diff --git a/go/weed/master.go b/go/weed/master.go
index 1e2a6f0af..a6dcd363b 100644
--- a/go/weed/master.go
+++ b/go/weed/master.go
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ var (
 	masterPeers             = cmdMaster.Flag.String("peers", "", "other master nodes in comma separated ip:port list")
 	volumeSizeLimitMB       = cmdMaster.Flag.Uint("volumeSizeLimitMB", 30*1000, "Master stops directing writes to oversized volumes.")
 	mpulse                  = cmdMaster.Flag.Int("pulseSeconds", 5, "number of seconds between heartbeats")
-	confFile                = cmdMaster.Flag.String("conf", "/etc/weedfs/weedfs.conf", "xml configuration file")
+	confFile                = cmdMaster.Flag.String("conf", "/etc/weedfs/weedfs.conf", "Deprecating! xml configuration file")
 	defaultReplicaPlacement = cmdMaster.Flag.String("defaultReplication", "000", "Default replication type if not specified.")
 	mTimeout                = cmdMaster.Flag.Int("idleTimeout", 10, "connection idle seconds")
 	mMaxCpu                 = cmdMaster.Flag.Int("maxCpu", 0, "maximum number of CPUs. 0 means all available CPUs")