diff --git a/src/context-menu-manager.coffee b/src/context-menu-manager.coffee
index bd5ff943e..0fdcf4ab6 100644
--- a/src/context-menu-manager.coffee
+++ b/src/context-menu-manager.coffee
@@ -105,9 +105,9 @@ class ContextMenuManager
       # Detect deprecated file path as first argument
       if itemsBySelector? and typeof itemsBySelector isnt 'object'
         Grim.deprecate """
-          ContextMenuManager::add has changed to take a single object as its
+          `ContextMenuManager::add` has changed to take a single object as its
           argument. Please see
-          https://atom.io/docs/api/latest/ContextMenuManager for more info.
+          https://atom.io/docs/api/latest/ContextMenuManager#context-menu-cson-format for more info.
         """
         itemsBySelector = arguments[1]
         devMode = arguments[2]?.devMode
@@ -116,9 +116,9 @@ class ContextMenuManager
       for key, value of itemsBySelector
         unless _.isArray(value)
           Grim.deprecate """
-            ContextMenuManager::add has changed to take a single object as its
+            `ContextMenuManager::add` has changed to take a single object as its
             argument. Please see
-            https://atom.io/docs/api/latest/ContextMenuManager for more info.
+            https://atom.io/docs/api/latest/ContextMenuManager#context-menu-cson-format for more info.
           """
           itemsBySelector = @convertLegacyItemsBySelector(itemsBySelector, devMode)
 
diff --git a/src/package.coffee b/src/package.coffee
index a395dfb14..b16e76ba0 100644
--- a/src/package.coffee
+++ b/src/package.coffee
@@ -191,7 +191,20 @@ class Package
 
     for [menuPath, map] in @menus when map['context-menu']?
       try
-        @activationDisposables.add(atom.contextMenu.add(map['context-menu']))
+        itemsBySelector = map['context-menu']
+
+        if includeDeprecatedAPIs
+          # Detect deprecated format for items object
+          for key, value of itemsBySelector
+            unless _.isArray(value)
+              deprecate("""
+                The context menu CSON format has changed. Please see
+                https://atom.io/docs/api/latest/ContextMenuManager#context-menu-cson-format
+                for more info.
+              """, {packageName: @name})
+              itemsBySelector = atom.contextMenu.convertLegacyItemsBySelector(itemsBySelector)
+
+        @activationDisposables.add(atom.contextMenu.add(itemsBySelector))
       catch error
         if error.code is 'EBADSELECTOR'
           error.message += " in #{menuPath}"