diff --git a/src/corelib/kernel/qobject.cpp b/src/corelib/kernel/qobject.cpp
index d2a3d957e94..36c108b697f 100644
--- a/src/corelib/kernel/qobject.cpp
+++ b/src/corelib/kernel/qobject.cpp
@@ -1820,12 +1820,15 @@ void QObject::killTimer(int id)
 /*!
     \fn template<typename T> QList<T> QObject::findChildren(const QRegExp &regExp, Qt::FindChildOptions options) const
     \overload findChildren()
+    \obsolete
 
     Returns the children of this object that can be cast to type T
     and that have names matching the regular expression \a regExp,
     or an empty list if there are no such objects.
     The search is performed recursively, unless \a options specifies the
     option FindDirectChildrenOnly.
+
+    Use the findChildren overload taking a QRegularExpression instead.
 */
 
 /*!
diff --git a/src/corelib/kernel/qobject.h b/src/corelib/kernel/qobject.h
index 9ae6155f52a..52c1b8e5559 100644
--- a/src/corelib/kernel/qobject.h
+++ b/src/corelib/kernel/qobject.h
@@ -176,7 +176,9 @@ public:
     }
 
 #ifndef QT_NO_REGEXP
+#if QT_DEPRECATED_SINCE(5, 13)
     template<typename T>
+    QT_DEPRECATED_X("Use findChildren(const RegularExpression &, ...) instead.")
     inline QList<T> findChildren(const QRegExp &re, Qt::FindChildOptions options = Qt::FindChildrenRecursively) const
     {
         typedef typename std::remove_cv<typename std::remove_pointer<T>::type>::type ObjType;
@@ -186,6 +188,7 @@ public:
         return list;
     }
 #endif
+#endif
 
 #if QT_CONFIG(regularexpression)
     template<typename T>