diff --git a/tools/web/deploy/vps/deploy.sh b/tools/web/deploy/vps/deploy.sh
index c39af24..d0e8262 100755
--- a/tools/web/deploy/vps/deploy.sh
+++ b/tools/web/deploy/vps/deploy.sh
@@ -1166,14 +1166,10 @@ retired_public_asset_index=0
 for retired_public_asset_path in "${retired_public_asset_paths[@]}"; do
     for retired_public_asset_method in "${retired_public_asset_methods[@]}"; do
         retired_public_asset_headers="${smoke_root}/retired-public-asset-${retired_public_asset_index}-${retired_public_asset_method}.headers"
-        retired_public_asset_curl_mode=()
-        if [[ "${retired_public_asset_method}" == HEAD ]]; then
-            retired_public_asset_curl_mode=( --head )
-        fi
         retired_public_asset_status=$(
             curl --silent --show-error --max-time 30 \
                 --location --max-redirs 0 --proto '=https' \
-                "${retired_public_asset_curl_mode[@]}" \
+                --request "${retired_public_asset_method}" \
                 --dump-header "${retired_public_asset_headers}" \
                 --output /dev/null \
                 --write-out '%{http_code}' \
@@ -1217,14 +1213,10 @@ firmware_not_found_index=0
 for firmware_not_found_path in "${firmware_not_found_paths[@]}"; do
     for firmware_not_found_method in "${firmware_not_found_methods[@]}"; do
         firmware_not_found_headers="${smoke_root}/firmware-not-found-${firmware_not_found_index}-${firmware_not_found_method}.headers"
-        firmware_not_found_curl_mode=()
-        if [[ "${firmware_not_found_method}" == HEAD ]]; then
-            firmware_not_found_curl_mode=( --head )
-        fi
         firmware_not_found_status=$(
             curl --silent --show-error --max-time 30 \
                 --location --max-redirs 0 --proto '=https' \
-                "${firmware_not_found_curl_mode[@]}" \
+                --request "${firmware_not_found_method}" \
                 --dump-header "${firmware_not_found_headers}" \
                 --output /dev/null \
                 --write-out '%{http_code}' \
diff --git a/tools/web/src/test/vps-deployment-contract.test.ts b/tools/web/src/test/vps-deployment-contract.test.ts
index caeb7d7..0188b0b 100644
--- a/tools/web/src/test/vps-deployment-contract.test.ts
+++ b/tools/web/src/test/vps-deployment-contract.test.ts
@@ -119,6 +119,8 @@ describe("Cloudflare-fronted VPS deployment", () => {
     expect(script).toContain("/social/pyble-beta-og-1200x630.png");
     expect(script).toContain("/social/pyble-beta-og-1200x630.svg");
     expect(script).toContain("retired_public_asset_methods=( GET HEAD )");
+    expect(script).toContain('--request "${retired_public_asset_method}"');
+    expect(script).not.toContain("retired_public_asset_curl_mode");
     expect(script).toMatch(/retired_public_asset_status[\s\S]*?!= 404/);
     expect(script).toContain("Cache-Control: *no-store");
   });
@@ -469,6 +471,10 @@ describe("Cloudflare-fronted VPS deployment", () => {
     expect(firmwareNotFoundSmoke).toContain(
       "firmware_not_found_methods=( GET HEAD )",
     );
+    expect(firmwareNotFoundSmoke).toContain(
+      '--request "${firmware_not_found_method}"',
+    );
+    expect(firmwareNotFoundSmoke).not.toContain("firmware_not_found_curl_mode");
     expect(firmwareNotFoundSmoke).toContain("esp32-c3-4mb/manifest.json");
     expect(firmwareNotFoundSmoke).toContain("--dump-header");
     expect(firmwareNotFoundSmoke).toContain("--write-out '%{http_code}'");