diff --git a/docs/user-guide/example-config.md b/docs/user-guide/example-config.md
index 3dd15a47d9..40069135f3 100644
--- a/docs/user-guide/example-config.md
+++ b/docs/user-guide/example-config.md
@@ -114,8 +114,7 @@ You might want to learn a little about [how rules are named and how they work to
     "property-no-unknown": true,
     "property-no-vendor-prefix": true,
     "property-whitelist": string|[],
-    "rule-nested-empty-line-before": "always"|"never",
-    "rule-non-nested-empty-line-before": "always"|"never",
+    "rule-empty-line-before": "always"|"never"|"always-multi-line"|"never-multi-line",
     "selector-attribute-brackets-space-inside": "always"|"never",
     "selector-attribute-operator-blacklist": string|[],
     "selector-attribute-operator-space-after": "always"|"never",
diff --git a/docs/user-guide/rules.md b/docs/user-guide/rules.md
index 71f7399c4f..0d67b7eab5 100644
--- a/docs/user-guide/rules.md
+++ b/docs/user-guide/rules.md
@@ -199,8 +199,9 @@ Here are all the rules within stylelint, grouped by the [*thing*](http://apps.wo
 
 ### Rule
 
--   [`rule-nested-empty-line-before`](../../lib/rules/rule-nested-empty-line-before/README.md): Require or disallow an empty line before nested rules.
--   [`rule-non-nested-empty-line-before`](../../lib/rules/rule-non-nested-empty-line-before/README.md): Require or disallow an empty line before non-nested rules.
+-   [`rule-empty-line-before`](../../lib/rules/rule-empty-line-before/README.md): Require or disallow an empty line before rules.
+-   [`rule-nested-empty-line-before`](../../lib/rules/rule-nested-empty-line-before/README.md): Require or disallow an empty line before nested rules (deprecated).
+-   [`rule-non-nested-empty-line-before`](../../lib/rules/rule-non-nested-empty-line-before/README.md): Require or disallow an empty line before non-nested rules (deprecated).
 
 ### Media feature
 
diff --git a/lib/rules/index.js b/lib/rules/index.js
index 4b11752dd6..6e1ffbbf63 100644
--- a/lib/rules/index.js
+++ b/lib/rules/index.js
@@ -116,6 +116,7 @@ const propertyNoUnknown = require("./property-no-unknown")
 const propertyNoVendorPrefix = require("./property-no-vendor-prefix")
 const propertyWhitelist = require("./property-whitelist")
 const rootNoStandardProperties = require("./root-no-standard-properties")
+const ruleEmptyLineBefore = require("./rule-empty-line-before")
 const ruleNestedEmptyLineBefore = require("./rule-nested-empty-line-before")
 const ruleNonNestedEmptyLineBefore = require("./rule-non-nested-empty-line-before")
 const selectorAttributeBracketsSpaceInside = require("./selector-attribute-brackets-space-inside")
@@ -291,6 +292,7 @@ module.exports = {
   "property-no-vendor-prefix": propertyNoVendorPrefix,
   "property-whitelist": propertyWhitelist,
   "root-no-standard-properties": rootNoStandardProperties,
+  "rule-empty-line-before": ruleEmptyLineBefore,
   "rule-nested-empty-line-before": ruleNestedEmptyLineBefore,
   "rule-non-nested-empty-line-before": ruleNonNestedEmptyLineBefore,
   "selector-attribute-brackets-space-inside": selectorAttributeBracketsSpaceInside,
diff --git a/lib/rules/rule-empty-line-before/README.md b/lib/rules/rule-empty-line-before/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..617a002508
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/rules/rule-empty-line-before/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,252 @@
+# rule-empty-line-before
+
+Require or disallow an empty line before rules.
+
+```css
+a {}
+      /* ← */
+b {}  /* ↑ */
+/**      ↑
+ * This line */
+```
+
+If the rule is the very first node in a stylesheet then it is ignored.
+
+## Options
+
+`string`: `"always"|"never"|"always-multi-line"|"never-multi-line"`
+
+### `"always"`
+
+There *must always* be an empty line before rules.
+
+The following patterns are considered warnings:
+
+```css
+a {} b {}
+```
+
+```css
+a {}
+b {}
+```
+
+The following patterns are *not* considered warnings:
+
+```css
+a {}
+
+b {}
+```
+
+### `"never"`
+
+There *must never* be an empty line before rules.
+
+The following patterns are considered warnings:
+
+```css
+a {}
+
+b {}
+```
+
+The following patterns are *not* considered warnings:
+
+```css
+a {} b {}
+```
+
+```css
+a {}
+b {}
+```
+
+### `"always-multi-line"`
+
+There *must always* be an empty line before multi-line rules.
