--- a/doc/hg.1.txt
+++ b/doc/hg.1.txt
@@ -454,11 +454,14 @@ push <destination>::
     --remotecmd  specify hg command to run on the remote side
 
 rawcommit [-p -d -u -F -m -l]::
-    Lowlevel commit, for use in helper scripts.
+    Lowlevel commit, for use in helper scripts. (DEPRECATED)
 
     This command is not intended to be used by normal users, as it is
     primarily useful for importing from other SCMs.
 
+    This command is now deprecated and will be removed in a future
+    release, please use debugsetparents and commit instead.
+
 recover::
     Recover from an interrupted commit or pull.
 

--- a/mercurial/commands.py
+++ b/mercurial/commands.py
@@ -1793,13 +1793,19 @@ def push(ui, repo, dest="default-push", 
     return r
 
 def rawcommit(ui, repo, *flist, **rc):
-    """raw commit interface
+    """raw commit interface (DEPRECATED)
 
     Lowlevel commit, for use in helper scripts.
 
     This command is not intended to be used by normal users, as it is
     primarily useful for importing from other SCMs.
+
+    This command is now deprecated and will be removed in a future
+    release, please use debugsetparents and commit instead.
     """
+
+    ui.warn(_("(the rawcommit command is deprecated)\n"))
+
     message = rc['message']
     if not message and rc['logfile']:
         try:

--- a/tests/test-help.out
+++ b/tests/test-help.out
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ list of commands (use "hg help -v" to sh
  paths       show definition of symbolic path names
  pull        pull changes from the specified source
  push        push changes to the specified destination
- rawcommit   raw commit interface
+ rawcommit   raw commit interface (DEPRECATED)
  recover     roll back an interrupted transaction
  remove      remove the specified files on the next commit
  rename      rename files; equivalent of copy + remove
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ list of commands (use "hg help -v" to sh
  paths       show definition of symbolic path names
  pull        pull changes from the specified source
  push        push changes to the specified destination
- rawcommit   raw commit interface
+ rawcommit   raw commit interface (DEPRECATED)
  recover     roll back an interrupted transaction
  remove      remove the specified files on the next commit
  rename      rename files; equivalent of copy + remove

--- a/tests/test-rawcommit1.out
+++ b/tests/test-rawcommit1.out
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 05f9e54f4c9b86b09099803d8b49a50edcb4eaab 644 a
 54837d97f2932a8194e69745a280a2c11e61ff9c 644 b
+(the rawcommit command is deprecated)
 05f9e54f4c9b86b09099803d8b49a50edcb4eaab 644 a
 54837d97f2932a8194e69745a280a2c11e61ff9c 644 b
 76d5e637cbec1bcc04a5a3fa4bcc7d13f6847c00 644 c
@@ -9,6 +10,7 @@ user:        test
 date:        Thu Jan  1 00:00:00 1970 +0000
 summary:     2
 
+(the rawcommit command is deprecated)
 05f9e54f4c9b86b09099803d8b49a50edcb4eaab 644 a
 76d5e637cbec1bcc04a5a3fa4bcc7d13f6847c00 644 c
 changeset:   3:142428fbbcc5
@@ -17,6 +19,7 @@ user:        test
 date:        Thu Jan  1 00:00:00 1970 +0000
 summary:     3
 
+(the rawcommit command is deprecated)
 d6e3c4976c13feb1728cd3ac851abaf7256a5c23 644 a
 76d5e637cbec1bcc04a5a3fa4bcc7d13f6847c00 644 c
 changeset:   4:4d450f9aa680
@@ -25,6 +28,7 @@ user:        test
 date:        Thu Jan  1 00:00:00 1970 +0000
 summary:     4
 
+(the rawcommit command is deprecated)
 05f9e54f4c9b86b09099803d8b49a50edcb4eaab 644 a
 54837d97f2932a8194e69745a280a2c11e61ff9c 644 b
 3570202ceac2b52517df64ebd0a062cb0d8fe33a 644 c
@@ -33,6 +37,7 @@ user:        test
 date:        Thu Jan  1 00:00:00 1970 +0000
 summary:     4
 
+(the rawcommit command is deprecated)
 d6e3c4976c13feb1728cd3ac851abaf7256a5c23 644 a
 76d5e637cbec1bcc04a5a3fa4bcc7d13f6847c00 644 c
 changeset:   6:b4b8b9afa8cc
@@ -43,6 +48,7 @@ user:        test
 date:        Thu Jan  1 00:00:00 1970 +0000
 summary:     6
 
+(the rawcommit command is deprecated)
 d6e3c4976c13feb1728cd3ac851abaf7256a5c23 644 a
 76d5e637cbec1bcc04a5a3fa4bcc7d13f6847c00 644 c
 changeset:   7:f84d0b1b024e