diff --git a/config/sampler_config.go b/config/sampler_config.go
index b4a72ddc73..053c9a30a3 100644
--- a/config/sampler_config.go
+++ b/config/sampler_config.go
@@ -41,6 +41,73 @@ func (v *V2SamplerChoice) Sampler() (any, string) {
 	}
 }
 
+// This looks through the list of samplers and finds samplers that have
+// sample rates that are nontrivial. The point of this is to determine which
+// samplers are meaningful to report as ones the user might want to adjust
+// because the way that sample rates are computed has changed. It's used
+// by the rules converter.
+func (v *V2SamplerChoice) NameMeaningfulSamplers() []string {
+	names := make(map[string]struct{})
+	switch {
+	case v.DeterministicSampler != nil:
+		names["DeterministicSampler"] = struct{}{}
+	case v.RulesBasedSampler != nil:
+		for _, rule := range v.RulesBasedSampler.Rules {
+			if rule.Sampler != nil {
+				if rule.SampleRate > 1 {
+					names[fmt.Sprintf("RulesBasedSampler(%s)", rule.Name)] = struct{}{}
+				} else if rule.Sampler.NameMeaningfulRate() != "" {
+					names[fmt.Sprintf("RulesBasedSampler(%s, downstream Sampler %s)", rule.Name, rule.Sampler.NameMeaningfulRate())] = struct{}{}
+				}
+			}
+		}
+	case v.DynamicSampler != nil:
+		names["DynamicSampler"] = struct{}{}
+	case v.EMADynamicSampler != nil:
+		names["EMADynamicSampler"] = struct{}{}
+	case v.EMAThroughputSampler != nil:
+		names["EMAThroughputSampler"] = struct{}{}
+	case v.WindowedThroughputSampler != nil:
+		names["WindowedThroughputSampler"] = struct{}{}
+	case v.TotalThroughputSampler != nil:
+		names["TotalThroughputSampler"] = struct{}{}
+	default:
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	r := make([]string, 0, len(names))
+	for name := range names {
+		r = append(r, name)
+	}
+	return r
+}
+
+func (v *RulesBasedDownstreamSampler) NameMeaningfulRate() string {
+	switch {
+	case v.DynamicSampler != nil:
+		if v.DynamicSampler.SampleRate > 1 {
+			return "DynamicSampler"
+		}
+	case v.EMADynamicSampler != nil:
+		if v.EMADynamicSampler.GoalSampleRate > 1 {
+			return "EMADynamicSampler"
+		}
+	case v.EMAThroughputSampler != nil:
+		if v.EMAThroughputSampler.GoalThroughputPerSec > 1 {
+			return "EMAThroughputSampler"
+		}
+	case v.WindowedThroughputSampler != nil:
+		if v.WindowedThroughputSampler.GoalThroughputPerSec > 0 {
+			return "WindowedThroughputSampler"
+		}
+	case v.TotalThroughputSampler != nil:
+		if v.TotalThroughputSampler.GoalThroughputPerSec > 0 {
+			return "TotalThroughputSampler"
+		}
+	}
+	return ""
+}
+
 type V2SamplerConfig struct {
 	RulesVersion int                         `json:"rulesversion" yaml:"RulesVersion" validate:"required,ge=2"`
 	Samplers     map[string]*V2SamplerChoice `json:"samplers" yaml:"Samplers,omitempty" validate:"required"`
diff --git a/tools/convert/ruleconvert.go b/tools/convert/ruleconvert.go
index 0fdda7b072..bce33a69b0 100644
--- a/tools/convert/ruleconvert.go
+++ b/tools/convert/ruleconvert.go
@@ -116,6 +116,17 @@ func getValueForCaseInsensitiveKey[T any](m map[string]any, key string, def T) (
 	return def, false
 }
 
+func CheckConfigForSampleRateChanges(cfg *config.V2SamplerConfig) map[string][]string {
+	warnings := make(map[string][]string)
+	for name, v := range cfg.Samplers {
+		meaningfuls := v.NameMeaningfulSamplers()
+		if len(meaningfuls) > 0 {
+			warnings[name] = meaningfuls
+		}
+	}
+	return warnings
+}
+
 func ConvertRules(rules map[string]any, w io.Writer) {
 	// get the sampler type for the default rule
 	defaultSamplerType, _ := getValueForCaseInsensitiveKey(rules, "sampler", "DeterministicSampler")
@@ -159,4 +170,29 @@ func ConvertRules(rules map[string]any, w io.Writer) {
 
 	w.Write([]byte(fmt.Sprintf("# Automatically generated on %s\n", time.Now().Format(time.RFC3339))))
 	yaml.NewEncoder(w).Encode(newConfig)
+
+	warningText := `
+WARNING: Version 2 of Refinery has changed the way that sample rates are calculated for
+the dynamic and throughput samplers. Refinery v1.x was documented as counting the number
+of spans, but in fact it was counting traces. Version 2 samplers correctly count the
+number of spans when doing these calculations.
+
+This means that you may need to adjust the target throughput or sample rates to get the
+same behavior as before.
+
+When using v1, if you have had difficulty reaching your target throughput or sample rates,
+or if different parts of your key space vary widely in their span counts, then there is a
+good chance you should lower the target values in v2.
+
+The following parts of your configuration should be checked:`
+
+	thingsToWarnAbout := CheckConfigForSampleRateChanges(newConfig)
+	if len(thingsToWarnAbout) > 0 {
+		fmt.Println(warningText)
+		for k, v := range thingsToWarnAbout {
+			for _, s := range v {
+				fmt.Printf(" *  %s: %s\n", k, s)
+			}
+		}
+	}
 }