /* whether to read config                   */
     int use_srtp;               /* Support SRTP                             */
@@ -742,10 +741,6 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
     size_t cid_renego_len = 0;
 #endif
 
-#if defined(MBEDTLS_SSL_EARLY_DATA)
-    FILE *early_data_fp = NULL;
-#endif /* MBEDTLS_SSL_EARLY_DATA */
-
 #if defined(MBEDTLS_SSL_ALPN)
     const char *alpn_list[ALPN_LIST_SIZE];
 #endif
@@ -1201,7 +1196,15 @@ usage:
 #if defined(MBEDTLS_SSL_PROTO_TLS1_3)
 #if defined(MBEDTLS_SSL_EARLY_DATA)
         else if (strcmp(p, "early_data") == 0) {
-            opt.early_data = q;
+            switch (atoi(q)) {
+                case 0:
+                    opt.early_data = MBEDTLS_SSL_EARLY_DATA_DISABLED;
+                    break;
+                case 1:
+                    opt.early_data = MBEDTLS_SSL_EARLY_DATA_ENABLED;
+                    break;
+                default: goto usage;
+            }
         }
 #endif /* MBEDTLS_SSL_EARLY_DATA */
 
@@ -1968,16 +1971,7 @@ usage:
     }
 
 #if defined(MBEDTLS_SSL_EARLY_DATA)
-    int early_data_enabled = MBEDTLS_SSL_EARLY_DATA_DISABLED;
-    if (strlen(opt.early_data) > 0) {
-        if ((early_data_fp = fopen(opt.early_data, "rb")) == NULL) {
-            mbedtls_printf("failed\n  ! Cannot open '%s' for reading.\n",
-                           opt.early_data);
-            goto exit;
-        }
-        early_data_enabled = MBEDTLS_SSL_EARLY_DATA_ENABLED;
-    }
-    mbedtls_ssl_conf_early_data(&conf, early_data_enabled);
+    mbedtls_ssl_conf_early_data(&conf, opt.early_data);
 #endif /* MBEDTLS_SSL_EARLY_DATA */
 
     if ((ret = mbedtls_ssl_setup(&ssl, &conf)) != 0) {
@@ -3035,12 +3029,6 @@ exit:
     mbedtls_ssl_config_free(&conf);
     mbedtls_ssl_session_free(&saved_session);
 
-#if defined(MBEDTLS_SSL_EARLY_DATA)
-    if (early_data_fp != NULL) {
-        fclose(early_data_fp);
-    }
-#endif
-
     if (session_data != NULL) {
         mbedtls_platform_zeroize(session_data, session_data_len);
     }
diff --git a/tests/opt-testcases/tls13-misc.sh b/tests/opt-testcases/tls13-misc.sh
index 4e6bf876d..b24f71803 100755
--- a/tests/opt-testcases/tls13-misc.sh
+++ b/tests/opt-testcases/tls13-misc.sh
@@ -263,7 +263,7 @@ requires_any_configs_enabled MBEDTLS_SSL_TLS1_3_KEY_EXCHANGE_MODE_PSK_EPHEMERAL_
 run_test    "TLS 1.3 m->G: EarlyData: basic check, good" \
             "$G_NEXT_SRV -d 10 --priority=NORMAL:-VERS-ALL:+VERS-TLS1.3:+CIPHER-ALL:+ECDHE-PSK:+PSK \
                          --earlydata --maxearlydata 16384 --disable-client-cert" \
-            "$P_CLI debug_level=4 early_data=$EARLY_DATA_INPUT reco_mode=1 reconnect=1 reco_delay=900" \
+            "$P_CLI debug_level=4 early_data=1 reco_mode=1 reconnect=1 reco_delay=900" \
             0 \
             -c "received max_early_data_size: 16384" \
             -c "Reconnecting with saved session" \
@@ -287,7 +287,7 @@ requires_any_configs_enabled MBEDTLS_SSL_TLS1_3_KEY_EXCHANGE_MODE_PSK_EPHEMERAL_
                              MBEDTLS_SSL_TLS1_3_KEY_EXCHANGE_MODE_PSK_ENABLED
 run_test    "TLS 1.3 m->G: EarlyData: no early_data in NewSessionTicket, good" \
             "$G_NEXT_SRV -d 10 --priority=NORMAL:-VERS-ALL:+VERS-TLS1.3:+CIPHER-ALL:+ECDHE-PSK:+PSK --disable-client-cert" \
-            "$P_CLI debug_level=4 early_data=$EARLY_DATA_INPUT reco_mode=1 reconnect=1" \
+            "$P_CLI debug_level=4 early_data=1 reco_mode=1 reconnect=1" \
             0 \
             -c "Reconnecting with saved session" \
             -C "NewSessionTicket: early_data(42) extension received." \