diff --git a/pmd-core/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/RuleSetFactory.java b/pmd-core/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/RuleSetFactory.java
index ce55b8a35f..cd22c8df74 100644
--- a/pmd-core/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/RuleSetFactory.java
+++ b/pmd-core/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/RuleSetFactory.java
@@ -626,7 +626,7 @@ public class RuleSetFactory {
         Rule rule = new RuleFactory(resourceLoader).buildRule(ruleElement);
         rule.setRuleSetName(ruleSetBuilder.getName());
 
-        if (StringUtils.isBlank(ruleElement.getAttribute("language"))) {
+        if (warnDeprecated && StringUtils.isBlank(ruleElement.getAttribute("language"))) {
             LOG.warning("Rule " + ruleSetReferenceId.getRuleSetFileName() + "/" + rule.getName() + " does not mention attribute"
                             + " language='" + rule.getLanguage().getTerseName() + "',"
                             + " please mention it explicitly to be compatible with PMD 7");