diff --git a/test/test_downloader_external.py b/test/test_downloader_external.py
index e5b02ba5a..d3d74df04 100644
--- a/test/test_downloader_external.py
+++ b/test/test_downloader_external.py
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ class TestAxelFD(unittest.TestCase):
             ydl.cookiejar.set_cookie(http.cookiejar.Cookie(**TEST_COOKIE))
             self.assertEqual(
                 downloader._make_cmd('test', TEST_INFO),
-                ['axel', '-o', 'test', 'Cookie: test=ytdlp', '--max-redirect=0', '--', 'http://www.example.com/'])
+                ['axel', '-o', 'test', '-H', 'Cookie: test=ytdlp', '--max-redirect=0', '--', 'http://www.example.com/'])
 
 
 class TestWgetFD(unittest.TestCase):
@@ -85,10 +85,11 @@ class TestCurlFD(unittest.TestCase):
     def test_make_cmd(self):
         with FakeYDL() as ydl:
             downloader = CurlFD(ydl, {})
-            self.assertNotIn('--cookie-jar', downloader._make_cmd('test', TEST_INFO))
-            # Test cookiejar tempfile arg is added
+            self.assertNotIn('--cookie', downloader._make_cmd('test', TEST_INFO))
+            # Test cookie header is added
             ydl.cookiejar.set_cookie(http.cookiejar.Cookie(**TEST_COOKIE))
-            self.assertIn('--cookie-jar', downloader._make_cmd('test', TEST_INFO))
+            self.assertIn('--cookie', downloader._make_cmd('test', TEST_INFO))
+            self.assertIn('test=ytdlp', downloader._make_cmd('test', TEST_INFO))
 
 
 class TestAria2cFD(unittest.TestCase):
diff --git a/yt_dlp/downloader/external.py b/yt_dlp/downloader/external.py
index e307502db..4f52f6e8d 100644
--- a/yt_dlp/downloader/external.py
+++ b/yt_dlp/downloader/external.py
@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@ class ExternalFD(FragmentFD):
             self._cookies_tempfile = tmp_cookies.name
             self.to_screen(f'[download] Writing temporary cookies file to "{self._cookies_tempfile}"')
         # real_download resets _cookies_tempfile; if it's None then save() will write to cookiejar.filename
-        self.ydl.cookiejar.save(self._cookies_tempfile)
+        self.ydl.cookiejar.save(self._cookies_tempfile, ignore_discard=True, ignore_expires=True)
         return self.ydl.cookiejar.filename or self._cookies_tempfile
 
     def _call_downloader(self, tmpfilename, info_dict):
@@ -199,8 +199,9 @@ class CurlFD(ExternalFD):
 
     def _make_cmd(self, tmpfilename, info_dict):
         cmd = [self.exe, '--location', '-o', tmpfilename, '--compressed']
-        if self.ydl.cookiejar.get_cookie_header(info_dict['url']):
-            cmd += ['--cookie-jar', self._write_cookies()]
+        cookie_header = self.ydl.cookiejar.get_cookie_header(info_dict['url'])
+        if cookie_header:
+            cmd += ['--cookie', cookie_header]
         if info_dict.get('http_headers') is not None:
             for key, val in info_dict['http_headers'].items():
                 cmd += ['--header', f'{key}: {val}']
@@ -233,7 +234,7 @@ class AxelFD(ExternalFD):
                 cmd += ['-H', f'{key}: {val}']
         cookie_header = self.ydl.cookiejar.get_cookie_header(info_dict['url'])
         if cookie_header:
-            cmd += [f'Cookie: {cookie_header}', '--max-redirect=0']
+            cmd += ['-H', f'Cookie: {cookie_header}', '--max-redirect=0']
         cmd += self._configuration_args()
         cmd += ['--', info_dict['url']]
         return cmd