diff --git a/RELEASES.md b/RELEASES.md
index 32c52e936..38126aa83 100644
--- a/RELEASES.md
+++ b/RELEASES.md
@@ -423,6 +423,9 @@ The deprecated properties in [`config.toml`](./docs/cri/config.md) are shown in
 |`[plugins."io.containerd.grpc.v1.cri".registry]`                      | `auths`                      | containerd v1.3     | containerd v2.0            | Use [`ImagePullSecrets`](https://kubernetes.io/docs/tasks/configure-pod-container/pull-image-private-registry/). See also [#8228](https://github.com/containerd/containerd/issues/8228). |
 |`[plugins."io.containerd.grpc.v1.cri".registry]`                      | `configs`                    | containerd v1.5     | containerd v2.0            | Use [`config_path`](./docs/hosts.md)            |
 |`[plugins."io.containerd.grpc.v1.cri".registry]`                      | `mirrors`                    | containerd v1.5     | containerd v2.0            | Use [`config_path`](./docs/hosts.md)            |
+|`[plugins."io.containerd.tracing.processor.v1.otlp"]`                 | `endpoint`, `protocol`, `insecure` | containerd v1.6.29 | containerd v2.0       | Use [OTLP environment variables](https://opentelemetry.io/docs/specs/otel/protocol/exporter/), e.g. OTEL_EXPORTER_OTLP_TRACES_ENDPOINT, OTEL_EXPORTER_OTLP_PROTOCOL, OTEL_SDK_DISABLED    |
+|`[plugins."io.containerd.internal.v1.tracing"]`                       | `service_name`, `sampling_ratio`   | containerd v1.6.29 | containerd v2.0       | Instead use [OTel environment variables](https://opentelemetry.io/docs/specs/otel/configuration/sdk-environment-variables/), e.g. OTEL_SERVICE_NAME, OTEL_TRACES_SAMPLER*  |
+
 
 > **Note**
 >
diff --git a/pkg/deprecation/deprecation.go b/pkg/deprecation/deprecation.go
index 9b85e2d0b..c9f264d7e 100644
--- a/pkg/deprecation/deprecation.go
+++ b/pkg/deprecation/deprecation.go
@@ -31,6 +31,10 @@ const (
 	CRIRegistryAuths Warning = Prefix + "cri-registry-auths"
 	// CRIRegistryConfigs is a warning for the use of the `configs` property
 	CRIRegistryConfigs Warning = Prefix + "cri-registry-configs"
+	// OTLPTracingConfig is a warning for the use of the `otlp` property
+	TracingOTLPConfig Warning = Prefix + "tracing-processor-config"
+	// TracingServiceConfig is a warning for the use of the `tracing` property
+	TracingServiceConfig Warning = Prefix + "tracing-service-config"
 )
 
 var messages = map[Warning]string{
@@ -43,6 +47,11 @@ var messages = map[Warning]string{
 		"Use `ImagePullSecrets` instead.",
 	CRIRegistryConfigs: "The `configs` property of `[plugins.\"io.containerd.grpc.v1.cri\".registry]` is deprecated since containerd v1.5 and will be removed in containerd v2.0." +
 		"Use `config_path` instead.",
+
+	TracingOTLPConfig: "The `otlp` property of `[plugins.\"io.containerd.tracing.processor.v1\".otlp]` is deprecated since containerd v1.6 and will be removed in containerd v2.0." +
+		"Use OTLP environment variables instead: https://opentelemetry.io/docs/specs/otel/protocol/exporter/",
+	TracingServiceConfig: "The `tracing` property of `[plugins.\"io.containerd.internal.v1\".tracing]` is deprecated since containerd v1.6 and will be removed in containerd v2.0." +
+		"Use OTEL environment variables instead: https://opentelemetry.io/docs/specs/otel/configuration/sdk-environment-variables/",
 }
 
 // Valid checks whether a given Warning is valid
diff --git a/pkg/tracing/plugin/otlp.go b/pkg/tracing/plugin/otlp.go
index 489233a7c..60a03a0ec 100644
--- a/pkg/tracing/plugin/otlp.go
+++ b/pkg/tracing/plugin/otlp.go
@@ -24,8 +24,10 @@ import (
 	"net/url"
 	"time"
 
+	"github.com/containerd/containerd/v2/pkg/deprecation"
 	"github.com/containerd/containerd/v2/pkg/tracing"
 	"github.com/containerd/containerd/v2/plugins"
+	"github.com/containerd/containerd/v2/plugins/services/warning"
 	"github.com/containerd/errdefs"
 	"github.com/containerd/plugin"
 	"github.com/containerd/plugin/registry"
@@ -48,6 +50,9 @@ func init() {
 		Type:   plugins.TracingProcessorPlugin,
 		Config: &OTLPConfig{},
 		InitFn: func(ic *plugin.InitContext) (interface{}, error) {
+			if err := warnOTLPConfig(ic); err != nil {
+				return nil, err
+			}
 			cfg := ic.Config.(*OTLPConfig)
 			exp, err := newExporter(ic.Context, cfg)
 			if err != nil {
@@ -67,6 +72,9 @@ func init() {
 			TraceSamplingRatio: 1.0,
 		},
 		InitFn: func(ic *plugin.InitContext) (interface{}, error) {
+			if err := warnTraceConfig(ic); err != nil {
+				return nil, err
+			}
 			// get TracingProcessorPlugin which is a dependency
 			plugins, err := ic.GetByType(plugins.TracingProcessorPlugin)
 			if err != nil {
@@ -191,3 +199,54 @@ func newTracer(ctx context.Context, config *TraceConfig, procs []trace.SpanProce
 func propagators() propagation.TextMapPropagator {
 	return propagation.NewCompositeTextMapPropagator(propagation.TraceContext{}, propagation.Baggage{})
 }
+
+func warnTraceConfig(ic *plugin.InitContext) error {
+	ctx := ic.Context
+	cfg := ic.Config.(*TraceConfig)
+	var warn bool
+	if cfg.ServiceName != "" {
+		warn = true
+	}
+	if cfg.TraceSamplingRatio != 0 {
+		warn = true
+	}
+
+	if !warn {
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	wp, err := ic.GetSingle(plugins.WarningPlugin)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	ws := wp.(warning.Service)
+	ws.Emit(ctx, deprecation.TracingServiceConfig)
+	return nil
+}
+
+func warnOTLPConfig(ic *plugin.InitContext) error {
+	ctx := ic.Context
+	cfg := ic.Config.(*OTLPConfig)
+	var warn bool
+	if cfg.Endpoint != "" {
+		warn = true
+	}
+	if cfg.Protocol != "" {
+		warn = true
+	}
+	if cfg.Insecure {
+		warn = true
+	}
+
+	if !warn {
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	wp, err := ic.GetSingle(plugins.WarningPlugin)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	ws := wp.(warning.Service)
+	ws.Emit(ctx, deprecation.TracingOTLPConfig)
+	return nil
+}