diff --git a/options/m_config.c b/options/m_config.c
index 4c65867ae6..ea58b5a3dd 100644
--- a/options/m_config.c
+++ b/options/m_config.c
@@ -243,7 +243,7 @@ static int m_config_set_obj_params(struct m_config *config, struct mp_log *log,
     for (int n = 0; args && args[n * 2 + 0]; n++) {
         bstr opt = bstr0(args[n * 2 + 0]);
         bstr val = bstr0(args[n * 2 + 1]);
-        if (m_config_set_option(config, opt, val) < 0)
+        if (m_config_set_option_cli(config, opt, val, 0) < 0)
             return -1;
     }
 
@@ -755,7 +755,7 @@ int m_config_set_option_raw_direct(struct m_config *config,
     return 0;
 }
 
-// Similar to m_config_set_option_ext(), but set as data in its native format.
+// Similar to m_config_set_option_cli(), but set as data in its native format.
 // This takes care of some details like sending change notifications.
 // The type data points to is as in: co->opt
 int m_config_set_option_raw(struct m_config *config, struct m_config_option *co,
@@ -833,21 +833,30 @@ static struct m_config_option *m_config_mogrify_cli_opt(struct m_config *config,
     return NULL;
 }
 
-static int m_config_parse_option(struct m_config *config, struct bstr name,
-                                 struct bstr param, int flags)
+// Set the named option to the given string. This is for command line and config
+// file use only.
+// flags: combination of M_SETOPT_* flags (0 for normal operation)
+// Returns >= 0 on success, otherwise see OptionParserReturn.
+int m_config_set_option_cli(struct m_config *config, struct bstr name,
+                            struct bstr param, int flags)
 {
+    int r;
     assert(config != NULL);
 
     bool negate;
     struct m_config_option *co =
         m_config_mogrify_cli_opt(config, &name, &negate, &(int){0});
 
-    if (!co)
-        return M_OPT_UNKNOWN;
+    if (!co) {
+        r = M_OPT_UNKNOWN;
+        goto done;
+    }
 
     if (negate) {
-        if (param.len)
-            return M_OPT_DISALLOW_PARAM;
+        if (param.len) {
+            r = M_OPT_DISALLOW_PARAM;
+            goto done;
+        }
 
         param = bstr0("no");
     }
@@ -855,12 +864,11 @@ static int m_config_parse_option(struct m_config *config, struct bstr name,
     // This is the only mandatory function
     assert(co->opt->type->parse);
 
-    int r = handle_set_opt_flags(config, co, flags);
+    r = handle_set_opt_flags(config, co, flags);
     if (r <= 0)
-        return r;
-    bool set = r == 2;
+        goto done;
 
-    if (set) {
+    if (r == 2) {
         MP_VERBOSE(config, "Setting option '%.*s' = '%.*s' (flags = %d)\n",
                    BSTR_P(name), BSTR_P(param), flags);
     }
@@ -879,13 +887,7 @@ static int m_config_parse_option(struct m_config *config, struct bstr name,
 
     m_option_free(co->opt, &val);
 
-    return r;
-}
-
-int m_config_set_option_ext(struct m_config *config, struct bstr name,
-                            struct bstr param, int flags)
-{
-    int r = m_config_parse_option(config, name, param, flags);
+done:
     if (r < 0 && r != M_OPT_EXIT) {
         MP_ERR(config, "Error parsing option %.*s (%s)\n",
                BSTR_P(name), m_option_strerror(r));
@@ -894,12 +896,6 @@ int m_config_set_option_ext(struct m_config *config, struct bstr name,
     return r;
 }
 
-int m_config_set_option(struct m_config *config, struct bstr name,
-                                 struct bstr param)
-{
-    return m_config_set_option_ext(config, name, param, 0);
-}
-
 int m_config_set_option_node(struct m_config *config, bstr name,
                              struct mpv_node *data, int flags)
 {
@@ -1076,7 +1072,7 @@ void m_profile_set_desc(struct m_profile *p, bstr desc)
 int m_config_set_profile_option(struct m_config *config, struct m_profile *p,
                                 bstr name, bstr val)
 {
-    int i = m_config_set_option_ext(config, name, val,
+    int i = m_config_set_option_cli(config, name, val,
                                     M_SETOPT_CHECK_ONLY |
                                     M_SETOPT_FROM_CONFIG_FILE);
     if (i < 0)
@@ -1103,7 +1099,7 @@ int m_config_set_profile(struct m_config *config, char *name, int flags)
     }
     config->profile_depth++;
     for (int i = 0; i < p->num_opts; i++) {
-        m_config_set_option_ext(config,
+        m_config_set_option_cli(config,
                                 bstr0(p->opts[2 * i]),
                                 bstr0(p->opts[2 * i + 1]),
                                 flags | M_SETOPT_FROM_CONFIG_FILE);
diff --git a/options/m_config.h b/options/m_config.h
index ff2dcf14a6..65145c093b 100644
--- a/options/m_config.h
+++ b/options/m_config.h
@@ -163,27 +163,9 @@ enum {
 // Flags for safe option setting during runtime.
 #define M_SETOPT_RUNTIME M_SETOPT_NO_FIXED
 
