diff --git a/spring-boot-project/spring-boot/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/context/config/DelegatingApplicationContextInitializer.java b/spring-boot-project/spring-boot/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/context/config/DelegatingApplicationContextInitializer.java
index 5f0cf707a7..a5bb72cf7a 100644
--- a/spring-boot-project/spring-boot/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/context/config/DelegatingApplicationContextInitializer.java
+++ b/spring-boot-project/spring-boot/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/context/config/DelegatingApplicationContextInitializer.java
@@ -38,7 +38,10 @@ import org.springframework.util.StringUtils;
  * @author Dave Syer
  * @author Phillip Webb
  * @since 1.0.0
+ *
+ * @deprecated since 3.2 for removal in 3.4 as property based initialization is no longer recommended
  */
+@Deprecated(since = "3.2.0", forRemoval = true)
 public class DelegatingApplicationContextInitializer
 		implements ApplicationContextInitializer<ConfigurableApplicationContext>, Ordered {
 
diff --git a/spring-boot-project/spring-boot/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/context/config/DelegatingApplicationListener.java b/spring-boot-project/spring-boot/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/context/config/DelegatingApplicationListener.java
index 634962b0b6..7933217851 100644
--- a/spring-boot-project/spring-boot/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/context/config/DelegatingApplicationListener.java
+++ b/spring-boot-project/spring-boot/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/context/config/DelegatingApplicationListener.java
@@ -40,7 +40,10 @@ import org.springframework.util.StringUtils;
  * @author Dave Syer
  * @author Phillip Webb
  * @since 1.0.0
+ *
+ * @deprecated since 3.2 for removal in 3.4 as property based initialization is no longer recommended
  */
+@Deprecated(since = "3.2.0", forRemoval = true)
 public class DelegatingApplicationListener implements ApplicationListener<ApplicationEvent>, Ordered {
 
 	// NOTE: Similar to org.springframework.web.context.ContextLoader
diff --git a/spring-boot-project/spring-boot/src/test/java/org/springframework/boot/context/config/DelegatingApplicationContextInitializerTests.java b/spring-boot-project/spring-boot/src/test/java/org/springframework/boot/context/config/DelegatingApplicationContextInitializerTests.java
index 748d1e65ce..2a3eb495ef 100644
--- a/spring-boot-project/spring-boot/src/test/java/org/springframework/boot/context/config/DelegatingApplicationContextInitializerTests.java
+++ b/spring-boot-project/spring-boot/src/test/java/org/springframework/boot/context/config/DelegatingApplicationContextInitializerTests.java
@@ -35,7 +35,10 @@ import static org.assertj.core.api.Assertions.assertThatIllegalArgumentException
  * Tests for {@link DelegatingApplicationContextInitializer}.
  *
  * @author Phillip Webb
+ *
+ * @deprecated since 3.2 for removal in 3.4 as property based initialization is no longer recommended
  */
+@Deprecated(since = "3.2.0", forRemoval = true)
 class DelegatingApplicationContextInitializerTests {
 
 	private final DelegatingApplicationContextInitializer initializer = new DelegatingApplicationContextInitializer();
diff --git a/spring-boot-project/spring-boot/src/test/java/org/springframework/boot/context/config/DelegatingApplicationListenerTests.java b/spring-boot-project/spring-boot/src/test/java/org/springframework/boot/context/config/DelegatingApplicationListenerTests.java
index 284c9377d4..0b63f1a563 100644
--- a/spring-boot-project/spring-boot/src/test/java/org/springframework/boot/context/config/DelegatingApplicationListenerTests.java
+++ b/spring-boot-project/spring-boot/src/test/java/org/springframework/boot/context/config/DelegatingApplicationListenerTests.java
@@ -36,7 +36,10 @@ import static org.assertj.core.api.Assertions.assertThat;
  * Tests for {@link DelegatingApplicationListener}.
  *
  * @author Dave Syer
+ *
+ * @deprecated since 3.2 for removal in 3.4 as property based initialization is no longer recommended
  */
+@Deprecated(since = "3.2.0", forRemoval = true)
 class DelegatingApplicationListenerTests {
 
 	private final DelegatingApplicationListener listener = new DelegatingApplicationListener();