diff --git a/pylib/anki/_legacy.py b/pylib/anki/_legacy.py
index 3284f81c0..3d6e73358 100644
--- a/pylib/anki/_legacy.py
+++ b/pylib/anki/_legacy.py
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 
 from __future__ import annotations
 
-from typing import Any, Callable, Dict, Tuple, Union
+from typing import Any, Callable, Dict, Optional, Tuple, Union
 
 import stringcase
 
@@ -41,3 +41,23 @@ class DeprecatedNamesMixin:
         are valid symbols, and we can't get a variable's name easily.
         """
         cls._deprecated_aliases = {k: _target_to_string(v) for k, v in kwargs.items()}
+
+
+def deprecated(replaced_by: Optional[Callable] = None, info: str = "") -> Callable:
+    """Print a deprecation warning, telling users to use `replaced_by`, or show `doc`."""
+
+    def decorator(func: Callable) -> Callable:
+        def decorated_func(*args: Any, **kwargs: Any) -> Any:
+            if replaced_by:
+                doc = f"please use {replaced_by.__name__} instead."
+            else:
+                doc = info
+            print(
+                f"'{func.__name__}' is deprecated, and will be removed in the future: ",
+                doc,
+            )
+            return func(*args, **kwargs)
+
+        return decorated_func
+
+    return decorator
diff --git a/pylib/anki/decks.py b/pylib/anki/decks.py
index 34c839e28..af5217de8 100644
--- a/pylib/anki/decks.py
+++ b/pylib/anki/decks.py
@@ -11,11 +11,12 @@ from typing import Any, Dict, Iterable, List, NewType, Optional, Sequence, Tuple
 
 import anki  # pylint: disable=unused-import
 import anki._backend.backend_pb2 as _pb
+from anki._legacy import deprecated
 from anki.cards import CardId
 from anki.collection import OpChanges, OpChangesWithCount, OpChangesWithId
 from anki.consts import *
 from anki.errors import NotFoundError
-from anki.utils import from_json_bytes, ids2str, intTime, legacy_func, to_json_bytes
+from anki.utils import from_json_bytes, ids2str, intTime, to_json_bytes
 
 # public exports
 DeckTreeNode = _pb.DeckTreeNode
@@ -142,7 +143,10 @@ class DeckManager:
         out = self.add_deck_legacy(deck)
         return DeckId(out.id)
 
-    @legacy_func(sub="remove")
+    def remove(self, dids: Sequence[DeckId]) -> OpChangesWithCount:
+        return self.col._backend.remove_decks(dids)
+
+    @deprecated(replaced_by=remove)
     def rem(self, did: DeckId, cardsToo: bool = True, childrenToo: bool = True) -> None:
         "Remove the deck. If cardsToo, delete any cards inside."
         if isinstance(did, str):
@@ -150,9 +154,6 @@ class DeckManager:
         assert cardsToo and childrenToo
         self.remove([did])
 
-    def remove(self, dids: Sequence[DeckId]) -> OpChangesWithCount:
-        return self.col._backend.remove_decks(dids)
-
     def all_names_and_ids(
         self, skip_empty_default: bool = False, include_filtered: bool = True
     ) -> Sequence[DeckNameId]:
diff --git a/pylib/anki/utils.py b/pylib/anki/utils.py
index 73da72688..330797c0f 100644
--- a/pylib/anki/utils.py
+++ b/pylib/anki/utils.py
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ import traceback
 from contextlib import contextmanager
 from hashlib import sha1
 from html.entities import name2codepoint
-from typing import Any, Callable, Iterable, Iterator, List, Match, Optional, Union
+from typing import Any, Iterable, Iterator, List, Match, Optional, Union
 
 from anki.dbproxy import DBProxy
 
@@ -372,26 +372,3 @@ def pointVersion() -> int:
     from anki.buildinfo import version
 
     return int(version.split(".")[-1])
-
-
-# Legacy support
-##############################################################################
-
-
-def legacy_func(sub: Optional[str] = None) -> Callable:
-    """Print a deprecation warning for the decorated callable recommending the use of
-    'sub' instead, if provided.
-    """
-    if sub:
-        hint = f", use '{sub}' instead"
-    else:
-        hint = ""
-
-    def decorator(func: Callable) -> Callable:
-        def decorated_func(*args: Any, **kwargs: Any) -> Any:
-            print(f"'{func.__name__}' is deprecated{hint}.")
-            return func(*args, **kwargs)
-
-        return decorated_func
-
-    return decorator