diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 939825ce..b02c4383 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -18,6 +18,9 @@ https://github.com/capistrano/capistrano/compare/v3.5.0...HEAD
   * Fix `NoMethodError: undefined method gsub` when setting `:application` to a
     Proc. [#1681](https://github.com/capistrano/capistrano/issues/1681)
     (@mattbrictson)
+  * Deprecate `:git_strategy`, `:hg_strategy`, and `:svn_strategy` variables.
+    These will be completely removed in 3.7.0. Refer to the
+    [upgrading doc](UPGRADING-3.7.md) for details.
 
 ## `3.5.0`
 
diff --git a/UPGRADING-3.7.md b/UPGRADING-3.7.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..75da2107
--- /dev/null
+++ b/UPGRADING-3.7.md
@@ -0,0 +1,97 @@
+# Capistrano 3.7.0 upgrade guide
+
+Capistrano 3.7.0 has not yet been released. This guide serves as a preview of
+what is *planned* for 3.7.0, so that you can be prepared to update your
+Capistrano deployment if necessary once it becomes available.
+
+If you wish to try the new 3.7.0 behavior today, you can do so by using the
+`master` branch in your Gemfile:
+
+```ruby
+gem "capistrano", :github => "capistrano/capistrano"
+```
+
+## The :scm variable is deprecated
+
+Up until now, Capistrano's SCM was configured using the `:scm` variable:
+
+```ruby
+# This is now deprecated
+set :scm, :svn
+```
+
+To avoid deprecation warnings:
+
+1. Remove `set :scm, ...` from your Capistrano configuration.
+2. Add *one* of the following SCM declarations to your `Capfile`:
+
+```ruby
+# To use Git
+require "capistrano/scm/git"
+install_plugin Capistrano::SCM::Git
+
+# To use Mercurial
+require "capistrano/scm/hg"
+install_plugin Capistrano::SCM::Hg
+
+# To use Subversion
+require "capistrano/scm/svn"
+install_plugin Capistrano::SCM::Svn
+```
+
+## This is the last release where Git is the automatic default
+
+If you do not specify an SCM, Capistrano assumes Git. However this behavior is
+now deprecated. Add this to your Capfile to avoid deprecation warnings:
+
+```ruby
+require "capistrano/scm/git"
+install_plugin Capistrano::SCM::Git
+```
+
+## :git_strategy, :hg_strategy, and :svn_strategy are removed
+
+Capistrano 3.7.0 has a rewritten SCM system that relies on "plugins". This
+system is more flexible than the old "strategy" system that only allowed certain
+parts of SCM tasks to be customized.
+
+If your deployment relies on a custom SCM strategy, you will need to rewrite
+that strategy to be a full-fledged SCM plugin instead. There is a fairly
+straightforward migration path: write your plugin to be a subclass of the
+built-in SCM that you want to customize. For example:
+
+```ruby
+require "capistrano/scm/git"
+
+class MyCustomGit < Capistrano::SCM::Git
+  # Override the methods you wish to customize, e.g.:
+  def clone_repo
+    # ...
+  end
+end
+```
+
+Then use your plugin in by loading it in the Capfile:
+
+```ruby
+require_relative "path/to/my_custom_git.rb"
+install_plugin MyCustomGit
+```
+
+## Existing third-party SCMs are deprecated
+
+If you are using a third-party SCM, you can continue using it without
+changes, but you will see deprecation warnings. Contact the maintainer of the
+third-party SCM gem and ask them about modifying the gem to work with the new
+Capistrano 3.7.0 SCM plugin system.
+
+## remote_file is removed
+
+The `remote_file` method is no longer in Capistrano 3.7.0. You can read the
+discussion that led to its removal here:
+[issue 762](https://github.com/capistrano/capistrano/issues/762).
+
+There is no direct replacement. To migrate to 3.7.0, you will need to rewrite
+any parts of your deployment that use `remote_file` to use a different
+mechanism for uploading files. Consider using the `upload!` method directly in
+a procedural fashion instead.
diff --git a/lib/capistrano/defaults.rb b/lib/capistrano/defaults.rb
index bbe3770d..a158f521 100644
--- a/lib/capistrano/defaults.rb
+++ b/lib/capistrano/defaults.rb
@@ -8,6 +8,16 @@ validate :application do |_key, value|
   end
 end
 
+[:git_strategy, :hg_strategy, :svn_strategy].each do |strategy|
+  validate(strategy) do |key, _value|
+    warn(
+      "[Deprecation Warning] #{key} is deprecated and will be removed in "\
+      "Capistrano 3.7.0.\n"\
+      "https://github.com/capistrano/capistrano/blob/master/UPGRADING-3.7.md"
+    )
+  end
+end
+
 set_if_empty :scm, :git
 set_if_empty :branch, "master"
 set_if_empty :deploy_to, -> { "/var/www/#{fetch(:application)}" }