diff --git a/joint_trajectory_controller/src/joint_trajectory_controller.cpp b/joint_trajectory_controller/src/joint_trajectory_controller.cpp
index c50180ee01..561fd903ac 100644
--- a/joint_trajectory_controller/src/joint_trajectory_controller.cpp
+++ b/joint_trajectory_controller/src/joint_trajectory_controller.cpp
@@ -930,6 +930,14 @@ controller_interface::CallbackReturn JointTrajectoryController::on_activate(
   {
     add_new_trajectory_msg(set_hold_position());
   }
+  else
+  {
+    RCLCPP_WARN(
+      get_node()->get_logger(),
+      "Parameter \"start_with_holding\" is deprecated. "
+      "It will be removed in a future release and start with holding position will be the default "
+      "behavior.");
+  }
   rt_is_holding_.writeFromNonRT(true);
 
   // parse timeout parameter
diff --git a/joint_trajectory_controller/src/joint_trajectory_controller_parameters.yaml b/joint_trajectory_controller/src/joint_trajectory_controller_parameters.yaml
index 083b362ab7..44330557c4 100644
--- a/joint_trajectory_controller/src/joint_trajectory_controller_parameters.yaml
+++ b/joint_trajectory_controller/src/joint_trajectory_controller_parameters.yaml
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ joint_trajectory_controller:
   start_with_holding: {
     type: bool,
     default_value: true,
-    description: "If true, start with holding position after activation. Otherwise, no command will be sent until the first trajectory is received.",
+    description: "(Deprecated) If true, start with holding position after activation. Otherwise, no command will be sent until the first trajectory is received.",
   }
   allow_nonzero_velocity_at_trajectory_end: {
     type: bool,