diff --git a/examples/coap_list.c b/examples/coap_list.c
index 869858fe..fc816220 100644
--- a/examples/coap_list.c
+++ b/examples/coap_list.c
@@ -8,6 +8,23 @@
  * use.
  */
 
+/*
+ * examples/coap_list.[ch] are DEPRECATED.  You should be using
+ * struct coap_optlist_t instead with the following functions which are a part
+ * of libcoap.
+ *
+ * coap_new_optlist()
+ * coap_insert_optlist()
+ * coap_delete_optlist()
+ * coap_add_optlist_pdu()
+ *
+ * See 'man coap_pdu_setup' for further information.
+ *
+ * examples/coap_list.[ch] files will be removed in a future release
+ * They are left here to support building backward compatability of old versions
+ * of coap-client
+ */
+
 /* #include "coap_config.h" */
 
 #include <stdio.h>
diff --git a/examples/coap_list.h b/examples/coap_list.h
index 032007d1..32b7ea8b 100644
--- a/examples/coap_list.h
+++ b/examples/coap_list.h
@@ -8,6 +8,23 @@
  * use.
  */
 
+/*
+ * examples/coap_list.[ch] are DEPRECATED.  You should be using
+ * struct coap_optlist_t instead with the following functions which are a part
+ * of libcoap.
+ *
+ * coap_new_optlist()
+ * coap_insert_optlist()
+ * coap_delete_optlist()
+ * coap_add_optlist_pdu()
+ *
+ * See 'man coap_pdu_setup' for further information.
+ *
+ * examples/coap_list.[ch] files will be removed in a future release
+ * They are left here to support building backward compatability of old versions
+ * of coap-client
+ */
+
 #ifndef _COAP_LIST_H_
 #define _COAP_LIST_H_