diff --git a/thrust/thrust/iterator/detail/universal_categories.h b/thrust/thrust/iterator/detail/universal_categories.h
index ea30f076beb..ee620f977a8 100644
--- a/thrust/thrust/iterator/detail/universal_categories.h
+++ b/thrust/thrust/iterator/detail/universal_categories.h
@@ -27,13 +27,13 @@
 #endif // no system header
 #include <thrust/iterator/iterator_categories.h>
 
-// XXX eliminate this file
-
+_CCCL_SUPPRESS_DEPRECATED_PUSH
 THRUST_NAMESPACE_BEGIN
 
 // define these types without inheritance to avoid ambiguous conversion to base classes
 
-struct input_universal_iterator_tag
+// deprecated [Since 2.8]
+struct CCCL_DEPRECATED input_universal_iterator_tag
 {
   operator input_host_iterator_tag()
   {
@@ -46,7 +46,8 @@ struct input_universal_iterator_tag
   }
 };
 
-struct output_universal_iterator_tag
+// deprecated [Since 2.8]
+struct CCCL_DEPRECATED output_universal_iterator_tag
 {
   operator output_host_iterator_tag()
   {
@@ -59,7 +60,8 @@ struct output_universal_iterator_tag
   }
 };
 
-struct forward_universal_iterator_tag : input_universal_iterator_tag
+// deprecated [Since 2.8]
+struct CCCL_DEPRECATED forward_universal_iterator_tag : input_universal_iterator_tag
 {
   operator forward_host_iterator_tag()
   {
@@ -72,7 +74,8 @@ struct forward_universal_iterator_tag : input_universal_iterator_tag
   };
 };
 
-struct bidirectional_universal_iterator_tag : forward_universal_iterator_tag
+// deprecated [Since 2.8]
+struct CCCL_DEPRECATED bidirectional_universal_iterator_tag : forward_universal_iterator_tag
 {
   operator bidirectional_host_iterator_tag()
   {
@@ -95,7 +98,8 @@ struct one_degree_of_separation : T
 
 } // namespace detail
 
-struct random_access_universal_iterator_tag
+// deprecated [Since 2.8]
+struct CCCL_DEPRECATED random_access_universal_iterator_tag
 {
   // these conversions are all P0
   operator random_access_host_iterator_tag()
@@ -115,4 +119,5 @@ struct random_access_universal_iterator_tag
   }
 };
 
+_CCCL_SUPPRESS_DEPRECATED_POP
 THRUST_NAMESPACE_END