diff --git a/rust2rpm/conf.py b/rust2rpm/conf.py
index 9b4905b..1e49c94 100644
--- a/rust2rpm/conf.py
+++ b/rust2rpm/conf.py
@@ -552,11 +552,12 @@ def load_config(features: set[str], target: str) -> TomlConf:
         log.error(str(exc))
         sys.exit(1)
 
-    log.warn(
-        "The rust2rpm.conf file format is deprecated and support for it will "
-        + "be removed in a future release of rust2rpm. Please migrate settings "
-        + "to the new TOML based format (rust2rpm.toml)."
-    )
+    if distconf.conf_file:
+        log.warn(
+            "The rust2rpm.conf file format is deprecated and support for it will "
+            + "be removed in a future release of rust2rpm. Please migrate settings "
+            + "to the new TOML based format (rust2rpm.toml)."
+        )
 
     tomlconf = TomlConf.from_conf(distconf)
     return tomlconf