diff --git a/plugin/auto/setup.go b/plugin/auto/setup.go
index 22fac7e8e..733b2f44a 100644
--- a/plugin/auto/setup.go
+++ b/plugin/auto/setup.go
@@ -159,6 +159,7 @@ func autoParse(c *caddy.Controller) (Auto, error) {
 				a.loader.ReloadInterval = d
 
 			case "no_reload":
+				log.Warning("NO_RELOAD of directory is deprecated. Use RELOAD (set to 0) instead. See https://coredns.io/plugins/auto/#syntax")
 				a.loader.ReloadInterval = 0
 
 			case "upstream":
diff --git a/plugin/file/setup.go b/plugin/file/setup.go
index e74bab7a5..c019ad081 100644
--- a/plugin/file/setup.go
+++ b/plugin/file/setup.go
@@ -113,6 +113,7 @@ func fileParse(c *caddy.Controller) (Zones, error) {
 				reload = d
 
 			case "no_reload":
+				log.Warning("NO_RELOAD of directory is deprecated. Use RELOAD (set to 0) instead. See https://coredns.io/plugins/file/#syntax")
 				reload = 0
 
 			case "upstream":