diff --git a/includes/search/SearchEngine.php b/includes/search/SearchEngine.php
index 2941f0a96ad..a0100cab4a3 100644
--- a/includes/search/SearchEngine.php
+++ b/includes/search/SearchEngine.php
@@ -287,6 +287,7 @@ abstract class SearchEngine {
 	 * @return SearchResultSet
 	 */
 	public static function getNearMatchResultSet( $searchterm ) {
+		wfDeprecated( __METHOD__, '1.27' );
 		return static::defaultNearMatcher()->getNearMatchResultSet( $searchterm );
 	}