diff --git a/manifests/init.pp b/manifests/init.pp
index 4adbbdd0..d247e7ae 100644
--- a/manifests/init.pp
+++ b/manifests/init.pp
@@ -8,10 +8,6 @@
 #   (optional) The state of gnocchi packages
 #   Defaults to 'present'
 #
-# [*database_connection*]
-#   (optional) Connection url for the gnocchi database.
-#   Defaults to undef.
-#
 # [*coordination_url*]
 #   (optional) The url to use for distributed group membership coordination.
 #   Defaults to $::os_service_default.
@@ -21,16 +17,28 @@
 #   in the gnocchi config.
 #   Defaults to false.
 #
+# DEPRECATED PARAMETERS
+#
+# [*database_connection*]
+#   (optional) Connection url for the gnocchi database.
+#   Defaults to undef.
+#
 class gnocchi (
   $package_ensure      = 'present',
-  $database_connection = undef,
   $coordination_url    = $::os_service_default,
   $purge_config        = false,
+  # DEPRECATED PARAMETERS
+  $database_connection = undef,
 ) inherits gnocchi::params {
 
   include gnocchi::deps
   include gnocchi::db
 
+  if $database_connection {
+    warning('The gnocchi::database_connection parameter is deprecated. \
+Use gnocchi::db::database_connection instead.')
+  }
+
   package { 'gnocchi':
     ensure => $package_ensure,
     name   => $::gnocchi::params::common_package_name,
diff --git a/releasenotes/notes/deprecate-gnocchi-database_connection-65d47012e2bd0579.yaml b/releasenotes/notes/deprecate-gnocchi-database_connection-65d47012e2bd0579.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..dbd90a1d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/releasenotes/notes/deprecate-gnocchi-database_connection-65d47012e2bd0579.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+deprecations:
+  - |
+    The gnocchi::database_connection was deperecated. Use the
+    gnocchi::db::database_connection parameter instead.