diff --git a/doc/release/2.0.0-notes.rst b/doc/release/2.0.0-notes.rst
index 2c9912f33bed..3f8b8bd0bfa8 100644
--- a/doc/release/2.0.0-notes.rst
+++ b/doc/release/2.0.0-notes.rst
@@ -161,15 +161,26 @@ The following macros now require trailing semicolons::
 Deprecations
 ============
 
+General
+-------
+
 Specifying a custom string formatter with a `_format` array attribute is
 deprecated. The new `formatter` keyword in ``numpy.set_printoptions`` or
 ``numpy.array2string`` can be used instead.
 
-In the C API, direct access to the fields of PyArrayObject* has been
-deprecated. Direct access has been recommended against for many releases, but
-now you can test your code against the deprecated C API by #defining
+The deprecated imports in the polynomial package have been removed.
+
+C-API
+-----
+
+Direct access to the fields of PyArrayObject* has been
+deprecated. Direct access has been recommended against for many releases.
+
+The macros in old_defines.h are deprecated and will be removed in the next
+major release. The sed script tools/replace_old_macros.sed can be used to
+replace these macros with the newer versions.
+
+You can test your code against the deprecated C API by #defining
 NPY_NO_DEPRECATED_API before including any NumPy headers. Expect
 something similar for PyArray_Descr* and other core objects in the
 future as preparation for NumPy 2.0.
-
-The deprecated imports in the polynomial package have been removed.
diff --git a/numpy/core/include/numpy/ndarrayobject.h b/numpy/core/include/numpy/ndarrayobject.h
index 03dfcd9cde89..74943d535b2d 100644
--- a/numpy/core/include/numpy/ndarrayobject.h
+++ b/numpy/core/include/numpy/ndarrayobject.h
@@ -214,7 +214,6 @@ PyArray_XDECREF_ERR(PyArrayObject *arr)
         PyArray_FromDimsAndDataAndDescr(nd, d, PyArray_DescrFromType(type),   \
                                         data)
 
-#include "old_defines.h"
 
 /*
    Check to see if this key in the dictionary is the "title"
diff --git a/numpy/core/include/numpy/npy_deprecated_api.h b/numpy/core/include/numpy/npy_deprecated_api.h
index a268f504a7d7..29bdd95c48af 100644
--- a/numpy/core/include/numpy/npy_deprecated_api.h
+++ b/numpy/core/include/numpy/npy_deprecated_api.h
@@ -95,4 +95,11 @@
  */
 #define FORTRAN_IF PyArray_FORTRAN_IF
 
+/*
+ * The macros in old_defines.h are Deprecated as of NumPy 1.7 and will be
+ * removed in the next major release.
+ */
+#include "old_defines.h"
+
+
 #endif
diff --git a/numpy/core/include/numpy/old_defines.h b/numpy/core/include/numpy/old_defines.h
index 1607313b779e..444fdc33bd37 100644
--- a/numpy/core/include/numpy/old_defines.h
+++ b/numpy/core/include/numpy/old_defines.h
@@ -1,3 +1,8 @@
+/* This header is deprecated as of NumPy 1.7 */
+#ifdef NPY_NO_DEPRECATED_API
+#error The header "old_defines.h" is deprecated as of NumPy 1.7.
+#endif
+
 #define NDARRAY_VERSION NPY_VERSION
 
 #define PyArray_MIN_BUFSIZE NPY_MIN_BUFSIZE
diff --git a/numpy/core/setup.py b/numpy/core/setup.py
index e8f40e806bde..05872a552a7f 100644
--- a/numpy/core/setup.py
+++ b/numpy/core/setup.py
@@ -733,7 +733,6 @@ def generate_multiarray_templated_sources(ext, build_dir):
             join('include', 'numpy', 'arrayobject.h'),
             join('include', 'numpy', '_neighborhood_iterator_imp.h'),
             join('include', 'numpy', 'npy_endian.h'),
-            join('include', 'numpy', 'old_defines.h'),
             join('include', 'numpy', 'arrayscalars.h'),
             join('include', 'numpy', 'noprefix.h'),
             join('include', 'numpy', 'npy_interrupt.h'),