diff --git a/pkg/cloudprovider/plugins.go b/pkg/cloudprovider/plugins.go
index 739c0961339..22fbf9150bd 100644
--- a/pkg/cloudprovider/plugins.go
+++ b/pkg/cloudprovider/plugins.go
@@ -33,8 +33,11 @@ type Factory func(config io.Reader) (Interface, error)
 
 // All registered cloud providers.
 var (
-	providersMutex sync.Mutex
-	providers      = make(map[string]Factory)
+	providersMutex           sync.Mutex
+	providers                = make(map[string]Factory)
+	deprecatedCloudProviders = []string{
+		"openstack",
+	}
 )
 
 const externalCloudProvider = "external"
@@ -95,6 +98,14 @@ func InitCloudProvider(name string, configFilePath string) (Interface, error) {
 		return nil, nil
 	}
 
+	for _, provider := range deprecatedCloudProviders {
+		if provider == name {
+			glog.Warningf("WARNING: %s built-in cloud provider is now deprecated. "+
+				"Please use 'external' cloud provider for %s", name, name)
+			break
+		}
+	}
+
 	if configFilePath != "" {
 		var config *os.File
 		config, err = os.Open(configFilePath)