diff --git a/include/libxml/xlink.h b/include/libxml/xlink.h
index 10657366..32b7b5da 100644
--- a/include/libxml/xlink.h
+++ b/include/libxml/xlink.h
@@ -162,6 +162,7 @@ struct _xlinkHandler {
 
 XMLPUBFUN xlinkNodeDetectFunc
 		xlinkGetDefaultDetect	(void);
+XML_DEPRECATED
 XMLPUBFUN void
 		xlinkSetDefaultDetect	(xlinkNodeDetectFunc func);
 
@@ -170,6 +171,7 @@ XMLPUBFUN void
  */
 XMLPUBFUN xlinkHandlerPtr
 		xlinkGetDefaultHandler	(void);
+XML_DEPRECATED
 XMLPUBFUN void
 		xlinkSetDefaultHandler	(xlinkHandlerPtr handler);
 
diff --git a/xlink.c b/xlink.c
index 3a77b199..3e593591 100644
--- a/xlink.c
+++ b/xlink.c
@@ -36,6 +36,8 @@ static xlinkNodeDetectFunc	xlinkDefaultDetect = NULL;
 /**
  * xlinkGetDefaultHandler:
  *
+ * DEPRECATED: Don't use.
+ *
  * Get the default xlink handler.
  *
  * Returns the current xlinkHandlerPtr value.
@@ -50,6 +52,8 @@ xlinkGetDefaultHandler(void) {
  * xlinkSetDefaultHandler:
  * @handler:  the new value for the xlink handler block
  *
+ * DEPRECATED: Don't use.
+ *
  * Set the default xlink handlers
  */
 void