diff --git a/kernel/CMakeLists.txt b/kernel/CMakeLists.txt
index 69af46476c79..87a7b53c2a6b 100644
--- a/kernel/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/kernel/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -50,6 +50,10 @@ if(${CONFIG_KERNEL_MEM_POOL})
   endif()
 endif()
 
+if(NOT CONFIG_MULTITHREADING)
+  message(WARNING "Single threaded mode (CONFIG_MULTITHREADING=n) is deprecated")
+endif()
+
 # The last 2 files inside the target_sources_ifdef should be
 # userspace_handler.c and userspace.c. If not the linker would complain.
 # This order has to be maintained. Any new file should be placed
diff --git a/kernel/Kconfig b/kernel/Kconfig
index 4b0028ee8b12..fa419997f651 100644
--- a/kernel/Kconfig
+++ b/kernel/Kconfig
@@ -10,9 +10,11 @@ module-str = kernel
 source "subsys/logging/Kconfig.template.log_config"
 
 config MULTITHREADING
-	bool "Multi-threading"
+	bool "Multi-threading (DEPRECATED)"
 	default y
 	help
+	  Disabling this option is DEPRECATED.
+
 	  If disabled, only the main thread is available, so a main() function
 	  must be provided. Interrupts are available. Kernel objects will most
 	  probably not behave as expected, especially with regards to pending,
@@ -23,6 +25,11 @@ config MULTITHREADING
 	  set to 'n'; disable only when you REALLY know what you are
 	  doing.
 
+if !MULTITHREADING
+comment "*** WARNING ***"
+comment "Single threaded mode (MULTITHREADING option disabled) is deprecated"
+endif
+
 config NUM_COOP_PRIORITIES
 	int "Number of coop priorities" if MULTITHREADING
 	default 1 if !MULTITHREADING
diff --git a/samples/hello_world/prj.conf b/samples/hello_world/prj.conf
index b2a4ba591044..19e011f0bf0e 100644
--- a/samples/hello_world/prj.conf
+++ b/samples/hello_world/prj.conf
@@ -1 +1,2 @@
 # nothing here
+CONFIG_MULTITHREADING=n