diff --git a/lib/classes/deprecated.php b/lib/classes/attribute/deprecated.php
similarity index 97%
rename from lib/classes/deprecated.php
rename to lib/classes/attribute/deprecated.php
index 452f7844f2e..c68317bdf39 100644
--- a/lib/classes/deprecated.php
+++ b/lib/classes/attribute/deprecated.php
@@ -14,9 +14,7 @@
 // You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
 // along with Moodle.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 
-namespace core;
-
-use Attribute;
+namespace core\attribute;
 
 /**
  * Attribute to describe a deprecated item.
@@ -25,7 +23,7 @@ use Attribute;
  * @copyright  2023 Andrew Lyons <andrew@nicols.co.uk>
  * @license    http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/gpl.html GNU GPL v3 or later
  */
-#[Attribute]
+#[\Attribute]
 class deprecated {
     /**
      * A deprecated item.
diff --git a/lib/classes/deprecated_with_reference.php b/lib/classes/attribute/deprecated_with_reference.php
similarity index 94%
rename from lib/classes/deprecated_with_reference.php
rename to lib/classes/attribute/deprecated_with_reference.php
index 82b1621d7dc..751cd8f111e 100644
--- a/lib/classes/deprecated_with_reference.php
+++ b/lib/classes/attribute/deprecated_with_reference.php
@@ -14,10 +14,10 @@
 // You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
 // along with Moodle.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 
-namespace core;
+namespace core\attribute;
 
 /**
- * Attribute to describe a deprecated item.
+ * Attribute to describe a deprecated item which contains a reference to the owning feature.
  *
  * @package    core
  * @copyright  2023 Andrew Lyons <andrew@nicols.co.uk>
diff --git a/lib/classes/deprecation.php b/lib/classes/deprecation.php
index 47f3e75a6f9..00738d8faa3 100644
--- a/lib/classes/deprecation.php
+++ b/lib/classes/deprecation.php
@@ -16,6 +16,9 @@
 
 namespace core;
 
+use core\attribute\deprecated;
+use core\attribute\deprecated_with_reference;
+
 /**
  * Deprecation utility.
  *
diff --git a/lib/classes/param.php b/lib/classes/param.php
index e6cba152b07..9c817ff4f5b 100644
--- a/lib/classes/param.php
+++ b/lib/classes/param.php
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ namespace core;
 
 use coding_exception;
 use core_text;
+use core\attribute\deprecated;
 use core\ip_utils;
 use invalid_parameter_exception;
 use moodle_exception;
diff --git a/lib/moodlelib.php b/lib/moodlelib.php
index 1db650c1cf2..dccf07fc873 100644
--- a/lib/moodlelib.php
+++ b/lib/moodlelib.php
@@ -74,7 +74,6 @@ define('HOURMINS', 60);
 // We currently include \core\param manually here to avoid broken upgrades.
 // This may change after the next LTS release as LTS releases require the previous LTS release.
 require_once(__DIR__ . '/classes/deprecation.php');
-require_once(__DIR__ . '/classes/deprecated.php');
 require_once(__DIR__ . '/classes/param.php');
 
 /**
diff --git a/lib/tests/deprecation_test.php b/lib/tests/deprecation_test.php
index ac0beab12f5..dc0a1721fd0 100644
--- a/lib/tests/deprecation_test.php
+++ b/lib/tests/deprecation_test.php
@@ -16,15 +16,18 @@
 
 namespace core;
 
+use core\attribute\deprecated;
+use core\attribute\deprecated_with_reference;
+
 /**
- * Tests for \core\deprecated and \core\deprecation.
+ * Tests for \core\attribute\sdeprecated and \core\deprecation.
  *
  * @package    core
  * @category   test
  * @copyright  2024 Andrew Lyons <andrew@nicols.co.uk>
  * @license    http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/gpl.html GNU GPL v3 or later
- * @covers \core\deprecated
- * @covers \core\deprecated_with_reference
+ * @covers \core\attribute\deprecated
+ * @covers \core\attribute\deprecated_with_reference
  * @covers \core\deprecation
  */
 class deprecation_test extends \advanced_testcase {
diff --git a/lib/tests/fixtures/deprecated_fixtures.php b/lib/tests/fixtures/deprecated_fixtures.php
index e3c11beb7ec..699862b3aa7 100644
--- a/lib/tests/fixtures/deprecated_fixtures.php
+++ b/lib/tests/fixtures/deprecated_fixtures.php
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
 
 namespace core\fixtures;
 
-use core\deprecated;
+use core\attribute\deprecated;
 
 /**
  * A file containing a variety of fixturs for deprecated attribute tests.
diff --git a/lib/upgrade.txt b/lib/upgrade.txt
index 10ce896f2a7..e16ebd775ac 100644
--- a/lib/upgrade.txt
+++ b/lib/upgrade.txt
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ information provided here is intended especially for developers.
 * The following callbacks have been migrated to hooks:
   - before_standard_html_head() -> core\hook\output\standard_head_html_prepend
 * Deprecated PARAM_ types with the exception of PARAM_CLEAN now emit a deprecation exception. These were all deprecated in Moodle 2.0.
-* A new \core\deprecated attribute can be used to more clearly describe deprecated methods.
+* A new \core\attribute\deprecated attribute can be used to more clearly describe deprecated methods.
 * A new \core\deprecation class can be used to inspect for deprecated attributes:
   - `\core\deprecation::is_deprecated(example::class);`
   - `\core\deprecation::emit_deprecation_if_present([self::class, 'some_method']);`