diff --git a/programs/ssl/ssl_client2.c b/programs/ssl/ssl_client2.c
index 94230b8..c63c4f7 100644
--- a/programs/ssl/ssl_client2.c
+++ b/programs/ssl/ssl_client2.c
@@ -1085,7 +1085,7 @@
         ret = mbedtls_x509_crt_parse_file( &cacert, opt.ca_file );
     else
 #endif
-#if defined(MBEDTLS_CERTS_C)
+#if defined(MBEDTLS_CERTS_C) && defined(MBEDTLS_PEM_PARSE_C)
         for( i = 0; mbedtls_test_cas[i] != NULL; i++ )
         {
             ret = mbedtls_x509_crt_parse( &cacert,
@@ -1097,9 +1097,13 @@
 #else
     {
         ret = 1;
-        mbedtls_printf("MBEDTLS_CERTS_C not defined.");
+#if !defined(MBEDTLS_CERTS_C)
+        mbedtls_printf( "MBEDTLS_CERTS_C not defined." );
+#else
+        mbedtls_printf( "All test CRTs loaded via MBEDTLS_CERTS_C are PEM-encoded, but MBEDTLS_PEM_PARSE_C is disabled." );
     }
-#endif
+#endif /* MBEDTLS_CERTS_C */
+#endif /* MBEDTLS_CERTS_C && MBEDTLS_PEM_PARSE_C */
     if( ret < 0 )
     {
         mbedtls_printf( " failed\n  !  mbedtls_x509_crt_parse returned -0x%x\n\n", -ret );
@@ -1124,15 +1128,19 @@
         ret = mbedtls_x509_crt_parse_file( &clicert, opt.crt_file );
     else
 #endif
-#if defined(MBEDTLS_CERTS_C)
+#if defined(MBEDTLS_CERTS_C) && defined(MBEDTLS_PEM_PARSE_C)
         ret = mbedtls_x509_crt_parse( &clicert, (const unsigned char *) mbedtls_test_cli_crt,
                 mbedtls_test_cli_crt_len );
 #else
     {
         ret = 1;
-        mbedtls_printf("MBEDTLS_CERTS_C not defined.");
+#if !defined(MBEDTLS_CERTS_C)
+        mbedtls_printf( "MBEDTLS_CERTS_C not defined." );
+#else
+        mbedtls_printf( "All test CRTs loaded via MBEDTLS_CERTS_C are PEM-encoded, but MBEDTLS_PEM_PARSE_C is disabled." );
     }
-#endif
+#endif /* MBEDTLS_CERTS_C */
+#endif /* MBEDTLS_CERTS_C && MBEDTLS_PEM_PARSE_C */
     if( ret != 0 )
     {
         mbedtls_printf( " failed\n  !  mbedtls_x509_crt_parse returned -0x%x\n\n", -ret );
@@ -1147,15 +1155,19 @@
         ret = mbedtls_pk_parse_keyfile( &pkey, opt.key_file, "" );
     else
 #endif
-#if defined(MBEDTLS_CERTS_C)
+#if defined(MBEDTLS_CERTS_C) && defined(MBEDTLS_PEM_PARSE_C)
         ret = mbedtls_pk_parse_key( &pkey, (const unsigned char *) mbedtls_test_cli_key,
                 mbedtls_test_cli_key_len, NULL, 0 );
 #else
     {
         ret = 1;
-        mbedtls_printf("MBEDTLS_CERTS_C not defined.");
+#if !defined(MBEDTLS_CERTS_C)
+        mbedtls_printf( "MBEDTLS_CERTS_C not defined." );
+#else
+        mbedtls_printf( "All test keys loaded via MBEDTLS_CERTS_C are PEM-encoded, but MBEDTLS_PEM_PARSE_C is disabled." );
     }
-#endif
+#endif /* MBEDTLS_CERTS_C */
+#endif /* MBEDTLS_CERTS_C && MBEDTLS_PEM_PARSE_C */
     if( ret != 0 )
     {
         mbedtls_printf( " failed\n  !  mbedtls_pk_parse_key returned -0x%x\n\n", -ret );