diff --git a/CHANGES.txt b/CHANGES.txt
index 6211673a529..b4face2de1b 100644
--- a/CHANGES.txt
+++ b/CHANGES.txt
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ Release 0.91.0 - Unreleased
    HBASE-4233  Update protobuf dependency to 2.4.0a (todd)
    HBASE-4299  Update to Avro 1.5.3 and use Avro Maven plugin to generate
                Avro classes. (Alejandro Abdelnur)
+   HBASE-4369  Deprecate HConnection#getZookeeperWatcher in prep for HBASE-1762
 
   BUG FIXES
    HBASE-3280  YouAreDeadException being swallowed in HRS getMaster
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/client/HConnection.java b/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/client/HConnection.java
index 0a98085173c..ed6027c6aa2 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/client/HConnection.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/client/HConnection.java
@@ -68,6 +68,8 @@ public interface HConnection extends Abortable, Closeable {
    * Retrieve ZooKeeperWatcher used by this connection.
    * @return ZooKeeperWatcher handle being used by the connection.
    * @throws IOException if a remote or network exception occurs
+   * @deprecated Removed because it was a mistake exposing zookeeper in this
+   * interface (ZooKeeper is an implementation detail).
    */
   public ZooKeeperWatcher getZooKeeperWatcher() throws IOException;