diff --git a/gdk/gdkcairocontext.c b/gdk/gdkcairocontext.c
index fb54bbeab7..6533a9d39e 100644
--- a/gdk/gdkcairocontext.c
+++ b/gdk/gdkcairocontext.c
@@ -82,8 +82,10 @@ gdk_cairo_context_cairo_create (GdkCairoContext *self)
 
   draw_context = GDK_DRAW_CONTEXT (self);
 
+G_GNUC_BEGIN_IGNORE_DEPRECATIONS
   if (!gdk_draw_context_is_in_frame (draw_context))
     return NULL;
+G_GNUC_END_IGNORE_DEPRECATIONS
 
   cr = GDK_CAIRO_CONTEXT_GET_CLASS (self)->cairo_create (self);
 
diff --git a/gdk/gdkdrawcontext.c b/gdk/gdkdrawcontext.c
index 6b6ac4a3f5..cc886bce10 100644
--- a/gdk/gdkdrawcontext.c
+++ b/gdk/gdkdrawcontext.c
@@ -223,6 +223,9 @@ gdk_draw_context_init (GdkDrawContext *self)
  *
  * Returns: %TRUE if the context is between [method@Gdk.DrawContext.begin_frame]
  *   and [method@Gdk.DrawContext.end_frame] calls.
+ *
+ * Deprecated: 4.16: Drawing directly to the surface is no longer recommended.
+ *   Use `GskRenderNode` and `GskRenderer`.
  */
 gboolean
 gdk_draw_context_is_in_frame (GdkDrawContext *context)
@@ -313,6 +316,9 @@ gdk_draw_context_get_surface (GdkDrawContext *context)
  * gdk_draw_context_begin_frame() and gdk_draw_context_end_frame() via the
  * use of [GskRenderer](../gsk4/class.Renderer.html)s, so application code
  * does not need to call these functions explicitly.
+ *
+ * Deprecated: 4.16: Drawing directly to the surface is no longer recommended.
+ *   Use `GskRenderNode` and `GskRenderer`.
  */
 void
 gdk_draw_context_begin_frame (GdkDrawContext       *context,
@@ -448,6 +454,9 @@ gdk_draw_context_end_frame_full (GdkDrawContext        *context,
  * When using a [class@Gdk.GLContext], this function may call `glFlush()`
  * implicitly before returning; it is not recommended to call `glFlush()`
  * explicitly before calling this function.
+ *
+ * Deprecated: 4.16: Drawing directly to the surface is no longer recommended.
+ *   Use `GskRenderNode` and `GskRenderer`.
  */
 void
 gdk_draw_context_end_frame (GdkDrawContext *context)
@@ -492,6 +501,9 @@ gdk_draw_context_end_frame (GdkDrawContext *context)
  * and [method@Gdk.DrawContext.end_frame], %NULL will be returned.
  *
  * Returns: (transfer none) (nullable): a Cairo region
+ *
+ * Deprecated: 4.16: Drawing directly to the surface is no longer recommended.
+ *   Use `GskRenderNode` and `GskRenderer`.
  */
 const cairo_region_t *
 _gdk_draw_context_get_frame_region (GdkDrawContext *context)
diff --git a/gdk/gdkdrawcontext.h b/gdk/gdkdrawcontext.h
index 420b5363f1..b99bcee6ad 100644
--- a/gdk/gdkdrawcontext.h
+++ b/gdk/gdkdrawcontext.h
@@ -40,15 +40,15 @@ GdkDisplay *            gdk_draw_context_get_display            (GdkDrawContext
 GDK_AVAILABLE_IN_ALL
 GdkSurface *            gdk_draw_context_get_surface            (GdkDrawContext         *context);
 
-GDK_AVAILABLE_IN_ALL
+GDK_DEPRECATED_IN_4_16
 void                    gdk_draw_context_begin_frame            (GdkDrawContext         *context,
                                                                  const cairo_region_t   *region);
-GDK_AVAILABLE_IN_ALL
+GDK_DEPRECATED_IN_4_16
 void                    gdk_draw_context_end_frame              (GdkDrawContext         *context);
 
-GDK_AVAILABLE_IN_ALL
+GDK_DEPRECATED_IN_4_16
 gboolean                gdk_draw_context_is_in_frame            (GdkDrawContext         *context);
-GDK_AVAILABLE_IN_ALL
+GDK_DEPRECATED_IN_4_16
 const cairo_region_t *  gdk_draw_context_get_frame_region       (GdkDrawContext         *context);
 
 G_DEFINE_AUTOPTR_CLEANUP_FUNC(GdkDrawContext, g_object_unref)