diff --git a/RELEASES.md b/RELEASES.md
index 5f293fbeb..7887e0c69 100644
--- a/RELEASES.md
+++ b/RELEASES.md
@@ -406,6 +406,7 @@ The deprecated features are shown in the following table:
 | Pulling Schema 1 images (`application/vnd.docker.distribution.manifest.v1+json`) | containerd v1.7     | containerd v2.0            | Use Schema 2 or OCI images               |
 | CRI `v1alpha2`                                                                   | containerd v1.7     | containerd v2.0 ✅         | Use CRI `v1`                             |
 | Legacy CRI implementation of podsandbox support                                  | containerd v2.0     | containerd v2.0 ✅         |                                          |
+| Go-Plugin library (`*.so`) as containerd runtime plugin                          | containerd v2.0     | containerd v2.1            | Use external plugins (proxy or binary)   |
 
 
 ### Deprecated config properties
diff --git a/services/server/config/config.go b/services/server/config/config.go
index 00b6b96a7..5c628912d 100644
--- a/services/server/config/config.go
+++ b/services/server/config/config.go
@@ -63,6 +63,8 @@ type Config struct {
 	// TempDir is the path to a directory where to place containerd temporary files
 	TempDir string `toml:"temp"`
 	// PluginDir is the directory for dynamic plugins to be stored
+	//
+	// Deprecated: Please use proxy or binary external plugins.
 	PluginDir string `toml:"plugin_dir"`
 	// GRPC configuration settings
 	GRPC GRPCConfig `toml:"grpc"`
diff --git a/services/server/server.go b/services/server/server.go
index 4f5a6976d..5b42a7172 100644
--- a/services/server/server.go
+++ b/services/server/server.go
@@ -431,10 +431,11 @@ func (s *Server) Wait() {
 // of all plugins.
 func LoadPlugins(ctx context.Context, config *srvconfig.Config) ([]plugin.Registration, error) {
 	// load all plugins into containerd
-	path := config.PluginDir
+	path := config.PluginDir //nolint: staticcheck
 	if path == "" {
 		path = filepath.Join(config.Root, "plugins")
 	}
+	log.G(ctx).Warning("`go_plugin` is deprecated, please use `external plugins` instead")
 	if err := dynamic.Load(path); err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}