diff --git a/xCAT/postscripts/getcredentials.awk b/xCAT/postscripts/getcredentials.awk
index b2acc8938..43fc33b97 100755
--- a/xCAT/postscripts/getcredentials.awk
+++ b/xCAT/postscripts/getcredentials.awk
@@ -1,6 +1,10 @@
 #!/usr/bin/awk -f
 BEGIN {
-        server = "openssl s_client -quiet -connect " ENVIRON["XCATSERVER"] " 2> /dev/null"
+        if (ENVIRON["USEOPENSSLFORXCAT"]) {
+            server = "openssl s_client -quiet -connect " ENVIRON["XCATSERVER"] " 2> /dev/null"
+        } else {
+            server = "/inet/tcp/0/127.0.0.1/400"
+        }
         quit = "no"
 
 
diff --git a/xCAT/postscripts/getpostscript.awk b/xCAT/postscripts/getpostscript.awk
index 93a49a455..76255f1f3 100755
--- a/xCAT/postscripts/getpostscript.awk
+++ b/xCAT/postscripts/getpostscript.awk
@@ -1,6 +1,10 @@
 #!/usr/bin/awk -f
 BEGIN {
-        server = "openssl s_client -quiet -connect " ENVIRON["XCATSERVER"] " 2> /dev/null"
+        if (ENVIRON["USEOPENSSLFORXCAT"]) {
+            server = "openssl s_client -quiet -connect " ENVIRON["XCATSERVER"] " 2> /dev/null"
+        } else {
+            server = "/inet/tcp/0/127.0.0.1/400"
+        }
 
 
         quit = "no"
diff --git a/xCAT/postscripts/remoteshell b/xCAT/postscripts/remoteshell
index f344608b9..a4646ab81 100755
--- a/xCAT/postscripts/remoteshell
+++ b/xCAT/postscripts/remoteshell
@@ -40,6 +40,8 @@ fi
 if [ ! -x /usr/bin/openssl ]; then
     exit 0
 fi
+USEOPENSSLFORXCAT=1 #explicitly declare the 2.3 method
+export USEOPENSSLFORXCAT
 allowcred.awk &
 CREDPID=$!
 sleep 1
diff --git a/xCAT/postscripts/startsyncfiles.awk b/xCAT/postscripts/startsyncfiles.awk
index f1e7079d4..f429f3c43 100755
--- a/xCAT/postscripts/startsyncfiles.awk
+++ b/xCAT/postscripts/startsyncfiles.awk
@@ -1,6 +1,10 @@
 #!/usr/bin/awk -f
 BEGIN {
-  server = "openssl s_client -quiet -connect " ENVIRON["XCATSERVER"] " 2> /dev/null"
+  if (ENVIRON["USEOPENSSLFORXCAT"]) {
+      server = "openssl s_client -quiet -connect " ENVIRON["XCATSERVER"] " 2> /dev/null"
+  } else {
+      server = "/inet/tcp/0/127.0.0.1/400"
+  }
 
   quit = "no"
   exitcode = 1
diff --git a/xCAT/postscripts/xcatclient b/xCAT/postscripts/xcatclient
index 8a0196567..6f55cd011 100755
--- a/xCAT/postscripts/xcatclient
+++ b/xCAT/postscripts/xcatclient
@@ -7,6 +7,8 @@
 if [ ! -x /usr/bin/openssl ]; then #Unless we have openssl stup
    exit 0
 fi
+USEOPENSSLFORXCAT=1 #Declare 2.3 style SSL
+export USEOPENSSLFORXCAT
    allowcred.awk &
    CREDPID=$!
    sleep 1
diff --git a/xCAT/postscripts/xcatdsklspost b/xCAT/postscripts/xcatdsklspost
index 80abd5d37..f09b89a9e 100755
--- a/xCAT/postscripts/xcatdsklspost
+++ b/xCAT/postscripts/xcatdsklspost
@@ -46,6 +46,8 @@ fi
 if [ -x /usr/bin/openssl ]; then
      XCATSERVER="$SIP:3001"
      export XCATSERVER
+     USEOPENSSLFORXCAT=1 #Though this is the only method going forward, flag to allow backward compatibility with 2.2 generated netboot images
+     export USEOPENSSLFORXCAT
 fi
 mkdir -p /xcatpost; 
 mkdir -p /tmp/postage
diff --git a/xCAT/postscripts/xcatserver b/xCAT/postscripts/xcatserver
index 0c4dbfa9e..3ba8eff87 100755
--- a/xCAT/postscripts/xcatserver
+++ b/xCAT/postscripts/xcatserver
@@ -7,6 +7,8 @@
 if [ ! -x /usr/bin/openssl ]; then
    exit 0
 fi
+USEOPENSSLFORXCAT=1
+export USEOPENSSLFORXCAT
    allowcred.awk &
    CREDPID=$!
    sleep 1