+
+The following patterns are considered warnings:
+
+```css
+a {
+  color: red;
+}
+b {
+  color: blue;
+}
+```
+
+The following patterns are *not* considered warnings:
+
+```css
+a {
+  color: red;
+}
+
+b {
+  color: blue;
+}
+```
+
+### `"never-multi-line"`
+
+There *must never* be an empty line before multi-line rules.
+
+The following patterns are considered warnings:
+
+```css
+a {
+  color: red;
+}
+
+b {
+  color: blue;
+}
+```
+
+The following patterns are *not* considered warnings:
+
+```css
+a {
+  color: red;
+}
+b {
+  color: blue;
+}
+```
+
+## Optional secondary options
+
+### `except: ["after-rule", "after-single-line-comment", "inside-block-and-after-rule", "first-nested"]`
+
+#### `"after-rule"`
+
+Reverse the primary option if the rule comes after another rule.
+
+For example, with `"always"`:
+
+The following patterns are considered warnings:
+
+```css
+a {}
+
+b {}
+```
+
+The following patterns are *not* considered warnings:
+
+```css
+a {}
+b {}
+```
+
+#### `"after-single-line-comment"`
+
+Reverse the primary option if the rule comes after a single-line comment.
+
+For example, with `"always"`:
+
+The following patterns are considered warnings:
+
+```css
+/* comment */
+
+a {}
+```
+
+The following patterns are *not* considered warnings:
+
+```css
+/* comment */
+a {}
+```
+
+#### `"inside-block-and-after-rule"`
+
+Reverse the primary option if the rule is inside a block and comes after another rule.
+
+For example, with `"always"`:
+
+The following patterns are considered warnings:
+
+```css
+@media {
+
+  a {}
+
+  b {}
+}
+```
+
+The following patterns are *not* considered warnings:
+
+```css
+@media {
+  a {}
+  b {}
+}
+```
+
+#### `"first-nested"`
+
+Reverse the primary option if the rule is the first in a block.
+
+For example, with `"always"`:
+
+The following patterns are considered warnings:
+
+```css
+@media {
+
+  a {}
+
+  b {}
+}
+```
+
+The following patterns are *not* considered warnings:
+
+```css
+@media {
+  a {}
+
+  b {}
+}
+```
+
+### `ignore: ["after-comment", "inside-block"]`
+
+#### `"after-comment"`
+
+Ignore rules that come after a comment.
+
+For example, with `"always"`:
+
+The following patterns are *not* considered warnings:
+
+```css
+/* comment */
+a {}
+```
+
+#### `"inside-block"`
+
+Ignore rules that are inside a block.
+
+For example, with `"always"`:
+
+The following patterns are *not* considered warnings:
+
+```css
+@media {
+  a {}
+}
+```
+
+```css
+@media {
+  a {}
+  b {}
+}
+```
diff --git a/lib/rules/rule-empty-line-before/__tests__/index.js b/lib/rules/rule-empty-line-before/__tests__/index.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..d151c32732
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/rules/rule-empty-line-before/__tests__/index.js
@@ -0,0 +1,436 @@
+"use strict"
+
+const messages = require("..").messages
+const ruleName = require("..").ruleName
+const rules = require("../../../rules")
+
+const rule = rules[ruleName]
+
+testRule(rule, {
+  ruleName,
+  config: ["always"],
+
+  accept: [ {
+    code: "a {}",
+    description: "first node ignored",
+  }, {
+    code: "b {}\n\na {}",
+  }, {
+    code: "b {}\r\n\r\na {}",
+    description: "CRLF",
+  }, {
+    code: "b {}\n\r\na {}",
+    description: "Mixed",
+  }, {
+    code: "b {}\n  \t\n\na {}",
+  }, {
+    code: "b {}\n\n\ta {}",
+  }, {
+    code: "b {}\r\n\r\n\ta {}",
+    description: "CRLF",
+  }, {
+    code: "@media {\n\na {} }",
+    description: "nested",
+  } ],
+
+  reject: [ {
+    code: "b {} a {}",
+    message: messages.expected,
+  }, {
+    code: "b {}\na {}",
+    message: messages.expected,
+  }, {
+    code: "b {}\n\n/* comment here*/\na {}",
+    message: messages.expected,
+  }, {
+    code: "b {}\r\n\r\n/* comment here*/\r\na {}",
+    description: "CRLF",
+    message: messages.expected,
+  }, {
+    code: "@media { b {}\n\n/* comment here*/\na {} }",
+    description: "nested",
+    message: messages.expected,
+  } ],
+})
