diff --git a/lib/db/services.php b/lib/db/services.php
index 346ea3c811f08..46796938e7f39 100644
--- a/lib/db/services.php
+++ b/lib/db/services.php
@@ -1037,7 +1037,8 @@
         'classname' => 'core_message_external',
         'methodname' => 'data_for_messagearea_contacts',
         'classpath' => 'message/externallib.php',
-        'description' => 'Retrieve the template data for the contact list',
+        'description' => '** DEPRECATED ** Please do not call this function any more.
+                          Retrieve the template data for the contact list',
         'type' => 'read',
         'ajax' => true,
         'services' => array(MOODLE_OFFICIAL_MOBILE_SERVICE),
@@ -1046,7 +1047,8 @@
         'classname' => 'core_message_external',
         'methodname' => 'data_for_messagearea_messages',
         'classpath' => 'message/externallib.php',
-        'description' => 'Retrieve the template data for the messages',
+        'description' => '** DEPRECATED ** Please do not call this function any more.
+                          Retrieve the template data for the messages',
         'type' => 'read',
         'ajax' => true,
         'services' => array(MOODLE_OFFICIAL_MOBILE_SERVICE),
@@ -1055,7 +1057,8 @@
         'classname' => 'core_message_external',
         'methodname' => 'data_for_messagearea_get_most_recent_message',
         'classpath' => 'message/externallib.php',
-        'description' => 'Retrieve the template data for the most recent message',
+        'description' => '** DEPRECATED ** Please do not call this function any more.
+                          Retrieve the template data for the most recent message',
         'type' => 'read',
         'ajax' => true,
     ),
@@ -1063,7 +1066,8 @@
         'classname' => 'core_message_external',
         'methodname' => 'data_for_messagearea_get_profile',
         'classpath' => 'message/externallib.php',
-        'description' => 'Retrieve the template data for the users\'s profile',
+        'description' => '** DEPRECATED ** Please do not call this function any more.
+                          Retrieve the template data for the users\'s profile',
         'type' => 'read',
         'ajax' => true,
     ),
diff --git a/message/externallib.php b/message/externallib.php
index af3740a426d35..d73a879048d10 100644
--- a/message/externallib.php
+++ b/message/externallib.php
@@ -1590,6 +1590,7 @@ public static function data_for_messagearea_conversations_is_deprecated() {
     /**
      * The messagearea contacts return parameters.
      *
+     * @deprecated since 3.6
      * @return external_function_parameters
      * @since 3.2
      */
@@ -1600,6 +1601,7 @@ public static function data_for_messagearea_contacts_parameters() {
     /**
      * Get messagearea contacts parameters.
      *
+     * @deprecated since 3.6
      * @param int $userid The id of the user who we are viewing conversations for
      * @param int $limitfrom
      * @param int $limitnum
@@ -1639,6 +1641,7 @@ public static function data_for_messagearea_contacts($userid, $limitfrom = 0, $l
     /**
      * The messagearea contacts return structure.
      *
+     * @deprecated since 3.6
      * @return external_single_structure
      * @since 3.2
      */
@@ -1646,9 +1649,19 @@ public static function data_for_messagearea_contacts_returns() {
         return self::data_for_messagearea_conversations_returns();
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Marking the method as deprecated.
+     *
+     * @return bool
+     */
+    public static function data_for_messagearea_contacts_is_deprecated() {
+        return true;
+    }
+
     /**
      * The messagearea messages parameters.
      *
+     * @deprecated since 3.6
      * @return external_function_parameters
      * @since 3.2
      */
@@ -1669,6 +1682,7 @@ public static function data_for_messagearea_messages_parameters() {
     /**
      * Get messagearea messages.
      *
+     * @deprecated since 3.6
      * @param int $currentuserid The current user's id
      * @param int $otheruserid The other user's id
      * @param int $limitfrom
@@ -1741,6 +1755,7 @@ public static function data_for_messagearea_messages($currentuserid, $otheruseri
     /**
      * The messagearea messages return structure.
      *
+     * @deprecated since 3.6
      * @return external_single_structure
      * @since 3.2
      */
@@ -1762,6 +1777,15 @@ public static function data_for_messagearea_messages_returns() {
         );
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Marking the method as deprecated.
+     *
+     * @return bool
+     */
+    public static function data_for_messagearea_messages_is_deprecated() {
+        return true;
+    }
+
     /**
      * The conversation messages parameters.
      *
@@ -1867,6 +1891,7 @@ public static function get_conversation_messages_returns() {
     /**
      * The get most recent message return parameters.
      *
+     * @deprecated since 3.6
      * @return external_function_parameters
      * @since 3.2
      */
@@ -1882,6 +1907,7 @@ public static function data_for_messagearea_get_most_recent_message_parameters()
     /**
      * Get the most recent message in a conversation.
      *
+     * @deprecated since 3.6
      * @param int $currentuserid The current user's id
      * @param int $otheruserid The other user's id
      * @return stdClass
@@ -1919,6 +1945,7 @@ public static function data_for_messagearea_get_most_recent_message($currentuser
     /**
      * The get most recent message return structure.
      *
+     * @deprecated since 3.6
      * @return external_single_structure
      * @since 3.2
      */
@@ -1926,9 +1953,19 @@ public static function data_for_messagearea_get_most_recent_message_returns() {
         return self::get_messagearea_message_structure();
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Marking the method as deprecated.
+     *
+     * @return bool
+     */
+    public static function data_for_messagearea_get_most_recent_message_is_deprecated() {
+        return true;
+    }
+
     /**
      * The get profile parameters.
      *
+     * @deprecated since 3.6
      * @return external_function_parameters
      * @since 3.2
      */
@@ -1944,6 +1981,7 @@ public static function data_for_messagearea_get_profile_parameters() {
     /**
      * Get the profile information for a contact.
      *
+     * @deprecated since 3.6
      * @param int $currentuserid The current user's id
      * @param int $otheruserid The id of the user whose profile we are viewing
      * @return stdClass
@@ -1981,6 +2019,7 @@ public static function data_for_messagearea_get_profile($currentuserid, $otherus
     /**
      * The get profile return structure.
      *
+     * @deprecated since 3.6
      * @return external_single_structure
      * @since 3.2
      */
@@ -2002,6 +2041,15 @@ public static function data_for_messagearea_get_profile_returns() {
         );
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Marking the method as deprecated.
+     *
+     * @return bool
+     */
+    public static function data_for_messagearea_get_profile_is_deprecated() {
+        return true;
+    }
+
     /**
      * Get contacts parameters description.
      *
diff --git a/message/upgrade.txt b/message/upgrade.txt
index eb7a159ddbd94..85232380fa53a 100644
--- a/message/upgrade.txt
+++ b/message/upgrade.txt
@@ -50,6 +50,10 @@ information provided here is intended especially for developers.
   - core_message_external::data_for_messagearea_search_users_in_course().
   - core_message_external::data_for_messagearea_search_users(),
     please use core_message_external::message_search_users() instead.
+  - core_message_external::data_for_messagearea_contacts().
+  - core_message_external::data_for_messagearea_messages().
+  - core_message_external::data_for_messagearea_get_most_recent_message().
+  - core_message_external::data_for_messagearea_get_profile().
 * The following function has been added for getting the privacy messaging preference:
   - get_user_privacy_messaging_preference()