diff --git a/src/util/message.h b/src/util/message.h
index 112996b29df..25f5e1137e6 100644
--- a/src/util/message.h
+++ b/src/util/message.h
@@ -181,6 +181,7 @@ class messaget
 
   // constructors, destructor
 
+  DEPRECATED("use messaget(message_handler) instead")
   messaget():
     message_handler(nullptr),
     mstream(M_DEBUG, *this)