+
+testRule(rule, {
+  ruleName,
+  config: [ "always", { ignore: ["after-comment"] } ],
+  skipBasicChecks: true,
+
+  accept: [ {
+    code: "/* foo */\na {}",
+  }, {
+    code: "/* foo */\n\na {}",
+  }, {
+    code: "/* foo */\r\n\r\na {}",
+    description: "CRLF",
+  }, {
+    code: "@media { /* foo */\na {} }",
+    description: "nested",
+  } ],
+
+  reject: [ {
+    code: "b {} a {}",
+    message: messages.expected,
+  }, {
+    code: "@media { b {} a {} }",
+    message: messages.expected,
+  } ],
+})
+
+testRule(rule, {
+  ruleName,
+  config: [ "always", { ignore: ["inside-block"] } ],
+  skipBasicChecks: true,
+
+  accept: [ {
+    code: "b {}\n\na {}",
+  }, {
+    code: "@media { b {} a {} }",
+  } ],
+
+  reject: [{
+    code: "b {} a {}",
+    message: messages.expected,
+  }],
+})
+
+testRule(rule, {
+  ruleName,
+  config: [ "always", { except: ["after-rule"] } ],
+
+  accept: [ {
+    code: "a {} \nb {}",
+  }, {
+    code: "$var: pink;\n\nb {}",
+    description: "scss variable",
+  }, {
+    code: "@media {}\n\na{}",
+    description: "media rule",
+  }, {
+    code: "@media {\n\na {}\nb {} }",
+    description: "nested",
+  } ],
+
+  reject: [ {
+    code: "a {}\n\nb {}",
+    message: messages.rejected,
+  }, {
+    code: "$var: pink;\nb {}",
+    message: messages.expected,
+  }, {
+    code: "@media {}\na{}",
+    message: messages.expected,
+  }, {
+    code: "@media {\n\na{}\n\nb{}}",
+    message: messages.rejected,
+  } ],
+})
+
+testRule(rule, {
+  ruleName,
+  config: [ "always", { except: ["after-single-line-comment"] } ],
+  skipBasicChecks: true,
+
+  accept: [ {
+    code: "/**\n * comment\n*/\n\na {}",
+  }, {
+    code: "/* comment */\na {}",
+  }, {
+    code: "/* comment */\na {}",
+  }, {
+    code: "@media { /* comment */\na {} }",
+  } ],
+
+  reject: [ {
+    code: "/**\n * comment\n*/\na {}",
+    message: messages.expected,
+  }, {
+    code: "/* comment */\n\na {}",
+    message: messages.rejected,
+  }, {
+    code: "@media { /* comment */\n\na {} }",
+    message: messages.rejected,
+  } ],
+})
+
+testRule(rule, {
+  ruleName,
+  config: [ "always", { except: ["first-nested"] } ],
+
+  accept: [ {
+    code: "@media {\n  a {}\n\n}",
+  }, {
+    code: "@media {\r\n  a {}\r\n\r\n}",
+    description: "CRLF",
+  }, {
+    code: "@media {\n  a {}\n\n  b{}\n\n}",
+  }, {
+    code: "@media {\n\ta {}\n\n\tb{}\n}",
+  }, {
+    code: "@media {\n\ta {}}",
+  }, {
+    code: "@media {\r\n\ta {}}",
+    description: "CRLF",
+  }, {
+    code: "@media {\na {}\n/* comment */\n\nb {}}",
+  }, {
+    code: "@media {\r\na {}\r\n/* comment */\r\n\r\nb {}}",
+    description: "CRLF",
+  } ],
+
+  reject: [ {
+    code: "b {} a {}",
+    message: messages.expected,
+  }, {
+    code: "@media {\n\n  a {}\n}",
+    message: messages.rejected,
+  }, {
+    code: "@media {\n\n  a {}\n\n  b{}\n}",
+    message: messages.rejected,
+  }, {
+    code: "@media {\r\n\r\n  a {}\r\n\r\n  b{}\r\n}",
+    description: "CRLF",
+    message: messages.rejected,
+  }, {
+    code: "@media {\n  b {} a {} }",
+    message: messages.expected,
+  }, {
+    code: "@media {\r\n  b {} a {} }",
+    description: "CRLF",
+    message: messages.expected,
+  }, {
+    code: "@media {\n  b {}\n  a {}\n\n}",
+    message: messages.expected,
+  } ],
+})
+
+testRule(rule, {
+  ruleName,
+  config: [ "always", { except: ["inside-block-and-after-rule"] } ],
+
+  accept: [ {
+    code: "a {\n color: pink; \n\n b {color: red; } \n c {color: blue; }\n}",
+    description: "css property",
+  }, {
+    code: "a {\n $var: pink; \n\n b {color: red; } \n c {color: blue; }\n}",
+    description: "scss variable",
+  }, {
+    code: "a {\n --custom-prop: pink; \n\n b {color: red; } \n c {color: blue; }\n}",
+    description: "custom property",
+  }, {
+    code: "a {\n @media {\n\n   b {}\n }\n\n c {}\n d {}\n}",
+    description: "media rule",
+  }, {
+    code: "a {\n color: pink; \r\n\r\n b {color: red; } \n c {color: blue; }\n}",
