diff --git a/pkgs/os-specific/windows/default.nix b/pkgs/os-specific/windows/default.nix
index 5c0261f75991..8b2bebc3da8f 100644
--- a/pkgs/os-specific/windows/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/os-specific/windows/default.nix
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ lib.makeScope newScope (
 
     mingw_w64_headers = callPackage ./mingw-w64/headers.nix { };
 
-    mingw_w64_pthreads = self.pthreads;
+    mingw_w64_pthreads = lib.warn "windows.mingw_w64_pthreads is deprecated, windows.pthreads should be preferred" self.pthreads;
 
     mcfgthreads = callPackage ./mcfgthreads { stdenv = crossThreadsStdenv; };