diff --git a/libgnucash/engine/Account.cpp b/libgnucash/engine/Account.cpp
index 5bcfe1a6c3..090e7d8370 100644
--- a/libgnucash/engine/Account.cpp
+++ b/libgnucash/engine/Account.cpp
@@ -3905,6 +3905,10 @@ xaccAccountCountSplits (const Account *acc, gboolean include_children)
 {
     gint64 nr, i;
 
+    PWARN ("xaccAccountCountSplits is deprecated and will be removed \
+in GnuCash 5.0. If testing for an empty account, use \
+xaccAccountGetSplitList(account) == NULL instead. To test descendants \
+as well, use gnc_account_and_descendants_empty.");
     g_return_val_if_fail(GNC_IS_ACCOUNT(acc), 0);
 
     nr = g_list_length(xaccAccountGetSplitList(acc));