diff --git a/lib/model-builder.js b/lib/model-builder.js
index 7063915f..9c56c571 100644
--- a/lib/model-builder.js
+++ b/lib/model-builder.js
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ var inflection = require('inflection');
 var EventEmitter = require('events').EventEmitter;
 var util = require('util');
 var assert = require('assert');
+var deprecated = require('depd')('loopback-datasource-juggler');
 var DefaultModelBaseClass = require('./model.js');
 var List = require('./list.js');
 var ModelDefinition = require('./model-definition.js');
@@ -182,7 +183,20 @@ ModelBuilder.prototype.define = function defineClass(className, properties, sett
     events.setMaxListeners(32);
     for (var f in EventEmitter.prototype) {
       if (typeof EventEmitter.prototype[f] === 'function') {
-        ModelClass[f] = EventEmitter.prototype[f].bind(events);
+        if (f !== 'on') {
+          ModelClass[f] = EventEmitter.prototype[f].bind(events);
+          continue;
+        }
+
+        // report deprecation warnings at the time Model.on() is called
+        ModelClass.on = function(event) {
+          if (['changed', 'deleted', 'deletedAll'].indexOf(event) !== -1) {
+            deprecated(this.modelName + '\'s event "' + event + '" ' +
+              'is deprecated, use Operation hooks instead. ' +
+              'http://docs.strongloop.com/display/LB/Operation+hooks');
+          }
+          EventEmitter.prototype.on.apply(events, arguments);
+        };
       }
     }
     hiddenProperty(ModelClass, 'modelName', className);