-// Set the named option to the given string.
-// flags: combination of M_SETOPT_* flags (0 for normal operation)
-// Returns >= 0 on success, otherwise see OptionParserReturn.
-int m_config_set_option_ext(struct m_config *config, struct bstr name,
+int m_config_set_option_cli(struct m_config *config, struct bstr name,
                             struct bstr param, int flags);
 
-/*  Set an option. (Like: m_config_set_option_ext(config, name, param, 0))
- *  \param config The config object.
- *  \param name The option's name.
- *  \param param The value of the option, can be NULL.
- *  \return See \ref OptionParserReturn.
- */
-int m_config_set_option(struct m_config *config, struct bstr name,
-                        struct bstr param);
-
-static inline int m_config_set_option0(struct m_config *config,
-                                       const char *name, const char *param)
-{
-    return m_config_set_option(config, bstr0(name), bstr0(param));
-}
-
 int m_config_set_option_raw(struct m_config *config, struct m_config_option *co,
                             void *data, int flags);
 
@@ -193,7 +175,6 @@ int m_config_set_option_raw_direct(struct m_config *config,
                                    struct m_config_option *co,
                                    void *data, int flags);
 
-// Similar to m_config_set_option_ext(), but set as data using mpv_node.
 struct mpv_node;
 int m_config_set_option_node(struct m_config *config, bstr name,
                              struct mpv_node *data, int flags);
diff --git a/options/m_option.c b/options/m_option.c
index ae63044e50..b8a9f7384c 100644
--- a/options/m_option.c
+++ b/options/m_option.c
@@ -2621,7 +2621,7 @@ static int get_obj_param(struct mp_log *log, bstr opt_name, bstr obj_name,
     // If it's just "name", and the associated option exists and is a flag,
     // don't accept it as positional argument.
     if (val.start || m_config_option_requires_param(config, name) == 0 || nopos) {
-        r = m_config_set_option_ext(config, name, val, flags);
+        r = m_config_set_option_cli(config, name, val, flags);
         if (r < 0) {
             if (r == M_OPT_UNKNOWN) {
                 mp_err(log, "Option %.*s: %.*s doesn't have a %.*s parameter.\n",
@@ -2652,7 +2652,7 @@ static int get_obj_param(struct mp_log *log, bstr opt_name, bstr obj_name,
                    BSTR_P(opt_name), BSTR_P(obj_name), *nold, *nold);
             return M_OPT_OUT_OF_RANGE;
         }
-        r = m_config_set_option_ext(config, bstr0(opt), val, flags);
+        r = m_config_set_option_cli(config, bstr0(opt), val, flags);
         if (r < 0) {
             if (r != M_OPT_EXIT)
                 mp_err(log, "Option %.*s: "
diff --git a/options/parse_commandline.c b/options/parse_commandline.c
index 2eb65e5c8e..b1392ba4e1 100644
--- a/options/parse_commandline.c
+++ b/options/parse_commandline.c
@@ -146,7 +146,7 @@ int m_config_parse_mp_command_line(m_config_t *config, struct playlist *files,
             int flags = M_SETOPT_FROM_CMDLINE;
             if (mode == LOCAL)
                 flags |= M_SETOPT_BACKUP | M_SETOPT_CHECK_ONLY;
-            int r = m_config_set_option_ext(config, p.arg, p.param, flags);
+            int r = m_config_set_option_cli(config, p.arg, p.param, flags);
             if (r == M_OPT_EXIT) {
                 ret = r;
                 goto err_out;
@@ -291,7 +291,7 @@ void m_config_preparse_command_line(m_config_t *config, struct mpv_global *globa
             // Ignore non-pre-parse options. They will be set later.
             // Option parsing errors will be handled later as well.
             int flags = M_SETOPT_FROM_CMDLINE | M_SETOPT_PRE_PARSE_ONLY;
-            m_config_set_option_ext(config, p.arg, p.param, flags);
+            m_config_set_option_cli(config, p.arg, p.param, flags);
             if (bstrcmp0(p.arg, "v") == 0)
                 opts->verbose++;
         }
diff --git a/player/loadfile.c b/player/loadfile.c
index 2364a79284..a2ef851617 100644
--- a/player/loadfile.c
+++ b/player/loadfile.c
@@ -800,7 +800,7 @@ static void load_per_file_options(m_config_t *conf,
                                   int params_count)
 {
     for (int n = 0; n < params_count; n++) {
-        m_config_set_option_ext(conf, params[n].name, params[n].value,
+        m_config_set_option_cli(conf, params[n].name, params[n].value,
                                 M_SETOPT_RUNTIME | M_SETOPT_BACKUP);
     }
 }