diff --git a/.changeset/rude-brooms-raise.md b/.changeset/rude-brooms-raise.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..6b5bd3ca3a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/rude-brooms-raise.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+'@backstage/core-plugin-api': patch
+---
+
+Tweaked the logged deprecation warning for `createRouteRef` to hopefully make it more clear.
diff --git a/packages/core-plugin-api/src/routing/RouteRef.ts b/packages/core-plugin-api/src/routing/RouteRef.ts
index 26e63c8f3a..8bd3d604f6 100644
--- a/packages/core-plugin-api/src/routing/RouteRef.ts
+++ b/packages/core-plugin-api/src/routing/RouteRef.ts
@@ -59,21 +59,21 @@ export class RouteRefImpl<Params extends AnyParams>
     if (config.path) {
       // eslint-disable-next-line no-console
       console.warn(
-        `[core-plugin-api] - routeRefs no longer decide their own path, please remove the path for ${this.toString()}. This will be removed in upcoming versions.`,
+        `DEPRECATION WARNING: Passing a path to createRouteRef is deprecated, please remove the path for ${this}.`,
       );
     }
 
     if (config.icon) {
       // eslint-disable-next-line no-console
       console.warn(
-        `[core-plugin-api] - routeRefs no longer decide their own icon, please remove the icon for ${this.toString()}. This will be removed in upcoming versions.`,
+        `DEPRECATION WARNING: Passing an icon to createRouteRef is deprecated, please remove the icon for ${this}.`,
       );
     }
 
     if (config.title) {
       // eslint-disable-next-line no-console
       console.warn(
-        `[core-plugin-api] - routeRefs no longer decide their own title, please remove the title for ${this.toString()}. This will be removed in upcoming versions.`,
+        `DEPRECATION WARNING: Passing a title to createRouteRef is deprecated, please remove the title for ${this}.`,
       );
     }
   }