diff --git a/qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/actions/metadata/MetaDataAction.java b/qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/actions/metadata/MetaDataAction.java
index 8ecf4dcf..6d604b77 100644
--- a/qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/actions/metadata/MetaDataAction.java
+++ b/qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/actions/metadata/MetaDataAction.java
@@ -329,23 +329,25 @@ public class MetaDataAction
          if(metaDataActionCustomizerReference != null)
          {
             actionCustomizer = QCodeLoader.getAdHoc(MetaDataActionCustomizerInterface.class, metaDataActionCustomizerReference);
-            LOG.debug("Using new meta-data actionCustomizer of type: " + actionCustomizer.getClass().getSimpleName());
          }
 
          if(actionCustomizer == null)
          {
+            /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+            // check if QInstance is still using the now-deprecated getMetaDataFilter approach //
+            /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+            @SuppressWarnings("deprecation")
             QCodeReference metaDataFilterReference = QContext.getQInstance().getMetaDataFilter();
             if(metaDataFilterReference != null)
             {
+               LOG.warn("QInstance.metaDataFilter is deprecated in favor of metaDataActionCustomizer.");
                actionCustomizer = QCodeLoader.getAdHoc(MetaDataActionCustomizerInterface.class, metaDataFilterReference);
-               LOG.debug("Using new meta-data actionCustomizer (via metaDataFilter reference) of type: " + actionCustomizer.getClass().getSimpleName());
             }
          }
 
          if(actionCustomizer == null)
          {
             actionCustomizer = new DefaultNoopMetaDataActionCustomizer();
-            LOG.debug("Using new default (allow-all) meta-data actionCustomizer");
          }
 
          return (actionCustomizer);
diff --git a/qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/instances/QInstanceValidator.java b/qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/instances/QInstanceValidator.java
index 8f7793ef..efeb404d 100644
--- a/qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/instances/QInstanceValidator.java
+++ b/qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/instances/QInstanceValidator.java
@@ -239,8 +239,10 @@ public class QInstanceValidator
 
 
    /***************************************************************************
-    **
+    * this method still supports the deprecated MetaDataFilter (plus its
+    * replacement, MetaDataActionCustomizer
     ***************************************************************************/
+   @SuppressWarnings("deprecation")
    private void validateInstanceAttributes(QInstance qInstance)
    {
       if(qInstance.getMetaDataFilter() != null)
diff --git a/qqq-backend-core/src/test/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/actions/metadata/MetaDataActionTest.java b/qqq-backend-core/src/test/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/actions/metadata/MetaDataActionTest.java
index 4d75312d..4ddeaa46 100644
--- a/qqq-backend-core/src/test/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/actions/metadata/MetaDataActionTest.java
+++ b/qqq-backend-core/src/test/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/actions/metadata/MetaDataActionTest.java
@@ -470,6 +470,7 @@ class MetaDataActionTest extends BaseTest
    /***************************************************************************
     **
     ***************************************************************************/
+   @SuppressWarnings("deprecation") // the point of this test is to use the deprecated thing.
    public static class DenyAllFilter implements MetaDataFilterInterface
    {
       /***************************************************************************
diff --git a/qqq-backend-core/src/test/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/instances/QInstanceValidatorTest.java b/qqq-backend-core/src/test/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/instances/QInstanceValidatorTest.java
index d790ca59..b0c880ee 100644
--- a/qqq-backend-core/src/test/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/instances/QInstanceValidatorTest.java
+++ b/qqq-backend-core/src/test/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/instances/QInstanceValidatorTest.java
@@ -148,8 +148,10 @@ public class QInstanceValidatorTest extends BaseTest
 
 
    /*******************************************************************************
-    **
+    * the point of this method is to test the deprecated member, so, don't need to
+    * get a compiler warning about usage of deprecated member.
     *******************************************************************************/
+   @SuppressWarnings("deprecation")
    @Test
    void testMetaDataFilter()
    {