+    description: "CRLF",
+  } ],
+
+  reject: [ {
+    code: "a {} b {}",
+    message: messages.expected,
+  }, {
+    code: "a {}\nb {}",
+    message: messages.expected,
+  }, {
+    code: "a {\n color: pink; b {color: red; }\n c {color: blue; }\n}",
+    message: messages.expected,
+  }, {
+    code: "a {\n color: pink;\n b {color: red; }\n c {color: blue; }\n}",
+    message: messages.expected,
+  }, {
+    code: "a {\n color: pink;\n\n b {color: red; }\n\n c {color: blue; }\n}",
+    message: messages.rejected,
+  }, {
+    code: "a {\n @media {\n\n   b {}\n }\n c {}\n d {}\n}",
+    description: "media rule",
+    message: messages.expected,
+  }, {
+    code: "a {\r\n color: pink;\r\n b {\r\ncolor: red; \r\n}\r\n c {\r\ncolor: blue; \r\n}\r\n}",
+    description: "CRLF",
+    message: messages.expected,
+  } ],
+})
+
+testRule(rule, {
+  ruleName,
+  config: ["never"],
+
+  accept: [ {
+    code: "\n\na {}",
+    description: "first node ignored",
+  }, {
+    code: "\r\n\r\na {}",
+    description: "first node ignored and CRLF",
+  }, {
+    code: "b {}\na {}",
+  }, {
+    code: "b {}\n  \t\na {}",
+  }, {
+    code: "b {}\r\n  \t\r\na {}",
+    description: "CRLF",
+  }, {
+    code: "b {}\ta {}",
+  } ],
+
+  reject: [ {
+    code: "b {}\n\na {}",
+    message: messages.rejected,
+  }, {
+    code: "b {}\t\n\n\ta {}",
+    message: messages.rejected,
+  }, {
+    code: "b {}\t\r\n\r\n\ta {}",
+    description: "CRLF",
+    message: messages.rejected,
+  }, {
+    code: "b {}\n\n/* comment here*/\n\na {}",
+    message: messages.rejected,
+  }, {
+    code: "@media {\n\na {} }",
+    message: messages.rejected,
+  } ],
+})
+
+testRule(rule, {
+  ruleName,
+  config: [ "never", { except: ["after-single-line-comment"] } ],
+  skipBasicChecks: true,
+
+  accept: [ {
+    code: "/**\n * comment\n*/\na {}",
+  }, {
+    code: "/* comment */\n\na {}",
+  } ],
+
+  reject: [ {
+    code: "/**\n * comment\n*/\n\na {}",
+    message: messages.rejected,
+  }, {
+    code: "/* comment */\na {}",
+    message: messages.expected,
+  } ],
+})
+
+testRule(rule, {
+  ruleName,
+  config: [ "never", { ignore: ["after-comment"] } ],
+  skipBasicChecks: true,
+
+  accept: [ {
+    code: "/* foo */\na {}",
+  }, {
+    code: "/* foo */\r\na {}",
+    description: "CRLF",
+  }, {
+    code: "/* foo */\n\na {}",
+  } ],
+
+  reject: [{
+    code: "b {}\n\na {}",
+    message: messages.rejected,
+  }],
+})
+
+testRule(rule, {
+  ruleName,
+  config: ["always-multi-line"],
+
+  accept: [ {
+    code: "a {}",
+    description: "first node ignored",
+  }, {
+    code: "b {}\na {}",
+    description: "single-line ignored",
+  }, {
+    code: "b\n{}\n\na\n{}",
+  }, {
+    code: "b\r\n{}\r\n\r\na\r\n{}",
+    description: "CRLF",
+  }, {
+    code: "b\n{}\n  \t\n\na\n{}",
+  }, {
+    code: "b {}\n\n\ta\n{}",
+  }, {
+    code: "b {}\r\n\r\n\ta\r\n{}",
+    description: "CRLF",
+  } ],
+
+  reject: [ {
+    code: "b {} a\n{}",
+    message: messages.expected,
+  }, {
+    code: "b\n{}\na\n{}",
+    message: messages.expected,
+  }, {
+    code: "b\r\n{}\r\na\r\n{}",
+    description: "CRLF",
+    message: messages.expected,
+  }, {
+    code: "b {}\n\n/* comment here*/\na\n{}",
+    message: messages.expected,
+  }, {
+    code: "@media { a\n{} }",
+    message: messages.expected,
+  } ],
+})
+
+testRule(rule, {
+  ruleName,
+  config: ["never-multi-line"],
+
+  accept: [ {
+    code: "\n\na\n{}",
+    description: "first node ignored",
+  }, {
+    code: "b {}\n\na {}",
+    description: "single-line ignored",
+  }, {
+    code: "b\n{}\n  \t\na\n{}",
+  }, {
+    code: "b\r\n{}\r\n  \t\r\na\r\n{}",
+    description: "CRLF",
+  }, {
+    code: "b {}\ta\n{}",
+  } ],
+
+  reject: [ {
+    code: "b {}\n\na\n{}",
+    message: messages.rejected,
+  }, {
+    code: "b {}\t\n\n\ta\n{}",
+    message: messages.rejected,
+  }, {
+    code: "b {}\t\r\n\r\n\ta\r\n{}",
+    description: "CRLF",
