diff --git a/base/java-tools/src/com/netscape/cmstools/cli/MainCLI.java b/base/java-tools/src/com/netscape/cmstools/cli/MainCLI.java
index ac71b5b331a..ff107bdd0fd 100644
--- a/base/java-tools/src/com/netscape/cmstools/cli/MainCLI.java
+++ b/base/java-tools/src/com/netscape/cmstools/cli/MainCLI.java
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@
 import com.netscape.cmstools.system.SecurityDomainCLI;
 import com.netscape.cmstools.tks.TKSCLI;
 import com.netscape.cmstools.tps.TPSCLI;
-import com.netscape.cmstools.user.UserCLI;
+import com.netscape.cmstools.user.ProxyUserCLI;
 import com.netscape.cmsutil.crypto.CryptoUtil;
 import com.netscape.cmsutil.crypto.CryptoUtil.SSLVersion;
 
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ public MainCLI() throws Exception {
         addModule(new ProxyCLI(new GroupCLI(this), "ca"));
         addModule(new ProxyCLI(new KeyCLI(this), "kra"));
         addModule(new ProxyCLI(new SecurityDomainCLI(this), "ca"));
-        addModule(new ProxyCLI(new UserCLI(this), "ca"));
+        addModule(new ProxyUserCLI(this));
 
         addModule(new CACLI(this));
         addModule(new KRACLI(this));
diff --git a/base/java-tools/src/com/netscape/cmstools/user/ProxyUserCLI.java b/base/java-tools/src/com/netscape/cmstools/user/ProxyUserCLI.java
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..a78f8815f00
--- /dev/null
+++ b/base/java-tools/src/com/netscape/cmstools/user/ProxyUserCLI.java
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+// --- BEGIN COPYRIGHT BLOCK ---
+// This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
+// it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+// the Free Software Foundation; version 2 of the License.
+//
+// This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+// but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+// MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+// GNU General Public License for more details.
+//
+// You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along
+// with this program; if not, write to the Free Software Foundation, Inc.,
+// 51 Franklin Street, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA 02110-1301 USA.
+//
+// (C) 2018 Red Hat, Inc.
+// All rights reserved.
+// --- END COPYRIGHT BLOCK ---
+
+package com.netscape.cmstools.user;
+
+import com.netscape.cmstools.cli.CLI;
+import com.netscape.cmstools.cli.ProxyCLI;
+
+/**
+ * @deprecated pki user has been deprecated. Use pki <subsystem>-user instead.
+ */
+@Deprecated
+public class ProxyUserCLI extends ProxyCLI {
+
+    public ProxyUserCLI(CLI parent) {
+        super(new UserCLI(parent), "ca");
+    }
+
+    public void execute(String[] args) throws Exception {
+        System.err.println("WARNING: pki user has been deprecated. Use pki <subsystem>-user instead.");
+        super.execute(args);
+    }
+}