diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 161c75663b..1b0964eb74 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ Enable the rules that you would like to use.
 * [react/no-children-prop](docs/rules/no-children-prop.md): Prevent passing children as props
 * [react/no-danger](docs/rules/no-danger.md): Prevent usage of dangerous JSX properties
 * [react/no-danger-with-children](docs/rules/no-danger-with-children.md): Prevent problem with children and props.dangerouslySetInnerHTML
-* [react/no-deprecated](docs/rules/no-deprecated.md): Prevent usage of deprecated methods, including component lifecyle methods
+* [react/no-deprecated](docs/rules/no-deprecated.md): Prevent usage of deprecated methods
 * [react/no-did-mount-set-state](docs/rules/no-did-mount-set-state.md): Prevent usage of `setState` in `componentDidMount`
 * [react/no-did-update-set-state](docs/rules/no-did-update-set-state.md): Prevent usage of `setState` in `componentDidUpdate`
 * [react/no-direct-mutation-state](docs/rules/no-direct-mutation-state.md): Prevent direct mutation of `this.state`
diff --git a/docs/rules/no-deprecated.md b/docs/rules/no-deprecated.md
index 63076fed6e..77cf0ff7bb 100644
--- a/docs/rules/no-deprecated.md
+++ b/docs/rules/no-deprecated.md
@@ -27,27 +27,6 @@ const propTypes = {
 React.DOM.div();
 
 import React, { PropTypes } from 'react';
-
-class Foo extends React.Component {
-  componentWillMount() { }
-  componentWillReceiveProps() { }
-  componentWillUpdate() { }
-  // ...
-}
-
-class Foo extends React.PureComponent {
-  componentWillMount() { }
-  componentWillReceiveProps() { }
-  componentWillUpdate() { }
-  // ...
-}
-
-var Foo = createReactClass({
-  componentWillMount: function() {},
-  componentWillReceiveProps: function() {},
-  componentWillUpdate: function() {},
-  // ...
-})
 ```
 
 The following patterns are **not** considered warnings:
@@ -59,10 +38,4 @@ ReactDOM.render(<MyComponent />, root);
 ReactDOM.findDOMNode(this.refs.foo);
 
 import { PropTypes } from 'prop-types';
-
-class Foo {
-  componentWillMount() { }
-  componentWillReceiveProps() { }
-  componentWillUpdate() { }
-}
 ```
diff --git a/lib/rules/no-deprecated.js b/lib/rules/no-deprecated.js
index f5499deb7b..401c8df5aa 100644
--- a/lib/rules/no-deprecated.js
+++ b/lib/rules/no-deprecated.js
@@ -76,21 +76,27 @@ module.exports = {
       deprecated[`${pragma}.PropTypes`] = ['15.5.0', 'the npm module prop-types'];
       // 15.6.0
       deprecated[`${pragma}.DOM`] = ['15.6.0', 'the npm module react-dom-factories'];
-      // 16.3.0
+      // 16.999.0
+      // For now the following life-cycle methods are just legacy, not deprecated:
+      // `componentWillMount`, `componentWillReceiveProps`, `componentWillUpdate`
+      // https://github.com/yannickcr/eslint-plugin-react/pull/1750#issuecomment-425975934
       deprecated.componentWillMount = [
-        '16.3.0',
+        '16.999.0',
         'UNSAFE_componentWillMount',
-        'https://reactjs.org/docs/react-component.html#unsafe_componentwillmount'
+        'https://reactjs.org/docs/react-component.html#unsafe_componentwillmount. ' +
+        'Use https://github.com/reactjs/react-codemod#rename-unsafe-lifecycles to automatically update your components.'
       ];
       deprecated.componentWillReceiveProps = [
-        '16.3.0',
+        '16.999.0',
         'UNSAFE_componentWillReceiveProps',
-        'https://reactjs.org/docs/react-component.html#unsafe_componentwillreceiveprops'
+        'https://reactjs.org/docs/react-component.html#unsafe_componentwillreceiveprops. ' +
+        'Use https://github.com/reactjs/react-codemod#rename-unsafe-lifecycles to automatically update your components.'
       ];
       deprecated.componentWillUpdate = [
-        '16.3.0',
+        '16.999.0',
         'UNSAFE_componentWillUpdate',
-        'https://reactjs.org/docs/react-component.html#unsafe_componentwillupdate'
+        'https://reactjs.org/docs/react-component.html#unsafe_componentwillupdate. ' +
+        'Use https://github.com/reactjs/react-codemod#rename-unsafe-lifecycles to automatically update your components.'
