diff --git a/Lib/sstruct.py b/Lib/sstruct.py
index aeb06c53f..075705f44 100644
--- a/Lib/sstruct.py
+++ b/Lib/sstruct.py
@@ -5,3 +5,10 @@ from fontTools.misc.py23 import *
 
 from fontTools.misc.sstruct import *
 from fontTools.misc.sstruct import __doc__
+
+import warnings
+
+warnings.warn(
+    "Importing the stand-alone `sstruct` module is deprecated. "
+    "Use `from fontTools.misc import sstruct` instead.",
+    stacklevel=2)
diff --git a/Lib/xmlWriter.py b/Lib/xmlWriter.py
index ddf244a49..a94230ff9 100644
--- a/Lib/xmlWriter.py
+++ b/Lib/xmlWriter.py
@@ -5,3 +5,10 @@ from fontTools.misc.py23 import *
 
 from fontTools.misc.xmlWriter import *
 from fontTools.misc.xmlWriter import __doc__
+
+import warnings
+
+warnings.warn(
+    "Importing the stand-alone `xmlWriter` module is deprecated. "
+    "Use `from fontTools.misc import xmlWriter` instead.",
+    stacklevel=2)