diff --git a/elements/hadoop-cdh/root.d/0-check-hadoop-cdh b/elements/hadoop-cdh/root.d/0-check-hadoop-cdh
index 278b9b86..e7ad22d4 100755
--- a/elements/hadoop-cdh/root.d/0-check-hadoop-cdh
+++ b/elements/hadoop-cdh/root.d/0-check-hadoop-cdh
@@ -6,6 +6,13 @@ fi
 set -eu
 set -o pipefail
 
+echo "##############################################################"
+echo "##                                                          ##"
+echo "## WARNING: this element (hadoop-cdh) has been deprecated   ##"
+echo "##          Please use the hadoop-cloudera element          ##"
+echo "##                                                          ##"
+echo "##############################################################"
+
 if [ -z "${JAVA_DOWNLOAD_URL:-}" ]; then
     if [ -z "${JAVA_FILE:-}" ]; then
         echo "JAVA_FILE and JAVA_DOWNLOAD_URL are not set. Proceeding with distro native Java."
diff --git a/elements/spark/root.d/0-check-spark b/elements/spark/root.d/0-check-spark
index e07fff36..2c13e06c 100755
--- a/elements/spark/root.d/0-check-spark
+++ b/elements/spark/root.d/0-check-spark
@@ -6,6 +6,28 @@ fi
 set -eu
 set -o pipefail
 
+print_deprecation_warning() {
+    echo "##############################################################"
+    echo "##                                                          ##"
+    echo "## WARNING: the version of Spark being included in this     ##"
+    echo "##          image has been deprecated in the Sahara Spark   ##"
+    echo "##          plugin. Please consider upgrading to a          ##"
+    echo "##          supported version.                              ##"
+    echo "##                                                          ##"
+    echo "##  See: https://wiki.openstack.org/wiki/Sahara/SparkPlugin ##"
+    echo "##                                                          ##"
+    echo "##############################################################"
+}
+
+# Check for deprecated versions in the Spark plugin
+major_v=$(echo $DIB_SPARK_VERSION | cut -f1 -d.)
+minor_v=$(echo $DIB_SPARK_VERSION | cut -f2 -d.)
+if [ "${major_v}" == "0" ]; then
+    print_deprecation_warning
+elif [ "${major_v}" == "1" -a "${minor_v}" == "0" ]; then
+    print_deprecation_warning
+fi
+
 if [ -z "${SPARK_DOWNLOAD_URL:-}" -a -z "${DIB_CDH_VERSION:-}" ]; then
     echo -e "Neither DIB_CDH_VERSION nor SPARK_DOWNLOAD_URL are set. Impossible to install Spark.\nAborting"
     exit 1