+    message: messages.rejected,
+  }, {
+    code: "b {}\n\n/* comment here*/\n\na\n{}",
+    message: messages.rejected,
+  }, {
+    code: "b {}\r\n\r\n/* comment here*/\r\n\r\na\r\n{}",
+    description: "CRLF",
+    message: messages.rejected,
+  }, {
+    code: "@media\n{\n\na\n{} }",
+    message: messages.rejected,
+  }, {
+    code: "@media\r\n{\r\n\r\na\r\n{} }",
+    message: messages.rejected,
+  } ],
+})
+
+testRule(rule, {
+  ruleName,
+  syntax: "less",
+  config: ["always"],
+
+  accept: [ {
+    code: "a {}\n.mixin-call() {}",
+    description: "ignore non-ouputting Less class mixin definition",
+  }, {
+    code: "@foo: {};\n@bar: {};",
+    description: "ignore non-ouputting Less class mixin definition",
+  } ],
+})
diff --git a/lib/rules/rule-empty-line-before/index.js b/lib/rules/rule-empty-line-before/index.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..a51a6f4f66
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/rules/rule-empty-line-before/index.js
@@ -0,0 +1,144 @@
+"use strict"
+
+const hasEmptyLine = require("../../utils/hasEmptyLine")
+const isSingleLineString = require("../../utils/isSingleLineString")
+const isStandardSyntaxRule = require("../../utils/isStandardSyntaxRule")
+const optionsMatches = require("../../utils/optionsMatches")
+const report = require("../../utils/report")
+const ruleMessages = require("../../utils/ruleMessages")
+const validateOptions = require("../../utils/validateOptions")
+
+const ruleName = "rule-empty-line-before"
+
+const messages = ruleMessages(ruleName, {
+  expected: "Expected empty line before rule",
+  rejected: "Unexpected empty line before rule",
+})
+
+const rule = function (expectation, options) {
+  return (root, result) => {
+    const validOptions = validateOptions(result, ruleName, {
+      actual: expectation,
+      possible: [
+        "always",
+        "never",
+        "always-multi-line",
+        "never-multi-line",
+      ],
+    }, {
+      actual: options,
+      possible: {
+        ignore: [
+          "after-comment",
+          "inside-block",
+        ],
+        except: [
+          "after-rule",
+          "after-single-line-comment",
+          "first-nested",
+          "inside-block-and-after-rule",
+        ],
+      },
+      optional: true,
+    })
+
+    if (!validOptions) {
+      return
+    }
+
+    root.walkRules(rule => {
+      if (!isStandardSyntaxRule(rule)) {
+        return
+      }
+
+      // Ignore the first node
+      if (rule === root.first) {
+        return
+      }
+
+      let expectEmptyLineBefore = expectation.indexOf("always") !== -1 ? true : false
+
+      // Optionally ignore the expectation if a comment precedes this node
+      if (
+        optionsMatches(options, "ignore", "after-comment")
+        && rule.prev()
+        && rule.prev().type === "comment"
+      ) {
+        return
+      }
+
+      // Optionally ignore the expectation if inside a block
+      if (
+        optionsMatches(options, "ignore", "inside-block")
+        && rule.parent !== root
+      ) {
+        return
+      }
+
+      // Ignore if the expectation is for multiple and the rule is single-line
+      if (
+        expectation.indexOf("multi-line") !== -1
+        && isSingleLineString(rule.toString())
+      ) {
+        return
+      }
+
+      // Optionally reverse the expectation for the first nested node
+      if (
+        optionsMatches(options, "except", "first-nested")
+        && rule === rule.parent.first
+      ) {
+        expectEmptyLineBefore = !expectEmptyLineBefore
+      }
+
+      // Optionally reverse the expectation if a rule precedes this node
+      if (
+        optionsMatches(options, "except", "after-rule")
+        && rule.prev()
+        && rule.prev().type === "rule"
+      ) {
+        expectEmptyLineBefore = !expectEmptyLineBefore
+      }
+
+      // Optionally reverse the expectation if a rule precedes this node and is inside a block
+      if (
