diff --git a/fftools/ffmpeg.c b/fftools/ffmpeg.c
index ceb26145a3..e57486fd4a 100644
--- a/fftools/ffmpeg.c
+++ b/fftools/ffmpeg.c
@@ -2713,12 +2713,14 @@ static int init_output_stream_streamcopy(OutputStream *ost)
         }
     }
 
+#if FFMPEG_ROTATION_METADATA
     if (ost->rotate_overridden) {
         uint8_t *sd = av_stream_new_side_data(ost->st, AV_PKT_DATA_DISPLAYMATRIX,
                                               sizeof(int32_t) * 9);
         if (sd)
             av_display_rotation_set((int32_t *)sd, -ost->rotate_override_value);
     }
+#endif
 
     switch (par->codec_type) {
     case AVMEDIA_TYPE_AUDIO:
diff --git a/fftools/ffmpeg.h b/fftools/ffmpeg.h
index 13a2100439..2dcce45741 100644
--- a/fftools/ffmpeg.h
+++ b/fftools/ffmpeg.h
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@
 #define FFMPEG_OPT_PSNR 1
 #define FFMPEG_OPT_MAP_CHANNEL 1
 #define FFMPEG_OPT_MAP_SYNC 1
+#define FFMPEG_ROTATION_METADATA 1
 
 enum VideoSyncMethod {
     VSYNC_AUTO = -1,
@@ -532,11 +533,15 @@ typedef struct OutputStream {
     int is_cfr;
     int force_fps;
     int top_field_first;
+#if FFMPEG_ROTATION_METADATA
     int rotate_overridden;
+#endif
     int autoscale;
     int bitexact;
     int bits_per_raw_sample;
+#if FFMPEG_ROTATION_METADATA
     double rotate_override_value;
+#endif
 
     AVRational frame_aspect_ratio;
 
diff --git a/fftools/ffmpeg_mux_init.c b/fftools/ffmpeg_mux_init.c
index aa958052d1..c8b2552104 100644
--- a/fftools/ffmpeg_mux_init.c
+++ b/fftools/ffmpeg_mux_init.c
@@ -1321,6 +1321,7 @@ static void of_add_metadata(OutputFile *of, AVFormatContext *oc,
             for (int j = 0; j < oc->nb_streams; j++) {
                 OutputStream *ost = of->streams[j];
                 if ((ret = check_stream_specifier(oc, oc->streams[j], stream_spec)) > 0) {
+#if FFMPEG_ROTATION_METADATA
                     if (!strcmp(o->metadata[i].u.str, "rotate")) {
                         char *tail;
                         double theta = av_strtod(val, &tail);
@@ -1328,9 +1329,18 @@ static void of_add_metadata(OutputFile *of, AVFormatContext *oc,
                             ost->rotate_overridden = 1;
                             ost->rotate_override_value = theta;
                         }
+
+                        av_log(NULL, AV_LOG_WARNING,
+                               "Conversion of a 'rotate' metadata key to a "
+                               "proper display matrix rotation is deprecated. "
+                               "See -display_rotation for setting rotation "
+                               "instead.");
                     } else {
+#endif
                         av_dict_set(&oc->streams[j]->metadata, o->metadata[i].u.str, *val ? val : NULL, 0);
+#if FFMPEG_ROTATION_METADATA
                     }
+#endif
                 } else if (ret < 0)
                     exit_program(1);
             }