       ];
       return deprecated;
     }
diff --git a/tests/lib/rules/no-deprecated.js b/tests/lib/rules/no-deprecated.js
index 221b49bc01..81a8812e7c 100644
--- a/tests/lib/rules/no-deprecated.js
+++ b/tests/lib/rules/no-deprecated.js
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ ruleTester.run('no-deprecated', rule, {
           componentWillUpdate() {}
         }
       `,
-      settings: {react: {version: '16.2.0'}}
+      settings: {react: {version: '16.998.0'}}
     }
   ],
 
@@ -219,8 +219,9 @@ ruleTester.run('no-deprecated', rule, {
       errors: [
         {
           message: errorMessage(
-            'componentWillMount', '16.3.0', 'UNSAFE_componentWillMount',
-            'https://reactjs.org/docs/react-component.html#unsafe_componentwillmount'
+            'componentWillMount', '16.999.0', 'UNSAFE_componentWillMount',
+            'https://reactjs.org/docs/react-component.html#unsafe_componentwillmount. ' +
+            'Use https://github.com/reactjs/react-codemod#rename-unsafe-lifecycles to automatically update your components.'
           ),
           type: 'Identifier',
           line: 3,
@@ -228,16 +229,18 @@ ruleTester.run('no-deprecated', rule, {
         },
         {
           message: errorMessage(
-            'componentWillReceiveProps', '16.3.0', 'UNSAFE_componentWillReceiveProps',
-            'https://reactjs.org/docs/react-component.html#unsafe_componentwillreceiveprops'
+            'componentWillReceiveProps', '16.999.0', 'UNSAFE_componentWillReceiveProps',
+            'https://reactjs.org/docs/react-component.html#unsafe_componentwillreceiveprops. ' +
+            'Use https://github.com/reactjs/react-codemod#rename-unsafe-lifecycles to automatically update your components.'
           ),
           type: 'Identifier',
           line: 4,
           column: 11
         },
         {
-          message: errorMessage('componentWillUpdate', '16.3.0', 'UNSAFE_componentWillUpdate',
-            'https://reactjs.org/docs/react-component.html#unsafe_componentwillupdate'
+          message: errorMessage('componentWillUpdate', '16.999.0', 'UNSAFE_componentWillUpdate',
+            'https://reactjs.org/docs/react-component.html#unsafe_componentwillupdate. ' +
+            'Use https://github.com/reactjs/react-codemod#rename-unsafe-lifecycles to automatically update your components.'
           ),
           type: 'Identifier',
           line: 5,
@@ -258,8 +261,9 @@ ruleTester.run('no-deprecated', rule, {
       errors: [
         {
           message: errorMessage(
-            'componentWillMount', '16.3.0', 'UNSAFE_componentWillMount',
-            'https://reactjs.org/docs/react-component.html#unsafe_componentwillmount'
+            'componentWillMount', '16.999.0', 'UNSAFE_componentWillMount',
+            'https://reactjs.org/docs/react-component.html#unsafe_componentwillmount. ' +
+            'Use https://github.com/reactjs/react-codemod#rename-unsafe-lifecycles to automatically update your components.'
           ),
           type: 'Identifier',
           line: 4,
@@ -267,16 +271,18 @@ ruleTester.run('no-deprecated', rule, {
         },
         {
           message: errorMessage(
-            'componentWillReceiveProps', '16.3.0', 'UNSAFE_componentWillReceiveProps',
-            'https://reactjs.org/docs/react-component.html#unsafe_componentwillreceiveprops'
+            'componentWillReceiveProps', '16.999.0', 'UNSAFE_componentWillReceiveProps',
+            'https://reactjs.org/docs/react-component.html#unsafe_componentwillreceiveprops. ' +
+            'Use https://github.com/reactjs/react-codemod#rename-unsafe-lifecycles to automatically update your components.'
           ),
           type: 'Identifier',
           line: 5,
           column: 13
         },
         {
-          message: errorMessage('componentWillUpdate', '16.3.0', 'UNSAFE_componentWillUpdate',
-            'https://reactjs.org/docs/react-component.html#unsafe_componentwillupdate'
+          message: errorMessage('componentWillUpdate', '16.999.0', 'UNSAFE_componentWillUpdate',
+            'https://reactjs.org/docs/react-component.html#unsafe_componentwillupdate. ' +
+            'Use https://github.com/reactjs/react-codemod#rename-unsafe-lifecycles to automatically update your components.'
           ),
           type: 'Identifier',
           line: 6,
@@ -295,8 +301,9 @@ ruleTester.run('no-deprecated', rule, {
       errors: [
         {
           message: errorMessage(
-            'componentWillMount', '16.3.0', 'UNSAFE_componentWillMount',
-            'https://reactjs.org/docs/react-component.html#unsafe_componentwillmount'
+            'componentWillMount', '16.999.0', 'UNSAFE_componentWillMount',
+            'https://reactjs.org/docs/react-component.html#unsafe_componentwillmount. ' +
+            'Use https://github.com/reactjs/react-codemod#rename-unsafe-lifecycles to automatically update your components.'
