diff --git a/spec/dock-spec.js b/spec/dock-spec.js
index f9b8a5326..e554094f2 100644
--- a/spec/dock-spec.js
+++ b/spec/dock-spec.js
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 /** @babel */
 
+const Grim = require('grim')
+
 import {it, fit, ffit, fffit, beforeEach, afterEach} from './async-spec-helpers'
 
 describe('Dock', () => {
@@ -329,4 +331,13 @@ describe('Dock', () => {
       expect(() => atom.workspace.getElement().handleDragStart(dragEvent)).not.toThrow()
     })
   })
+
+  describe('::getActiveTextEditor()', () => {
+    it('is deprecated', () => {
+      spyOn(Grim, 'deprecate')
+
+      atom.workspace.getLeftDock().getActiveTextEditor()
+      expect(Grim.deprecate.callCount).toBe(1)
+    })
+  })
 })
diff --git a/src/dock.js b/src/dock.js
index cc6d0bcf2..f354f1b90 100644
--- a/src/dock.js
+++ b/src/dock.js
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ const _ = require('underscore-plus')
 const {CompositeDisposable} = require('event-kit')
 const PaneContainer = require('./pane-container')
 const TextEditor = require('./text-editor')
+const Grim = require('grim')
 
 const MINIMUM_SIZE = 100
 const DEFAULT_INITIAL_SIZE = 300
@@ -590,11 +591,13 @@ module.exports = class Dock {
     return this.paneContainer.getTextEditors()
   }
 
-  // Essential: Get the active item if it is a {TextEditor}.
+  // Deprecated: Get the active item if it is a {TextEditor}.
   //
   // Returns a {TextEditor} or `undefined` if the current active item is not a
   // {TextEditor}.
   getActiveTextEditor () {
+    Grim.deprecate('Text editors are not allowed in docks. Use atom.workspace.getActiveTextEditor() instead.')
+
     const activeItem = this.getActivePaneItem()
     if (activeItem instanceof TextEditor) { return activeItem }
   }