diff --git a/easybuild/tools/deprecate_utils.py b/easybuild/tools/deprecate_utils.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..d1c52c0d93
--- /dev/null
+++ b/easybuild/tools/deprecate_utils.py
@@ -0,0 +1,115 @@
+#
+# Copyright 2011-2026 Ghent University
+#
+# This file is part of EasyBuild,
+# originally created by the HPC team of Ghent University (http://ugent.be/hpc/en),
+# with support of Ghent University (http://ugent.be/hpc),
+# the Flemish Supercomputer Centre (VSC) (https://www.vscentrum.be),
+# Flemish Research Foundation (FWO) (http://www.fwo.be/en)
+# and the Department of Economy, Science and Innovation (EWI) (http://www.ewi-vlaanderen.be/en).
+#
+# https://github.com/easybuilders/easybuild
+#
+# EasyBuild is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+# it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+# the Free Software Foundation v2.
+#
+# EasyBuild is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+# but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+# MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+# GNU General Public License for more details.
+#
+# You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+# along with EasyBuild.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+#
+"""This module contains utility functions to deprecate EasyBuild features."""
+
+import inspect
+import functools
+
+from easybuild.base import fancylogger
+from easybuild.tools.version import VERSION
+
+_log = fancylogger.getLogger('_deprecated', fname=False)
+
+def deprecate_argument(old_arg, version, new_arg=None, msg=None):
+    """Deprecate an argument of a function. The decorator should be applied to the function with the old signature
+    and will log a deprecation warning if the old argument is used.
+
+    Args:
+        old_arg (str): Name of the deprecated argument.
+        version (str): Version in which the old argument will be removed.
+        new_arg (str): Name of the new argument. Defaults to None, which means the old argument will be removed without
+          replacement.
+        msg (str, optional): Custom message to display in the deprecation warning.
+    """
+    def decorator(func):
+        signature = inspect.signature(func)
+        params = list(signature.parameters)
+
+        try:
+            old_arg_index = params.index(old_arg)
+        except ValueError:
+            raise ValueError(f"Argument '{old_arg}' not found in function '{func.__name__}'")
+
+        # if new_arg is not None:
+        #     try:
+        #         new_arg_index = params.index(new_arg)
+        #     except ValueError:
+        #         raise ValueError(f"Argument '{new_arg}' not found in function '{func.__name__}'")
+        # TODO: this might only work if we have positional-only arguments
+        #     if old_arg_index != new_arg_index:
+        #         raise ValueError(
+        #             f"The new argument '{new_arg}' index should be the same as the old argument '{old_arg}' index "
+        #             f"when replacing it as a positional argument in function '{func.__name__}'"
+        #         )
+
+        @functools.wraps(func)
+        def wrapper(*args, **kwargs):
+            from easybuild.framework.easyblock import EasyBlock
+
+            if isinstance(args[0], EasyBlock):
+                log_func = functools.partial(args[0].log.deprecated, ver=version)
+            else:
+                log_func = functools.partial(_log.deprecated, cur_ver=VERSION, max_ver=version)
+
+            used = False
+            # If the argument would be passed as a positional argument and will be removed in the future
+            # attempt to insert a None value at the position of the old argument to check if the function is being
+            # called with the intended new signature or the old one (would cause TypeError if too many arguments
+            # are passed)
+            # TODO: this might not be fool-proof, eg if the function accepts other keyword arguments, it is possible
+            #   the signature.bind() call will succeed even if we are calling the function with the old signature
+            #   EG: def func(a, b, c=None): pass
+            #   func(1, 2) with a deprecated argument 'b' would succeed even if we insert None at the position of 'b'
+            #   not sure there is a way to better generalize this unless we start specifing keyword arguments as kw-only
+            if len(args) > old_arg_index and new_arg is None:
+                new_args = list(args)
+                try:
+                    new_args.insert(old_arg_index, None)
+                    signature.bind(*new_args, **kwargs)
+                except TypeError as e:
+                    used = True
+                    new_args = list(args)
+
+            if old_arg in kwargs:
+                used = True
+                value = kwargs.pop(old_arg)
+                if new_arg is not None:
+                    kwargs[new_arg] = value
+
+            if used:
+                if msg is None:
+                    _msg = f"Argument '{old_arg}' is deprecated in function '{func.__name__}' "
+                    if new_arg is not None:
+                        _msg += f", use '{new_arg}' instead"
+                    else:
+                        _msg += " and will be removed in future versions"
+                else:
+                    _msg = msg
+                log_func(_msg)
+
+            # print(f'Calling {func.__name__} with args: {new_args}, kwargs: {kwargs}')
+            return func(*new_args, **kwargs)
+        return wrapper
+    return decorator