           ),
           type: 'Identifier',
           line: 3,
@@ -304,16 +311,18 @@ ruleTester.run('no-deprecated', rule, {
         },
         {
           message: errorMessage(
-            'componentWillReceiveProps', '16.3.0', 'UNSAFE_componentWillReceiveProps',
-            'https://reactjs.org/docs/react-component.html#unsafe_componentwillreceiveprops'
+            'componentWillReceiveProps', '16.999.0', 'UNSAFE_componentWillReceiveProps',
+            'https://reactjs.org/docs/react-component.html#unsafe_componentwillreceiveprops. ' +
+            'Use https://github.com/reactjs/react-codemod#rename-unsafe-lifecycles to automatically update your components.'
           ),
           type: 'Identifier',
           line: 4,
           column: 11
         },
         {
-          message: errorMessage('componentWillUpdate', '16.3.0', 'UNSAFE_componentWillUpdate',
-            'https://reactjs.org/docs/react-component.html#unsafe_componentwillupdate'
+          message: errorMessage('componentWillUpdate', '16.999.0', 'UNSAFE_componentWillUpdate',
+            'https://reactjs.org/docs/react-component.html#unsafe_componentwillupdate. ' +
+            'Use https://github.com/reactjs/react-codemod#rename-unsafe-lifecycles to automatically update your components.'
           ),
           type: 'Identifier',
           line: 5,
@@ -332,8 +341,9 @@ ruleTester.run('no-deprecated', rule, {
       errors: [
         {
           message: errorMessage(
-            'componentWillMount', '16.3.0', 'UNSAFE_componentWillMount',
-            'https://reactjs.org/docs/react-component.html#unsafe_componentwillmount'
+            'componentWillMount', '16.999.0', 'UNSAFE_componentWillMount',
+            'https://reactjs.org/docs/react-component.html#unsafe_componentwillmount. ' +
+            'Use https://github.com/reactjs/react-codemod#rename-unsafe-lifecycles to automatically update your components.'
           ),
           type: 'Identifier',
           line: 3,
@@ -341,16 +351,18 @@ ruleTester.run('no-deprecated', rule, {
         },
         {
           message: errorMessage(
-            'componentWillReceiveProps', '16.3.0', 'UNSAFE_componentWillReceiveProps',
-            'https://reactjs.org/docs/react-component.html#unsafe_componentwillreceiveprops'
+            'componentWillReceiveProps', '16.999.0', 'UNSAFE_componentWillReceiveProps',
+            'https://reactjs.org/docs/react-component.html#unsafe_componentwillreceiveprops. ' +
+            'Use https://github.com/reactjs/react-codemod#rename-unsafe-lifecycles to automatically update your components.'
           ),
           type: 'Identifier',
           line: 4,
           column: 11
         },
         {
-          message: errorMessage('componentWillUpdate', '16.3.0', 'UNSAFE_componentWillUpdate',
-            'https://reactjs.org/docs/react-component.html#unsafe_componentwillupdate'
+          message: errorMessage('componentWillUpdate', '16.999.0', 'UNSAFE_componentWillUpdate',
+            'https://reactjs.org/docs/react-component.html#unsafe_componentwillupdate. ' +
+            'Use https://github.com/reactjs/react-codemod#rename-unsafe-lifecycles to automatically update your components.'
           ),
           type: 'Identifier',
           line: 5,
@@ -369,8 +381,9 @@ ruleTester.run('no-deprecated', rule, {
       errors: [
         {
           message: errorMessage(
-            'componentWillMount', '16.3.0', 'UNSAFE_componentWillMount',
-            'https://reactjs.org/docs/react-component.html#unsafe_componentwillmount'
+            'componentWillMount', '16.999.0', 'UNSAFE_componentWillMount',
+            'https://reactjs.org/docs/react-component.html#unsafe_componentwillmount. ' +
+            'Use https://github.com/reactjs/react-codemod#rename-unsafe-lifecycles to automatically update your components.'
           ),
           type: 'Identifier',
           line: 3,
@@ -378,16 +391,18 @@ ruleTester.run('no-deprecated', rule, {
         },
         {
           message: errorMessage(
-            'componentWillReceiveProps', '16.3.0', 'UNSAFE_componentWillReceiveProps',
-            'https://reactjs.org/docs/react-component.html#unsafe_componentwillreceiveprops'
+            'componentWillReceiveProps', '16.999.0', 'UNSAFE_componentWillReceiveProps',
+            'https://reactjs.org/docs/react-component.html#unsafe_componentwillreceiveprops. ' +
+            'Use https://github.com/reactjs/react-codemod#rename-unsafe-lifecycles to automatically update your components.'
