diff --git a/README b/README
index 1617c3d195..032477bcbf 100644
--- a/README
+++ b/README
@@ -219,9 +219,10 @@ REQUIREMENTS:
         Note that the build prefix for systemd must be /usr. (Moreover,
         packages systemd relies on — such as D-Bus — really should use the same
         prefix, otherwise you are on your own.) -Dsplit-usr=false (which is the
-        default and does not need to be specified) is the recommended setting,
-        and -Dsplit-usr=true should be used on systems which have /usr on a
-        separate partition.
+        default and does not need to be specified) is the recommended setting.
+        -Dsplit-usr=true can be used to give a semblance of support for systems
+        with programs installed split between / and /usr. Moving everything
+        under /usr is strongly encouraged.
 
         Additional packages are necessary to run some tests:
         - busybox            (used by test/TEST-13-NSPAWN-SMOKE)
diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 01eeeb750e..62b11aba2d 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -68,6 +68,11 @@ if get_option('split-usr') == 'auto'
 else
         split_usr = get_option('split-usr') == 'true'
 endif
+if split_usr
+        warning('\n!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!\n\n\n'
+                + '                    split-usr mode is going to be removed\n' +
+                '\n\n!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!')
+endif
 conf.set10('HAVE_SPLIT_USR', split_usr,
            description : '/usr/bin and /bin directories are separate')