+        optionsMatches(options, "except", "inside-block-and-after-rule")
+        && rule.prev()
+        && rule.prev().type === "rule"
+        && rule.parent !== root
+      ) {
+        expectEmptyLineBefore = !expectEmptyLineBefore
+      }
+
+      // Optionally reverse the expectation for single line comments
+      if (
+        optionsMatches(options, "except", "after-single-line-comment")
+        && rule.prev()
+        && rule.prev().type === "comment"
+        && isSingleLineString(rule.prev().toString())
+      ) {
+        expectEmptyLineBefore = !expectEmptyLineBefore
+      }
+
+      const hasEmptyLineBefore = hasEmptyLine(rule.raws.before)
+
+      // Return if the expectation is met
+      if (expectEmptyLineBefore === hasEmptyLineBefore) {
+        return
+      }
+
+      const message = expectEmptyLineBefore ? messages.expected : messages.rejected
+
+      report({
+        message,
+        node: rule,
+        result,
+        ruleName,
+      })
+    })
+  }
+}
+
+rule.ruleName = ruleName
+rule.messages = messages
+module.exports = rule
diff --git a/lib/rules/rule-nested-empty-line-before/README.md b/lib/rules/rule-nested-empty-line-before/README.md
index 2eabb33aa8..2ce34a361f 100644
--- a/lib/rules/rule-nested-empty-line-before/README.md
+++ b/lib/rules/rule-nested-empty-line-before/README.md
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 # rule-nested-empty-line-before
 
+***Deprecated: instead use the [rule-empty-line-before](../rule-empty-line-before/README.md).***
+
 Require or disallow an empty line before nested rules.
 
 ```css
diff --git a/lib/rules/rule-nested-empty-line-before/__tests__/index.js b/lib/rules/rule-nested-empty-line-before/__tests__/index.js
index bd4c43a261..e04a4ad531 100644
--- a/lib/rules/rule-nested-empty-line-before/__tests__/index.js
+++ b/lib/rules/rule-nested-empty-line-before/__tests__/index.js
@@ -3,9 +3,27 @@
 const messages = require("..").messages
 const ruleName = require("..").ruleName
 const rules = require("../../../rules")
+const stylelint = require("../../../standalone")
 
 const rule = rules[ruleName]
 
+it("deprecation warning", () => {
+  const config = {
+    rules: {
+      [ruleName]: "always",
+    },
+  }
+
+  const code = ""
+
+  return stylelint({ code, config }).then(output => {
+    const result = output.results[0]
+    expect(result.deprecations.length).toEqual(1)
+    expect(result.deprecations[0].text).toEqual(`\'${ruleName}\' has been deprecated and in 8.0 will be removed. Instead use \'rule-empty-line-before\'.`)
+    expect(result.deprecations[0].reference).toEqual(`https://stylelint.io/user-guide/rules/${ruleName}/`)
+  })
+})
+
 testRule(rule, {
   ruleName,
   config: ["always"],
diff --git a/lib/rules/rule-nested-empty-line-before/index.js b/lib/rules/rule-nested-empty-line-before/index.js
index 13125389c9..2bdeab34c3 100644
--- a/lib/rules/rule-nested-empty-line-before/index.js
+++ b/lib/rules/rule-nested-empty-line-before/index.js
@@ -38,6 +38,13 @@ const rule = function (expectation, options) {
       return
     }
 
+    result.warn((
+      `'${ruleName}' has been deprecated and in 8.0 will be removed. Instead use 'rule-empty-line-before'.`
+    ), {
+      stylelintType: "deprecation",
+      stylelintReference: `https://stylelint.io/user-guide/rules/${ruleName}/`,
+    })
+
     root.walkRules(rule => {
       if (!isStandardSyntaxRule(rule)) {
         return
diff --git a/lib/rules/rule-non-nested-empty-line-before/README.md b/lib/rules/rule-non-nested-empty-line-before/README.md
index 9da36fffd6..4f621ee020 100644
--- a/lib/rules/rule-non-nested-empty-line-before/README.md
+++ b/lib/rules/rule-non-nested-empty-line-before/README.md
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 # rule-non-nested-empty-line-before
 
+***Deprecated: instead use the [rule-empty-line-before](../rule-empty-line-before/README.md).***
+
 Require or disallow an empty line before non-nested rules.
