diff --git a/lib/modules.nix b/lib/modules.nix
index 017c9255246..633b6fc05b2 100644
--- a/lib/modules.nix
+++ b/lib/modules.nix
@@ -319,6 +319,8 @@ rec {
   mkForce = mkOverride 50;
   mkVMOverride = mkOverride 10; # used by ‘nixos-rebuild build-vm’
 
+  mkStrict = builtins.trace "`mkStrict' is obsolete; use `mkOverride 0' instead." (mkOverride 0);
+
   mkFixStrictness = id; # obsolete, no-op
 
   mkOrder = priority: content: