diff --git a/actionpack/lib/action_controller/base.rb b/actionpack/lib/action_controller/base.rb
index 4a6629bb7633b..62f439573d413 100644
--- a/actionpack/lib/action_controller/base.rb
+++ b/actionpack/lib/action_controller/base.rb
@@ -616,15 +616,6 @@ def send_response
       # displayed on:
       #
       #   url_for :controller => 'posts', :action => nil
-      #
-      # If you explicitly want to create a URL that's almost the same as the current URL, you can do so using the
-      # <tt>:overwrite_params</tt> options. Say for your posts you have different views for showing and printing them.
-      # Then, in the show view, you get the URL for the print view like this
-      #
-      #   url_for :overwrite_params => { :action => 'print' }
-      #
-      # This takes the current URL as is and only exchanges the action. In contrast, <tt>url_for :action => 'print'</tt>
-      # would have slashed-off the path components after the changed action.
       def url_for(options = {})
         options ||= {}
         case options
diff --git a/actionpack/lib/action_controller/url_rewriter.rb b/actionpack/lib/action_controller/url_rewriter.rb
index e4c2a29e3e922..13194bcc021a1 100644
--- a/actionpack/lib/action_controller/url_rewriter.rb
+++ b/actionpack/lib/action_controller/url_rewriter.rb
@@ -159,6 +159,9 @@ def initialize(request, parameters)
     end
 
     def rewrite(options = {})
+      if options.include?(:overwrite_params)
+        ActiveSupport::Deprecation.warn 'The :overwrite_params option is deprecated. Specify all the necessary parameters instead', caller
+      end
       rewrite_url(options)
     end
 
@@ -194,7 +197,7 @@ def rewrite_path(options)
         options = options.symbolize_keys
         options.update(options[:params].symbolize_keys) if options[:params]
 
-        if (overwrite = options.delete(:overwrite_params))
+        if overwrite = options.delete(:overwrite_params)
           options.update(@parameters.symbolize_keys)
           options.update(overwrite.symbolize_keys)
         end
diff --git a/actionpack/test/controller/url_rewriter_test.rb b/actionpack/test/controller/url_rewriter_test.rb
index fdc4cfa38fa64..e9ae66b831779 100644
--- a/actionpack/test/controller/url_rewriter_test.rb
+++ b/actionpack/test/controller/url_rewriter_test.rb
@@ -65,9 +65,11 @@ def test_overwrite_params
     @params[:action] = 'bye'
     @params[:id] = '2'
 
-    assert_equal '/hi/hi/2', @rewriter.rewrite(:only_path => true, :overwrite_params => {:action => 'hi'})
-    u = @rewriter.rewrite(:only_path => false, :overwrite_params => {:action => 'hi'})
-    assert_match %r(/hi/hi/2$), u
+    assert_deprecated /overwrite_params/ do
+      assert_equal '/hi/hi/2', @rewriter.rewrite(:only_path => true, :overwrite_params => {:action => 'hi'})
+      u = @rewriter.rewrite(:only_path => false, :overwrite_params => {:action => 'hi'})
+      assert_match %r(/hi/hi/2$), u
+    end
   end
 
   def test_overwrite_removes_original
@@ -75,9 +77,11 @@ def test_overwrite_removes_original
     @params[:action] = 'list'
     @params[:list_page] = 1
 
-    assert_equal '/search/list?list_page=2', @rewriter.rewrite(:only_path => true, :overwrite_params => {"list_page" => 2})
-    u = @rewriter.rewrite(:only_path => false, :overwrite_params => {:list_page => 2})
-    assert_equal 'http://test.host/search/list?list_page=2', u
+    assert_deprecated /overwrite_params/ do
+      assert_equal '/search/list?list_page=2', @rewriter.rewrite(:only_path => true, :overwrite_params => {"list_page" => 2})
+      u = @rewriter.rewrite(:only_path => false, :overwrite_params => {:list_page => 2})
+      assert_equal 'http://test.host/search/list?list_page=2', u
+    end
   end
 
   def test_to_str