diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index bdd5b58b67..cf4a706bab 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -144,8 +144,10 @@ branches:
       required_status_checks:
         # Required. Require branches to be up to date before merging.
         strict: true
-        # Required. The list of status checks to require in order to merge into this branch
+        # Required. Deprecated. The list of status checks to require in order to merge into this branch. If any of these checks have recently been set by a particular GitHub App, they will be required to come from that app in future for the branch to merge. Use checks instead of contexts for more fine-grained control.
         contexts: []
+        # The list of status checks to require in order to merge into this branch
+        checks: []
       # Required. Enforce all configured restrictions for administrators. Set to true to enforce required status checks for repository administrators. Set to null to disable.
       enforce_admins: true
       # Prevent merge commits from being pushed to matching branches
diff --git a/test/unit/lib/mergeArrayByName.test.js b/test/unit/lib/mergeArrayByName.test.js
index e8b5a96a6d..811e43df41 100644
--- a/test/unit/lib/mergeArrayByName.test.js
+++ b/test/unit/lib/mergeArrayByName.test.js
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ describe('mergeArrayByName', () => {
         required_status_checks:
           strict: true
           contexts: []
+          checks: []
         enforce_admins: false
         restrictions:
   `)
@@ -67,7 +68,11 @@ describe('mergeArrayByName', () => {
             require_code_owner_reviews: true,
             dismissal_restrictions: {}
           },
-         required_status_checks: { strict: true, contexts: [] },
+         required_status_checks: {
+           strict: true,
+           contexts: [],
+           checks: []
+         },
          enforce_admins: false,
          restrictions: null
        }