diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 45eb9e8d89..40a2c24dc7 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -2,6 +2,10 @@
 
 # UNRELEASED
 
+### chore: --emulator parameter is deprecated and will be discontinued soon
+
+Added warning that the `--emulator` is deprecated and will be discontinued soon.
+
 ### fix: node engines in starter
 
 Updates node engines to reflect the same engines supported in agent-js.
diff --git a/docs/cli-reference/dfx-start.md b/docs/cli-reference/dfx-start.md
index c730545795..e9102cd3c7 100644
--- a/docs/cli-reference/dfx-start.md
+++ b/docs/cli-reference/dfx-start.md
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ You can use the following optional flags with the `dfx start` command.
 |-------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
 | `--background`           | Starts the local canister execution environment and web server processes in the background and waits for a reply before returning to the shell.                                                                                              |
 | `--clean`                | Starts the local canister execution environment and web server processes in a clean state by removing checkpoints from your project cache. You can use this flag to set your project cache to a new state when troubleshooting or debugging. |
-| `--emulator`      | Starts the [IC reference emulator](https://github.com/dfinity/ic-hs) rather than the replica.                                                                                                                                                |
+| `--emulator`      | Starts the [IC reference emulator](https://github.com/dfinity/ic-hs) rather than the replica. (deprecated: will be discontinued soon)                                                                                                        |
 | `--enable-bitcoin` | Enables bitcoin integration.                                                                                                                                                                                                                 |
 | `--enable-canister-http` | Enables canister HTTP requests. (deprecated: now enabled by default)                                                                                                                                                                         |
 
diff --git a/src/dfx/src/commands/replica.rs b/src/dfx/src/commands/replica.rs
index 95aaa96e73..e32dbaa84e 100644
--- a/src/dfx/src/commands/replica.rs
+++ b/src/dfx/src/commands/replica.rs
@@ -124,6 +124,7 @@ pub fn exec(
         enable_bitcoin,
         bitcoin_node,
         enable_canister_http,
+        emulator
     )?;
 
     let local_server_descriptor = network_descriptor.local_server_descriptor()?;
diff --git a/src/dfx/src/commands/start.rs b/src/dfx/src/commands/start.rs
index 9b432d6f7e..94af517531 100644
--- a/src/dfx/src/commands/start.rs
+++ b/src/dfx/src/commands/start.rs
@@ -173,6 +173,7 @@ pub fn exec(
         enable_bitcoin,
         bitcoin_node,
         enable_canister_http,
+        emulator,
     )?;
 
     let local_server_descriptor = network_descriptor.local_server_descriptor()?;
@@ -441,6 +442,7 @@ pub fn apply_command_line_parameters(
     enable_bitcoin: bool,
     bitcoin_nodes: Vec<SocketAddr>,
     enable_canister_http: bool,
+    emulator: bool,
 ) -> DfxResult<NetworkDescriptor> {
     if enable_canister_http {
         warn!(
@@ -450,6 +452,13 @@ pub fn apply_command_line_parameters(
         warn!(logger, "Canister HTTP suppport is enabled by default.  It can be disabled through dfx.json or networks.json.");
     }
 
+    if emulator {
+        warn!(
+            logger,
+            "The --emulator parameter is deprecated and will be discontinued soon."
+        );
+    }
+
     let _ = network_descriptor.local_server_descriptor()?;
     let mut local_server_descriptor = network_descriptor.local_server_descriptor.unwrap();