diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index f720a1bda6..ef3d01d025 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -23,6 +23,9 @@ USE AT YOUR OWN RISK.  NOT RECOMMENDED FOR PRODUCTION USE!
   the 802.1X certificates and keys set in the connection.
 * Introduce a libnm function that can be used by VPN plugins to check
   user permissions on certificate and keys.
+* The support for Wireless Extensions is deprecated and will be
+  removed in a future release. Wireless Extensions are now disabled by
+  default.
 
 =============================================
 NetworkManager-1.56
diff --git a/contrib/fedora/rpm/NetworkManager.spec b/contrib/fedora/rpm/NetworkManager.spec
index cc952f213e..32587a188b 100644
--- a/contrib/fedora/rpm/NetworkManager.spec
+++ b/contrib/fedora/rpm/NetworkManager.spec
@@ -621,14 +621,10 @@ Preferably use nmcli instead.
 %endif
 %if %{with wifi}
 	-Dwifi=true \
-%if 0%{?fedora}
-	-Dwext=true \
-%else
-	-Dwext=false \
-%endif
 %else
 	-Dwifi=false \
 %endif
+	-Dwext=false \
 %if %{with iwd}
 	-Diwd=true \
 %else
diff --git a/contrib/fedora/rpm/configure-for-system.sh b/contrib/fedora/rpm/configure-for-system.sh
index 62999b11b5..58daed4ef5 100755
--- a/contrib/fedora/rpm/configure-for-system.sh
+++ b/contrib/fedora/rpm/configure-for-system.sh
@@ -387,7 +387,7 @@ meson setup\
     -Db_lto="$(bool_true "$P_LTO")" \
     -Dlibaudit=yes-disabled-by-default \
     -Dmodem_manager="$(bool_true "$P_MODEM_MANAGER_1")" \
-    $(args_enable "$P_WIFI"                    -Dwifi=true  -Dwext="$(bool_true "$P_FEDORA")") \
+    $(args_enable "$P_WIFI"                    -Dwifi=true  -Dwext=false) \
     $(args_enable "$(bool_not_true "$P_WIFI")" -Dwifi=false                                  ) \
     -Diwd="$(bool_true "$P_IWD")" \
     -Dbluez5_dun="$(bool_true "$P_BLUETOOTH")" \
diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 606d8c7a19..0ff7acbcdc 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -333,7 +333,11 @@ enable_iwd = get_option('iwd')
 assert((not enable_iwd) or enable_wifi, 'Enabling iwd support requires Wi-Fi support as well')
 config_h.set10('WITH_IWD', enable_iwd)
 
-enable_wext = get_option('wext')
+wext = get_option('wext')
+if wext == 'true'
+  error('Wireless Extensions support is deprecated and will be removed in the future. Use -Dwext=force to keep using it')
+endif
+enable_wext = (wext == 'force')
 config_h.set10('HAVE_WEXT', enable_wext)
 
 # Checks for libdl - on certain platforms its part of libc
diff --git a/meson_options.txt b/meson_options.txt
index 6b5674443b..c015538705 100644
--- a/meson_options.txt
+++ b/meson_options.txt
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ option('hostname_persist', type: 'combo', choices: ['default', 'suse', 'gentoo',
 option('libaudit', type: 'combo', choices: ['yes', 'yes-disabled-by-default', 'no'], value: 'yes', description: 'Build with audit daemon support. yes-disabled-by-default enables support, but disables it unless explicitly configured via NetworkManager.conf')
 
 # features
-option('wext', type: 'boolean', value: true, description: 'Enable or disable Linux Wireless Extensions')
+option('wext', type: 'combo', choices: ['true', 'false', 'force' ], value: 'false', description: 'Enable or disable Linux Wireless Extensions (deprecated). wext support will be removed in a future release, don\'t rely on this.')
 option('wifi', type: 'boolean', value: true, description: 'enable Wi-Fi support')
 option('iwd', type: 'boolean', value: false, description: 'enable iwd support (experimental)')
 option('ppp', type: 'boolean', value: true, description: 'enable PPP/PPPoE support')