diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index ec34126..d5d7fde 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -64,7 +64,8 @@ drone-helm3 is largely backwards-compatible with drone-helm. There are some know
 
 * You'll need to migrate the deployments in the cluster [helm-v2-to-helm-v3](https://helm.sh/blog/migrate-from-helm-v2-to-helm-v3/).
 * The `prefix` setting is no longer supported. If you were relying on the `prefix` setting with `secrets: [...]`, you'll need to switch to the `from_secret` syntax.
-* Several settings no longer have any effect:
+* Several settings no longer have any effect. The plugin will produce warnings if any of these are present:
+
     * `purge` -- this is the default behavior in Helm 3
     * `recreate_pods`
     * `tiller_ns`
diff --git a/internal/helm/config.go b/internal/helm/config.go
index 3406c1f..2365ce2 100644
--- a/internal/helm/config.go
+++ b/internal/helm/config.go
@@ -4,10 +4,15 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"github.com/kelseyhightower/envconfig"
 	"io"
+	"os"
 	"regexp"
+	"strings"
 )
 
-var justNumbers = regexp.MustCompile(`^\d+$`)
+var (
+	justNumbers    = regexp.MustCompile(`^\d+$`)
+	deprecatedVars = []string{"PURGE", "RECREATE_PODS", "TILLER_NS", "UPGRADE", "CANARY_IMAGE", "CLIENT_ONLY", "STABLE_REPO_URL"}
+)
 
 // The Config struct captures the `settings` and `environment` blocks in the application's drone
 // config. Configuration in drone's `settings` block arrives as uppercase env vars matching the
@@ -64,6 +69,8 @@ func NewConfig(stdout, stderr io.Writer) (*Config, error) {
 		cfg.logDebug()
 	}
 
+	cfg.deprecationWarn()
+
 	return &cfg, nil
 }
 
@@ -73,3 +80,13 @@ func (cfg Config) logDebug() {
 	}
 	fmt.Fprintf(cfg.Stderr, "Generated config: %+v\n", cfg)
 }
+
+func (cfg *Config) deprecationWarn() {
+	for _, varname := range deprecatedVars {
+		_, barePresent := os.LookupEnv(varname)
+		_, prefixedPresent := os.LookupEnv("PLUGIN_" + varname)
+		if barePresent || prefixedPresent {
+			fmt.Fprintf(cfg.Stderr, "Warning: ignoring deprecated '%s' setting\n", strings.ToLower(varname))
+		}
+	}
+}
diff --git a/internal/helm/config_test.go b/internal/helm/config_test.go
index 40ddfd6..6cad789 100644
--- a/internal/helm/config_test.go
+++ b/internal/helm/config_test.go
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package helm
 
 import (
+	"fmt"
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/suite"
 	"os"
 	"strings"
@@ -79,6 +80,24 @@ func (suite *ConfigTestSuite) TestNewConfigSetsWriters() {
 	suite.Equal(stderr, cfg.Stderr)
 }
 
+func (suite *ConfigTestSuite) TestDeprecatedSettingWarnings() {
+	for _, varname := range deprecatedVars {
+		suite.setenv(varname, "deprecoat") // environment-block entries should cause warnings
+	}
+
+	suite.unsetenv("PURGE")
+	suite.setenv("PLUGIN_PURGE", "true") // settings-block entries should cause warnings
+	suite.setenv("UPGRADE", "")          // entries should cause warnings even when set to empty string
+
+	stderr := &strings.Builder{}
+	_, err := NewConfig(&strings.Builder{}, stderr)
+	suite.NoError(err)
+
+	for _, varname := range deprecatedVars {
+		suite.Contains(stderr.String(), fmt.Sprintf("Warning: ignoring deprecated '%s' setting\n", strings.ToLower(varname)))
+	}
+}
+
 func (suite *ConfigTestSuite) TestLogDebug() {
 	suite.setenv("DEBUG", "true")
 	suite.setenv("HELM_COMMAND", "upgrade")