diff --git a/src/wolfgame.py b/src/wolfgame.py
index b3566e9..fb46732 100644
--- a/src/wolfgame.py
+++ b/src/wolfgame.py
@@ -774,6 +774,8 @@ def is_user_notice(nick):
 def away(cli, nick, chan, rest):
     """Use this to activate your away status (so you aren't pinged)."""
     nick, _, _, cloak = parse_nick(nick)
+    prefix = botconfig.CMD_CHAR
+    pm(cli, nick, "\u0002Please note that the {0}away/{0}back system will be deprecated in favor of {0}pingif.\u0002 See \u0002{0}help pingif\u0002 for details.".format(prefix))
     if var.OPT_IN_PING:
         if not rest: # don't want to trigger on unrelated messages
             cli.notice(nick, "Please use {0}in and {0}out to opt in or out of the ping list.".format(botconfig.CMD_CHAR))
@@ -783,7 +785,6 @@ def away(cli, nick, chan, rest):
         acc = var.USERS[nick]["account"]
     else:
         acc = None
-    prefix = botconfig.CMD_CHAR
     if not acc or acc == "*":
         acc = None
     if acc: # Do it all by accounts if logged in
@@ -815,6 +816,8 @@ def away(cli, nick, chan, rest):
 def back_from_away(cli, nick, chan, rest):
     """Unsets your away status."""
     nick, _, _, cloak = parse_nick(nick)
+    prefix = botconfig.CMD_CHAR
+    pm(cli, nick, "\u0002Please note that the {0}away/{0}back system will be deprecated in favor of {0}pingif.\u0002 See \u0002{0}help pingif\u0002 for details.".format(prefix))
     if var.OPT_IN_PING:
         if not rest:
             cli.notice(nick, "Please use {0}in and {0}out to opt in or out of the ping list.".format(botconfig.CMD_CHAR))