 
 ```css
diff --git a/lib/rules/rule-non-nested-empty-line-before/__tests__/index.js b/lib/rules/rule-non-nested-empty-line-before/__tests__/index.js
index 2bdc057e50..63d53db162 100644
--- a/lib/rules/rule-non-nested-empty-line-before/__tests__/index.js
+++ b/lib/rules/rule-non-nested-empty-line-before/__tests__/index.js
@@ -3,9 +3,27 @@
 const messages = require("..").messages
 const ruleName = require("..").ruleName
 const rules = require("../../../rules")
+const stylelint = require("../../../standalone")
 
 const rule = rules[ruleName]
 
+it("deprecation warning", () => {
+  const config = {
+    rules: {
+      [ruleName]: "always",
+    },
+  }
+
+  const code = ""
+
+  return stylelint({ code, config }).then(output => {
+    const result = output.results[0]
+    expect(result.deprecations.length).toEqual(1)
+    expect(result.deprecations[0].text).toEqual(`\'${ruleName}\' has been deprecated and in 8.0 will be removed. Instead use \'rule-empty-line-before\'.`)
+    expect(result.deprecations[0].reference).toEqual(`https://stylelint.io/user-guide/rules/${ruleName}/`)
+  })
+})
+
 testRule(rule, {
   ruleName,
   config: ["always"],
diff --git a/lib/rules/rule-non-nested-empty-line-before/index.js b/lib/rules/rule-non-nested-empty-line-before/index.js
index 0f3b9a8b03..3428bc479f 100644
--- a/lib/rules/rule-non-nested-empty-line-before/index.js
+++ b/lib/rules/rule-non-nested-empty-line-before/index.js
@@ -34,6 +34,13 @@ const rule = function (expectation, options) {
       return
     }
 
+    result.warn((
+      `'${ruleName}' has been deprecated and in 8.0 will be removed. Instead use 'rule-empty-line-before'.`
+    ), {
+      stylelintType: "deprecation",
+      stylelintReference: `https://stylelint.io/user-guide/rules/${ruleName}/`,
+    })
+
     root.walkRules(rule => {
       if (!isStandardSyntaxRule(rule)) {
         return
diff --git a/system-tests/001/__snapshots__/001.test.js.snap b/system-tests/001/__snapshots__/001.test.js.snap
index f4a0e9bee3..a76655d5b6 100644
--- a/system-tests/001/__snapshots__/001.test.js.snap
+++ b/system-tests/001/__snapshots__/001.test.js.snap
@@ -10,6 +10,14 @@ Array [
         "reference": "https://stylelint.io/user-guide/rules/media-feature-no-missing-punctuation/",
         "text": "\'media-feature-no-missing-punctuation\' has been deprecated and in 8.0 will be removed.",
       },
+      Object {
+        "reference": "https://stylelint.io/user-guide/rules/rule-nested-empty-line-before/",
+        "text": "\'rule-nested-empty-line-before\' has been deprecated and in 8.0 will be removed. Instead use \'rule-empty-line-before\'.",
+      },
+      Object {
+        "reference": "https://stylelint.io/user-guide/rules/rule-non-nested-empty-line-before/",
+        "text": "\'rule-non-nested-empty-line-before\' has been deprecated and in 8.0 will be removed. Instead use \'rule-empty-line-before\'.",
+      },
       Object {
         "reference": "https://stylelint.io/user-guide/rules/selector-no-empty/",
         "text": "\'selector-no-empty\' has been deprecated and in 8.0 will be removed.",
diff --git a/system-tests/002/__snapshots__/002.test.js.snap b/system-tests/002/__snapshots__/002.test.js.snap
index 0a4ebc9dac..00e5d86d0d 100644
--- a/system-tests/002/__snapshots__/002.test.js.snap
+++ b/system-tests/002/__snapshots__/002.test.js.snap
@@ -10,6 +10,14 @@ Array [
         "reference": "https://stylelint.io/user-guide/rules/media-feature-no-missing-punctuation/",
         "text": "\'media-feature-no-missing-punctuation\' has been deprecated and in 8.0 will be removed.",
       },
+      Object {
+        "reference": "https://stylelint.io/user-guide/rules/rule-nested-empty-line-before/",
+        "text": "\'rule-nested-empty-line-before\' has been deprecated and in 8.0 will be removed. Instead use \'rule-empty-line-before\'.",
+      },
+      Object {
+        "reference": "https://stylelint.io/user-guide/rules/rule-non-nested-empty-line-before/",
+        "text": "\'rule-non-nested-empty-line-before\' has been deprecated and in 8.0 will be removed. Instead use \'rule-empty-line-before\'.",
+      },
     ],
     "errored": undefined,
     "ignored": undefined,
diff --git a/system-tests/003/__snapshots__/003.test.js.snap b/system-tests/003/__snapshots__/003.test.js.snap
index a2d88db4e8..171b2cecd1 100644
--- a/system-tests/003/__snapshots__/003.test.js.snap
+++ b/system-tests/003/__snapshots__/003.test.js.snap
@@ -6,6 +6,14 @@ Array [
         "reference": "https://stylelint.io/user-guide/rules/declaration-block-properties-order/",
         "text": "\'declaration-block-properties-order\'has been deprecated and in 8.0 will be removed. Instead use the community \'stylelint-order\' plugin pack.",
