diff --git a/CHANGES.md b/CHANGES.md
index f784a645a8..10a40b6464 100644
--- a/CHANGES.md
+++ b/CHANGES.md
@@ -1,3 +1,28 @@
+## Release v9.18.5
+
+**Version 9 has reached end-of-support and will not receive future updates or fixes.**
+
+Please see [VERSION_10_UPGRADE.md](https://github.com/highlightjs/highlight.js/blob/master/VERSION_10_UPGRADE.md) and perhaps [SECURITY.md](https://github.com/highlightjs/highlight.js/blob/master/SECURITY.md).
+
+- enh: Post-install script can be disabled with `HLJS_HIDE_UPGRADE_WARNING=yes`
+- fix: Deprecation notice logged at library startup a `console.log` vs `console.warn`.
+  - Notice only shown if actually highlighting code, not just requiring the library.
+  - Node.js treats `warn` the same as `error` and that was problematic.
+  - You (or perhaps your indirect dependency) may disable the notice with
+    the `hideUpgradeWarningAcceptNoSupportOrSecurityUpdates` option
+  - You can also set `HLJS_HIDE_UPGRADE_WARNING=yes` in your envionment to disable the warning
+
+Example:
+
+```js
+hljs.configure({
+  hideUpgradeWarningAcceptNoSupportOrSecurityUpdates: true
+})
+```
+
+Reference:
+https://github.com/highlightjs/highlight.js/issues/2877
+
 ## Release v9.18.4
 
 **Version 9 has reached end-of-support and will not receive future updates or fixes.**
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 20fffa8f33..daa854acd5 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -362,7 +362,7 @@ it can be added manually:
 ```html
 <script
  charset="UTF-8"
- src="https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/highlight.js/9.18.4/languages/go.min.js"></script>
+ src="https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/highlight.js/9.18.5/languages/go.min.js"></script>
 ```
 
 **On Almond.** You need to use the optimizer to give the module a name. For
diff --git a/deprecated.js b/deprecated.js
index 2f85d059a6..9ae57158c5 100644
--- a/deprecated.js
+++ b/deprecated.js
@@ -12,7 +12,8 @@ ${BgRed + FgWhite}
 ${Reset}${Bright}${FgWhite}
   Verion 9 of Highlight.js has reached EOL.  It will no longer
   be supported or receive security updates in the future.
-  Please upgrade to version 10.
+  Please upgrade to version 10 or encourage your indirect
+  dependencies to do so.
 
   For more info:
   ${FgBlue}
@@ -20,6 +21,8 @@ ${Reset}${Bright}${FgWhite}
   https://github.com/highlightjs/highlight.js/blob/master/VERSION_10_UPGRADE.md
  ${BgRed + FgWhite}
 -*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*${Reset}
-.`.trim()
+`.trim()
 
-console.log(DEPRECATION)
+if (!process.env["HLJS_HIDE_UPGRADE_WARNING"]) {
+  console.log(DEPRECATION)
+}
diff --git a/docs/conf.py b/docs/conf.py
index c5558a7c27..0d5f28ac39 100644
--- a/docs/conf.py
+++ b/docs/conf.py
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@
 # The short X.Y version.
 version = '9.18'
 # The full version, including alpha/beta/rc tags.
-release = '9.18.4'
+release = '9.18.5'
 
 # The language for content autogenerated by Sphinx. Refer to documentation
 # for a list of supported languages.
diff --git a/package-lock.json b/package-lock.json
index 15b2cf1a1c..2f06d67356 100644
--- a/package-lock.json
+++ b/package-lock.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "highlight.js",
-  "version": "9.18.4",
+  "version": "9.18.5",
   "lockfileVersion": 1,
   "requires": true,
   "dependencies": {
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 31b8b4ced3..79a4ae78c1 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
     "syntax"
   ],
   "homepage": "https://highlightjs.org/",
-  "version": "9.18.4",
+  "version": "9.18.5",
   "author": {
     "name": "Ivan Sagalaev",
     "email": "maniac@softwaremaniacs.org"
diff --git a/src/highlight.js b/src/highlight.js
index 207faa3bcc..b6f2a52d13 100644
--- a/src/highlight.js
+++ b/src/highlight.js
@@ -28,10 +28,7 @@ https://highlightjs.org/
   }
 
 }(function(hljs) {
-
-  var warn = console.warn || console.log;
-  warn("Version 9 of Highlight.js has reached EOL and is no longer supported. Please upgrade to version 10.");
-
+  var showedUpgradeWarning = false;
 
   // Convenience variables for build-in objects
   var ArrayProto = [],
@@ -60,6 +57,7 @@ https://highlightjs.org/
   // Global options used when within external APIs. This is modified when
   // calling the `hljs.configure` function.
   var options = {
+    hideUpgradeWarningAcceptNoSupportOrSecurityUpdates: false,
     classPrefix: 'hljs-',
     tabReplace: null,
     useBR: false,
@@ -518,6 +516,13 @@ https://highlightjs.org/
     compileMode(language);
   }
 
+  function hideUpgradeWarning() {
+    if (options.hideUpgradeWarningAcceptNoSupportOrSecurityUpdates)
+      return true;
+
+    if (typeof process === "object" && typeof process.env === "object" && process.env["HLJS_HIDE_UPGRADE_WARNING"])
+      return true;
+  }
 
   /**
    * Core highlighting function.
@@ -535,6 +540,17 @@ https://highlightjs.org/
    * @property {boolean} illegal - indicates whether any illegal matches were found
   */
   function highlight(languageName, code, ignore_illegals, continuation) {
+    if (!hideUpgradeWarning()) {
+      if (!showedUpgradeWarning) {
+        showedUpgradeWarning = true;
+        console.log(
+          "Version 9 of Highlight.js has reached EOL and is no longer supported.\n" +
+          "Please upgrade or ask whatever dependency you are using to upgrade.\n" +
+          "https://github.com/highlightjs/highlight.js/issues/2877"
+        );
+      }
+    }
+
     var codeToHighlight = code;
 
     function escapeRe(value) {