diff --git a/src/mod_gnutls.c b/src/mod_gnutls.c
index 9380e619..18ad2c0f 100644
--- a/src/mod_gnutls.c
+++ b/src/mod_gnutls.c
@@ -36,7 +36,6 @@
 #include <stdlib.h>
 #include <stdio.h>      /* vsnprintf() */
 #include <string.h>
-#include <unistd.h>
 
 #include <gnutls/gnutls.h>
 #include <gnutls/ocsp.h>
@@ -339,15 +338,10 @@ mod_gnutls_session_ticket_key_file (const char *fn)
      * admin should activate keys immediately (without +300).
      */
     int buf[23]; /* 92 bytes */
-    int fd = fdevent_open_cloexec(fn, 1, O_RDONLY, 0);
-    if (fd < 0)
-        return 0;
-
-    ssize_t rd = read(fd, buf, sizeof(buf));
-    close(fd);
-
     int rc = 0; /*(will retry on next check interval upon any error)*/
-    if (rd == sizeof(buf) && buf[0] == 0) { /*(format version 0)*/
+    if (0 != fdevent_load_file_bytes((char *)buf,(off_t)sizeof(buf),0,fn,NULL))
+        return rc;
+    if (buf[0] == 0) { /*(format version 0)*/
         session_ticket_keys[0].active_ts = buf[1];
         session_ticket_keys[0].expire_ts = buf[2];
         memcpy(&session_ticket_keys[0].tick_key_name, buf+3, 80);
diff --git a/src/mod_mbedtls.c b/src/mod_mbedtls.c
index 3a5eee7f..2424fd62 100644
--- a/src/mod_mbedtls.c
+++ b/src/mod_mbedtls.c
@@ -54,7 +54,6 @@
 #include <stdlib.h>
 #include <stdio.h>      /* vsnprintf() */
 #include <string.h>
-#include <unistd.h>
 
 #include <mbedtls/ctr_drbg.h>
 #include <mbedtls/dhm.h>
@@ -305,15 +304,10 @@ mod_mbedtls_session_ticket_key_file (const char *fn)
      * admin should activate keys immediately (without +300).
      */
     int buf[23]; /* 92 bytes */
-    int fd = fdevent_open_cloexec(fn, 1, O_RDONLY, 0);
-    if (fd < 0)
-        return 0;
-
-    ssize_t rd = read(fd, buf, sizeof(buf));
-    close(fd);
-
     int rc = 0; /*(will retry on next check interval upon any error)*/
-    if (rd == sizeof(buf) && buf[0] == 0) { /*(format version 0)*/
+    if (0 != fdevent_load_file_bytes((char *)buf,(off_t)sizeof(buf),0,fn,NULL))
+        return rc;
+    if (buf[0] == 0) { /*(format version 0)*/
         session_ticket_keys[0].active_ts = buf[1];
         session_ticket_keys[0].expire_ts = buf[2];
         memcpy(&session_ticket_keys[0].tick_key_name, buf+3, 80);
diff --git a/src/mod_nss.c b/src/mod_nss.c
index 79ea166b..f2ff95b2 100644
--- a/src/mod_nss.c
+++ b/src/mod_nss.c
@@ -77,7 +77,6 @@
 #include <stdlib.h>
 #include <stdio.h>      /* vsnprintf() */
 #include <string.h>
-#include <unistd.h>
 
 #if defined(__CYGWIN__)
 #include <nspr/nspr.h>
diff --git a/src/mod_openssl.c b/src/mod_openssl.c
index ccd0353e..37a129e1 100644
--- a/src/mod_openssl.c
+++ b/src/mod_openssl.c
@@ -35,7 +35,6 @@
 #include <stdint.h>
 #include <stdlib.h>
 #include <string.h>
-#include <unistd.h>
 
 /*(not needed)*/
 /* correction; needed for:
@@ -385,15 +384,10 @@ mod_openssl_session_ticket_key_file (const char *fn)
      * admin should activate keys immediately (without +300).
      */
     int buf[23]; /* 92 bytes */
-    int fd = fdevent_open_cloexec(fn, 1, O_RDONLY, 0);
-    if (fd < 0)
-        return 0;
-
-    ssize_t rd = read(fd, buf, sizeof(buf));
-    close(fd);
-
     int rc = 0; /*(will retry on next check interval upon any error)*/
-    if (rd == sizeof(buf) && buf[0] == 0) { /*(format version 0)*/
+    if (0 != fdevent_load_file_bytes((char *)buf,(off_t)sizeof(buf),0,fn,NULL))
+        return rc;
+    if (buf[0] == 0) { /*(format version 0)*/
         session_ticket_keys[3].active_ts = buf[1];
         session_ticket_keys[3].expire_ts = buf[2];
       #ifndef __COVERITY__ /* intentional; hide from Coverity Scan */
diff --git a/src/mod_wolfssl.c b/src/mod_wolfssl.c
index 4051e457..2df9fcb4 100644
--- a/src/mod_wolfssl.c
+++ b/src/mod_wolfssl.c
@@ -34,7 +34,6 @@
 #include <stdint.h>
 #include <stdlib.h>
 #include <string.h>
-#include <unistd.h>
 
 /*
  * Note: mod_wolfssl.c is forked from mod_openssl.c
@@ -386,15 +385,10 @@ mod_openssl_session_ticket_key_file (const char *fn)
      * admin should activate keys immediately (without +300).
      */
     int buf[23]; /* 92 bytes */
-    int fd = fdevent_open_cloexec(fn, 1, O_RDONLY, 0);
-    if (fd < 0)
-        return 0;
-
-    ssize_t rd = read(fd, buf, sizeof(buf));
-    close(fd);
-
     int rc = 0; /*(will retry on next check interval upon any error)*/
-    if (rd == sizeof(buf) && buf[0] == 0) { /*(format version 0)*/
+    if (0 != fdevent_load_file_bytes((char *)buf,(off_t)sizeof(buf),0,fn,NULL))
+        return rc;
+    if (buf[0] == 0) { /*(format version 0)*/
         session_ticket_keys[3].active_ts = buf[1];
         session_ticket_keys[3].expire_ts = buf[2];
       #ifndef __COVERITY__ /* intentional; hide from Coverity Scan */