diff --git a/doc/indevs.texi b/doc/indevs.texi
index a0c684f545..d1b2bacf8b 100644
--- a/doc/indevs.texi
+++ b/doc/indevs.texi
@@ -222,7 +222,8 @@ $ ffmpeg -f avfoundation -capture_raw_data true -i "zr100:none" out.dv
 
 @section bktr
 
-BSD video input device.
+BSD video input device. Deprecated and will be removed - please contact
+the developers if you are interested in maintaining it.
 
 @subsection Options
 
diff --git a/libavdevice/bktr.c b/libavdevice/bktr.c
index 196637852f..864726468f 100644
--- a/libavdevice/bktr.c
+++ b/libavdevice/bktr.c
@@ -264,6 +264,9 @@ static int grab_read_header(AVFormatContext *s1)
     AVRational framerate;
     int ret = 0;
 
+    av_log(s1, AV_LOG_WARNING, "bktr input is deprecated and will be removed. "
+           "Please contact the developers if you are interested in maintaining it.\n");
+
     if (!s->framerate)
         switch (s->standard) {
         case PAL:   s->framerate = av_strdup("pal");  break;
diff --git a/libavdevice/version_major.h b/libavdevice/version_major.h
index b884fd4224..9f7b79b2ee 100644
--- a/libavdevice/version_major.h
+++ b/libavdevice/version_major.h
@@ -33,4 +33,7 @@
  * the public API and may change, break or disappear at any time.
  */
 
+// reminder to remove the bktr device on next major bump
+#define FF_API_BKTR_DEVICE (LIBAVDEVICE_VERSION_MAJOR < 62)
+
 #endif /* AVDEVICE_VERSION_MAJOR_H */