diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 84dba9cc..ec351b73 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -8,6 +8,8 @@
 
 * new attributes node['ssh']['client']['weak_kex'] and node['ssh']['server']['weak_kex'] replace node['ssh']['weak_kex'], which has been deprecated.
 
+* deprecated: Manging authorized_keys for root via attributes `ssh_rootkey` and  `ssh_rootkeys` in the `users` data bag has been deprecated and emits a waning when used. Support will be removed in 2.x.
+
 ## 1.0.1
 
 * feature: cipher, macs and key exchange algorithms are now correctly detected on
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 39b90980..b67791cf 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -29,7 +29,11 @@ This cookbook provides secure ssh-client and ssh-server configurations.
 
 ## Data Bags
 
-This cookbook handles authorized keys for the root user. Use other cookbooks to set up your users.
+**DEPRECATION WARNING**: Support for managing authorized_keys for the root account will be removed from this cookbook in the next major release. Please use alternative cookbooks for that.
+
+This cookbook used to handle authorized keys for the root user, but that support will be removed in the next major release. Use other cookbooks to set up your users.
+
+### Old behaviour:
 
 Have users in your `data_bag/users/` directory. This cookbook looks for users inside this folder with a `ssh_rootkey`.
 
diff --git a/TUTORIAL.md b/TUTORIAL.md
index cf7d6c66..b353249b 100644
--- a/TUTORIAL.md
+++ b/TUTORIAL.md
@@ -31,21 +31,13 @@
         git clone https://github.com/edelight/chef-solo-search
         cd ..
 
-7. Add a public key to the root user `data_bags/users/root.json`
+7. Create `solo.rb`
 
-        {
-          "id" : "root",
-          "ssh_rootkeys" : "ssh-rsa AAAAB3NzaC1yc2EAAAABIwAAAQEA6NF8iallvQVp22WDkTkyrtvp9eWW6A8YVr+kz4TCCCCCCjGYe7gHzIw+niNltGEFHzD8+v1I2YJ6oXevct1YeS0o9HZyN1Q9qPasgCgzUFtdOKLv6IedplqoPasdasd0aYet2PkEDo3MlTBckFXPITAMzF8dJSICCCCFo9D8HfdOV0IAdx4O7dETk1rRgm+R4LOzFUGaHqHDLKLX+FIPKcF96hrucXzcWyLbIUc9c9WhQ== vagrant insecure public key"
-        }
-
-8. Create `solo.rb`
-
-    This file is used to specify the configuration details for chef-solo. So create a `solo.rb` that include the `cookbook_path` and the `data_bags`.
+    This file is used to specify the configuration details for chef-solo. So create a `solo.rb` that includes the `cookbook_path`.
 
         cookbook_path "cookbooks"
-        data_bag_path "data_bags
 
-9. Create `solo.json`
+8. Create `solo.json`
 
     Chef-solo does not interact with the Chef Server. Consequently, node-specific attributes must be located in a JSON file on the target system. Create the following `solo.json`.
 
@@ -60,7 +52,7 @@
             ]
         }
 
-10. Run chef-solo
+9. Run chef-solo
 
         chef-solo -c solo.rb -j solo.json
 
diff --git a/recipes/server.rb b/recipes/server.rb
index a7f8dd7f..c59b4388 100644
--- a/recipes/server.rb
+++ b/recipes/server.rb
@@ -97,6 +97,7 @@
   notifies :restart, 'service[sshd]'
 end
 
+# authorized_key management will be deprecated in the next major release:
 def get_key_from(field)
   return [] unless Chef::DataBag.list.key?('users')
   search('users', "#{field}:*").map do |v| # ~FC003 ignore footcritic violation
@@ -106,7 +107,6 @@ def get_key_from(field)
 end
 
 keys = get_key_from('ssh_rootkey') + get_key_from('ssh_rootkeys')
-Chef::Log.info 'ssh_server: not setting up any ssh keys' if keys.empty?
 
 directory '/root/.ssh' do
   mode '0500'
@@ -115,15 +115,24 @@ def get_key_from(field)
   action :create
 end
 
-template '/root/.ssh/authorized_keys' do
-  source 'authorized_keys.erb'
-  mode '0400'
-  owner 'root'
-  group 'root'
-  variables(
-    keys: keys
-  )
-  only_if { !keys.empty? }
+unless keys.empty?
+  log 'deprecated-databag' do
+    message 'Use of deprecated key ssh_rootkey(s) found in users data bag. ' \
+      'Managing authorized_keys from users data bag will be removed ' \
+      'from the ssh-hardening cookbook in the next major release. ' \
+      'Please transition to alternative approaches.'
+    level :warn
+  end
+
+  template '/root/.ssh/authorized_keys' do
+    source 'authorized_keys.erb'
+    mode '0400'
+    owner 'root'
+    group 'root'
+    variables(
+      keys: keys
+    )
+  end
 end
 
 execute 'unlock root account if it is locked' do
diff --git a/spec/recipes/server_spec.rb b/spec/recipes/server_spec.rb
index 8a2c2388..22376c35 100644
--- a/spec/recipes/server_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/recipes/server_spec.rb
@@ -366,6 +366,12 @@
         .with_content(/^key2-user3$/)
         .with_content(/^key1-user4$/)
     end
+
+    it 'warns about deprecation of data bag use' do
+      expect(chef_run).to write_log('deprecated-databag')
+        .with(message: /deprecated/)
+        .with(level: :warn)
+    end
   end
 
   context 'without users data bag' do
@@ -380,5 +386,9 @@
     it 'does not touch authorized_keys by root' do
       expect(chef_run).to_not create_template('/root/.ssh/authorized_keys')
     end
+
+    it 'does not warn about deprecation of data bag use' do
+      expect(chef_run).not_to write_log('deprecated-databag')
+    end
   end
 end