       },
+      Object {
+        "reference": "https://stylelint.io/user-guide/rules/rule-nested-empty-line-before/",
+        "text": "\'rule-nested-empty-line-before\' has been deprecated and in 8.0 will be removed. Instead use \'rule-empty-line-before\'.",
+      },
+      Object {
+        "reference": "https://stylelint.io/user-guide/rules/rule-non-nested-empty-line-before/",
+        "text": "\'rule-non-nested-empty-line-before\' has been deprecated and in 8.0 will be removed. Instead use \'rule-empty-line-before\'.",
+      },
     ],
     "errored": undefined,
     "ignored": undefined,
diff --git a/system-tests/005/__snapshots__/005.test.js.snap b/system-tests/005/__snapshots__/005.test.js.snap
index d508ab65e7..7e2b7355c5 100644
--- a/system-tests/005/__snapshots__/005.test.js.snap
+++ b/system-tests/005/__snapshots__/005.test.js.snap
@@ -38,6 +38,14 @@ Array [
         "reference": "https://stylelint.io/user-guide/rules/root-no-standard-properties/",
         "text": "\'root-no-standard-properties\' has been deprecated and in 8.0 will be removed.",
       },
+      Object {
+        "reference": "https://stylelint.io/user-guide/rules/rule-nested-empty-line-before/",
+        "text": "\'rule-nested-empty-line-before\' has been deprecated and in 8.0 will be removed. Instead use \'rule-empty-line-before\'.",
+      },
+      Object {
+        "reference": "https://stylelint.io/user-guide/rules/rule-non-nested-empty-line-before/",
+        "text": "\'rule-non-nested-empty-line-before\' has been deprecated and in 8.0 will be removed. Instead use \'rule-empty-line-before\'.",
+      },
       Object {
         "reference": "https://stylelint.io/user-guide/rules/selector-no-empty/",
         "text": "\'selector-no-empty\' has been deprecated and in 8.0 will be removed.",
diff --git a/system-tests/deprecations/001/__snapshots__/001.test.js.snap b/system-tests/deprecations/001/__snapshots__/001.test.js.snap
index 53d8c1decf..a3c00bdb26 100644
--- a/system-tests/deprecations/001/__snapshots__/001.test.js.snap
+++ b/system-tests/deprecations/001/__snapshots__/001.test.js.snap
@@ -46,6 +46,14 @@ Array [
         "reference": "https://stylelint.io/user-guide/rules/root-no-standard-properties/",
         "text": "\'root-no-standard-properties\' has been deprecated and in 8.0 will be removed.",
       },
+      Object {
+        "reference": "https://stylelint.io/user-guide/rules/rule-nested-empty-line-before/",
+        "text": "\'rule-nested-empty-line-before\' has been deprecated and in 8.0 will be removed. Instead use \'rule-empty-line-before\'.",
+      },
+      Object {
+        "reference": "https://stylelint.io/user-guide/rules/rule-non-nested-empty-line-before/",
+        "text": "\'rule-non-nested-empty-line-before\' has been deprecated and in 8.0 will be removed. Instead use \'rule-empty-line-before\'.",
+      },
       Object {
         "reference": "https://stylelint.io/user-guide/rules/selector-root-no-composition/",
         "text": "\'selector-root-no-composition\' has been deprecated and in 8.0 will be removed.",
diff --git a/system-tests/deprecations/001/config.json b/system-tests/deprecations/001/config.json
index 69837153f2..e01758c877 100644
--- a/system-tests/deprecations/001/config.json
+++ b/system-tests/deprecations/001/config.json
@@ -11,6 +11,8 @@
     "stylelint-disable-reason": "always-before",
     "custom-property-no-outside-root": true,
     "root-no-standard-properties": true,
+    "rule-nested-empty-line-before": "always",
+    "rule-non-nested-empty-line-before": "always",
     "selector-root-no-composition": true,
     "time-no-imperceptible": true
   }
diff --git a/system-tests/deprecations/002/__snapshots__/002.test.js.snap b/system-tests/deprecations/002/__snapshots__/002.test.js.snap
index e1144ae259..03f27f84f7 100644
--- a/system-tests/deprecations/002/__snapshots__/002.test.js.snap
+++ b/system-tests/deprecations/002/__snapshots__/002.test.js.snap
@@ -18,6 +18,10 @@ Array [
         "reference": "https://stylelint.io/user-guide/rules/max-nesting-depth/",
         "text": "\'max-nesting-depth\'s\' \"at-rules-without-declaration-blocks\" option has been deprecated and in 8.0 will be removed. Instead use the \"blockless-at-rules\" option.",
       },
+      Object {
+        "reference": "https://stylelint.io/user-guide/rules/rule-nested-empty-line-before/",
+        "text": "\'rule-nested-empty-line-before\' has been deprecated and in 8.0 will be removed. Instead use \'rule-empty-line-before\'.",
+      },
     ],
     "errored": true,
     "ignored": undefined,