           ),
           type: 'Identifier',
           line: 4,
           column: 11
         },
         {
-          message: errorMessage('componentWillUpdate', '16.3.0', 'UNSAFE_componentWillUpdate',
-            'https://reactjs.org/docs/react-component.html#unsafe_componentwillupdate'
+          message: errorMessage('componentWillUpdate', '16.999.0', 'UNSAFE_componentWillUpdate',
+            'https://reactjs.org/docs/react-component.html#unsafe_componentwillupdate. ' +
+            'Use https://github.com/reactjs/react-codemod#rename-unsafe-lifecycles to automatically update your components.'
           ),
           type: 'Identifier',
           line: 5,
@@ -406,8 +421,9 @@ ruleTester.run('no-deprecated', rule, {
       errors: [
         {
           message: errorMessage(
-            'componentWillMount', '16.3.0', 'UNSAFE_componentWillMount',
-            'https://reactjs.org/docs/react-component.html#unsafe_componentwillmount'
+            'componentWillMount', '16.999.0', 'UNSAFE_componentWillMount',
+            'https://reactjs.org/docs/react-component.html#unsafe_componentwillmount. ' +
+            'Use https://github.com/reactjs/react-codemod#rename-unsafe-lifecycles to automatically update your components.'
           ),
           type: 'Identifier',
           line: 3,
@@ -415,16 +431,18 @@ ruleTester.run('no-deprecated', rule, {
         },
         {
           message: errorMessage(
-            'componentWillReceiveProps', '16.3.0', 'UNSAFE_componentWillReceiveProps',
-            'https://reactjs.org/docs/react-component.html#unsafe_componentwillreceiveprops'
+            'componentWillReceiveProps', '16.999.0', 'UNSAFE_componentWillReceiveProps',
+            'https://reactjs.org/docs/react-component.html#unsafe_componentwillreceiveprops. ' +
+            'Use https://github.com/reactjs/react-codemod#rename-unsafe-lifecycles to automatically update your components.'
           ),
           type: 'Identifier',
           line: 4,
           column: 11
         },
         {
-          message: errorMessage('componentWillUpdate', '16.3.0', 'UNSAFE_componentWillUpdate',
-            'https://reactjs.org/docs/react-component.html#unsafe_componentwillupdate'
+          message: errorMessage('componentWillUpdate', '16.999.0', 'UNSAFE_componentWillUpdate',
+            'https://reactjs.org/docs/react-component.html#unsafe_componentwillupdate. ' +
+            'Use https://github.com/reactjs/react-codemod#rename-unsafe-lifecycles to automatically update your components.'
           ),
           type: 'Identifier',
           line: 5,
@@ -444,8 +462,9 @@ ruleTester.run('no-deprecated', rule, {
       errors: [
         {
           message: errorMessage(
-            'componentWillMount', '16.3.0', 'UNSAFE_componentWillMount',
-            'https://reactjs.org/docs/react-component.html#unsafe_componentwillmount'
+            'componentWillMount', '16.999.0', 'UNSAFE_componentWillMount',
+            'https://reactjs.org/docs/react-component.html#unsafe_componentwillmount. ' +
+            'Use https://github.com/reactjs/react-codemod#rename-unsafe-lifecycles to automatically update your components.'
           ),
           type: 'Identifier',
           line: 4,
@@ -453,16 +472,18 @@ ruleTester.run('no-deprecated', rule, {
         },
         {
           message: errorMessage(
-            'componentWillReceiveProps', '16.3.0', 'UNSAFE_componentWillReceiveProps',
-            'https://reactjs.org/docs/react-component.html#unsafe_componentwillreceiveprops'
+            'componentWillReceiveProps', '16.999.0', 'UNSAFE_componentWillReceiveProps',
+            'https://reactjs.org/docs/react-component.html#unsafe_componentwillreceiveprops. ' +
+            'Use https://github.com/reactjs/react-codemod#rename-unsafe-lifecycles to automatically update your components.'
           ),
           type: 'Identifier',
           line: 5,
           column: 11
         },
         {
-          message: errorMessage('componentWillUpdate', '16.3.0', 'UNSAFE_componentWillUpdate',
-            'https://reactjs.org/docs/react-component.html#unsafe_componentwillupdate'
+          message: errorMessage('componentWillUpdate', '16.999.0', 'UNSAFE_componentWillUpdate',
+            'https://reactjs.org/docs/react-component.html#unsafe_componentwillupdate. ' +
+            'Use https://github.com/reactjs/react-codemod#rename-unsafe-lifecycles to automatically update your components.'
           ),
           type: 'Identifier',
           line: 6,