diff --git a/lib/child_process.js b/lib/child_process.js
index ac8de76adaafbc..7bcd6d95f8ed6e 100644
--- a/lib/child_process.js
+++ b/lib/child_process.js
@@ -804,12 +804,15 @@ exports.execFile = function(file /* args, options, callback */) {
   return child;
 };
 
+var _deprecatedCustomFds = util.deprecate(function(options) {
+  options.stdio = options.customFds.map(function(fd) {
+    return fd === -1 ? 'pipe' : fd;
+  });
+}, 'child_process: customFds option is deprecated, use stdio instead.');
 
 function _convertCustomFds(options) {
   if (options && options.customFds && !options.stdio) {
-    options.stdio = options.customFds.map(function(fd) {
-      return fd === -1 ? 'pipe' : fd;
-    });
+    _deprecatedCustomFds(options);
   }
 }