diff --git a/gcli/src/cmd/program.rs b/gcli/src/cmd/program.rs
index 7020daa8868..94d8c49fab2 100644
--- a/gcli/src/cmd/program.rs
+++ b/gcli/src/cmd/program.rs
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
 // along with this program. If not, see <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 
 //! Command `program`.
-use crate::{meta::Meta, result::Result, utils, App};
+use crate::{meta::Meta, result::Result, App};
 use clap::Parser;
 use gsdk::{ext::sp_core::H256, Api};
 use std::{fs, path::PathBuf};
@@ -33,8 +33,8 @@ pub enum Program {
         ///
         /// - "*.meta.txt" describes the metadata of the program
         /// - "*.meta.wasm" describes the wasm exports of the program
-        #[arg(short, long)]
-        meta: Option<PathBuf>,
+        #[cfg_attr(feature = "embed", clap(skip))]
+        meta: PathBuf,
         /// Overridden metadata binary if feature embed is enabled.
         #[clap(skip)]
         meta_override: Vec<u8>,
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ impl Program {
                 meta_override,
             } => {
                 let meta = if meta_override.is_empty() {
-                    Self::resolve_meta(&utils::meta_path(meta.clone(), "meta")?)
+                    Self::resolve_meta(meta)
                 } else {
                     Meta::decode_wasm(meta_override)
                 }?;
diff --git a/gcli/src/utils.rs b/gcli/src/utils.rs
index 79eb1557244..8630ecffc39 100644
--- a/gcli/src/utils.rs
+++ b/gcli/src/utils.rs
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@
 
 use crate::result::Result;
 use anyhow::anyhow;
-use std::{env, fs, path::PathBuf};
+use std::{fs, path::PathBuf};
 
 /// home directory of cli `gear`
 pub fn home() -> PathBuf {
@@ -33,26 +33,6 @@ pub fn home() -> PathBuf {
     home
 }
 
-/// Parse the metadata path with result.
-pub fn meta_path(meta: Option<PathBuf>, opt: &str) -> Result<PathBuf> {
-    if let Some(meta) = meta {
-        return Ok(meta);
-    }
-
-    let cwd = env::current_dir()?;
-    for entry in fs::read_dir(&cwd)? {
-        let file = entry?.path();
-        if file.ends_with(".meta.wasm") {
-            return Ok(file);
-        }
-    }
-
-    Err(anyhow!(
-        "Could not find any *.meta.wasm in {cwd:?}, please specify the metadata path with --{opt}",
-    )
-    .into())
-}
-
 pub trait Hex {
     fn to_vec(&self) -> Result<Vec<u8>>;
     fn to_hash(&self) -> Result<[u8; 32]>;
diff --git a/gcli/tests/gear.rs b/gcli/tests/gear.rs
index 31a68c0ec08..eb7e3de0d4d 100644
--- a/gcli/tests/gear.rs
+++ b/gcli/tests/gear.rs
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ mod common;
 #[tokio::test]
 async fn api_timeout() {
     assert!(matches!(
-        Api::new_with_timeout(None, Some(1)).await.err(),
+        Api::new_with_timeout(None, Some(0)).await.err(),
         Some(Error::SubxtRpc(jsonrpsee::core::Error::Transport(..)))
     ));
 }