diff --git a/MAINTAINERS b/MAINTAINERS
index 5e5e3e52d6..3b3a88e264 100644
--- a/MAINTAINERS
+++ b/MAINTAINERS
@@ -972,7 +972,7 @@ F: hw/net/mipsnet.c
 R4000
 M: Aurelien Jarno <aurelien@aurel32.net>
 R: Aleksandar Rikalo <aleksandar.rikalo@rt-rk.com>
-S: Maintained
+S: Obsolete
 F: hw/mips/mips_r4k.c
 
 Fulong 2E
diff --git a/hw/mips/mips_r4k.c b/hw/mips/mips_r4k.c
index d1f5d6b7a4..3891be657c 100644
--- a/hw/mips/mips_r4k.c
+++ b/hw/mips/mips_r4k.c
@@ -307,6 +307,7 @@ void mips_r4k_init(MachineState *machine)
 
 static void mips_machine_init(MachineClass *mc)
 {
+    mc->deprecation_reason = "use malta machine type instead";
     mc->desc = "mips r4k platform";
     mc->init = mips_r4k_init;
     mc->block_default_type = IF_IDE;
diff --git a/qemu-deprecated.texi b/qemu-deprecated.texi
index 8471eef9c2..f909be56ae 100644
--- a/qemu-deprecated.texi
+++ b/qemu-deprecated.texi
@@ -261,6 +261,11 @@ The 'scsi-disk' device is deprecated. Users should use 'scsi-hd' or
 
 @section System emulator machines
 
+@subsection mips r4k platform (since 4.2)
+
+This machine type is very old and unmaintained. Users should use the 'malta'
+machine type instead.
+
 @subsection pc-0.12, pc-0.13, pc-0.14 and pc-0.15 (since 4.0)
 
 These machine types are very old and likely can not be used for live migration