diff --git a/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/cfg/HbmBinder.java b/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/cfg/HbmBinder.java
index 85e8917b8a..e19feea2ed 100644
--- a/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/cfg/HbmBinder.java
+++ b/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/cfg/HbmBinder.java
@@ -1403,6 +1403,12 @@ public final class HbmBinder {
 		if ( nodeName == null ) nodeName = node.attributeValue( "name" );
 		collection.setNodeName( nodeName );
 		String embed = node.attributeValue( "embed-xml" );
+		// sometimes embed is set to the default value when not specified in the mapping,
+		// so can't seem to determine if an attribute was explicitly set;
+		// log a warning if embed has a value different from the default.
+		if ( !StringHelper.isEmpty( embed ) &&  !"true".equals( embed ) ) {
+			LOG.embedXmlAttributesNoLongerSupported();
+		}
 		collection.setEmbedded( embed==null || "true".equals(embed) );
 
 
@@ -1626,6 +1632,12 @@ public final class HbmBinder {
 		manyToOne.setReferencedEntityName( getEntityName( node, mappings ) );
 
 		String embed = node.attributeValue( "embed-xml" );
+		// sometimes embed is set to the default value when not specified in the mapping,
+		// so can't seem to determine if an attribute was explicitly set;
+		// log a warning if embed has a value different from the default.
+		if ( !StringHelper.isEmpty( embed ) &&  !"true".equals( embed ) ) {
+			LOG.embedXmlAttributesNoLongerSupported();
+		}
 		manyToOne.setEmbedded( embed == null || "true".equals( embed ) );
 
 		String notFound = node.attributeValue( "not-found" );
@@ -1701,7 +1713,14 @@ public final class HbmBinder {
 		initOuterJoinFetchSetting( node, oneToOne );
 		initLaziness( node, oneToOne, mappings, true );
 
-		oneToOne.setEmbedded( "true".equals( node.attributeValue( "embed-xml" ) ) );
+		String embed = node.attributeValue( "embed-xml" );
+		// sometimes embed is set to the default value when not specified in the mapping,
+		// so can't seem to determine if an attribute was explicitly set;
+		// log a warning if embed has a value different from the default.
+		if ( !StringHelper.isEmpty( embed ) &&  !"true".equals( embed ) ) {
+			LOG.embedXmlAttributesNoLongerSupported();
+		}
+		oneToOne.setEmbedded( "true".equals( embed ) );
 
 		Attribute fkNode = node.attribute( "foreign-key" );
 		if ( fkNode != null ) oneToOne.setForeignKeyName( fkNode.getValue() );
@@ -1729,6 +1748,12 @@ public final class HbmBinder {
 		oneToMany.setReferencedEntityName( getEntityName( node, mappings ) );
 
 		String embed = node.attributeValue( "embed-xml" );
+		// sometimes embed is set to the default value when not specified in the mapping,
+		// so can't seem to determine if an attribute was explicitly set;
+		// log a warning if embed has a value different from the default.
+		if ( !StringHelper.isEmpty( embed ) &&  !"true".equals( embed ) ) {
+			LOG.embedXmlAttributesNoLongerSupported();
+		}
 		oneToMany.setEmbedded( embed == null || "true".equals( embed ) );
 
 		String notFound = node.attributeValue( "not-found" );
diff --git a/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/internal/CoreMessageLogger.java b/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/internal/CoreMessageLogger.java
index 9a0977558b..c1b09d9855 100644
--- a/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/internal/CoreMessageLogger.java
+++ b/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/internal/CoreMessageLogger.java
@@ -1601,4 +1601,12 @@ public interface CoreMessageLogger extends BasicLogger {
 	)
 	void aliasSpecificLockingWithFollowOnLocking(LockMode lockMode);
 
+	@LogMessage(level = WARN)
+	@Message(
+			value = "embed-xml attributes were intended to be used for DOM4J entity mode. Since that entity mode has been " +
+					"removed, embed-xml attributes are no longer supported and should be removed from mappings.",
+			id = 446
+	)
+	void embedXmlAttributesNoLongerSupported();
+
 }