diff --git a/packages/kbn-config/src/deprecation/types.ts b/packages/kbn-config/src/deprecation/types.ts
index 007c3ec54113..0e1f36121e50 100644
--- a/packages/kbn-config/src/deprecation/types.ts
+++ b/packages/kbn-config/src/deprecation/types.ts
@@ -23,6 +23,12 @@ export interface DeprecatedConfigDetails {
   title?: string;
   /* The message to be displayed for the deprecation. */
   message: string;
+  /**
+   * levels:
+   * - warning: will not break deployment upon upgrade
+   * - critical: needs to be addressed before upgrade.
+   */
+  level?: 'warning' | 'critical';
   /* (optional) set false to prevent the config service from logging the deprecation message. */
   silent?: boolean;
   /* (optional) link to the documentation for more details on the deprecation. */
diff --git a/src/core/server/deprecations/deprecations_service.test.ts b/src/core/server/deprecations/deprecations_service.test.ts
index 0e8aaf3de49c..bc0dbcef4a5b 100644
--- a/src/core/server/deprecations/deprecations_service.test.ts
+++ b/src/core/server/deprecations/deprecations_service.test.ts
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ describe('DeprecationsService', () => {
     const deprecationsRegistry = mockDeprecationsRegistry.create();
     const getDeprecationsContext = mockDeprecationsRegistry.createGetDeprecationsContext();
 
-    it('registers config deprecations', () => {
+    it('registers config deprecations', async () => {
       const deprecationsService = new DeprecationsService(coreContext);
       coreContext.configService.getHandledDeprecatedConfigs.mockReturnValue([
         [
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ describe('DeprecationsService', () => {
       expect(deprecationsFactory.getRegistry).toBeCalledTimes(1);
       expect(deprecationsFactory.getRegistry).toBeCalledWith('testDomain');
       expect(deprecationsRegistry.registerDeprecations).toBeCalledTimes(1);
-      const configDeprecations = deprecationsRegistry.registerDeprecations.mock.calls[0][0].getDeprecations(
+      const configDeprecations = await deprecationsRegistry.registerDeprecations.mock.calls[0][0].getDeprecations(
         getDeprecationsContext
       );
       expect(configDeprecations).toMatchInlineSnapshot(`
@@ -115,5 +115,31 @@ describe('DeprecationsService', () => {
         ]
       `);
     });
+
+    it('accepts `level` field overrides', async () => {
+      const deprecationsService = new DeprecationsService(coreContext);
+      coreContext.configService.getHandledDeprecatedConfigs.mockReturnValue([
+        [
+          'testDomain',
+          [
+            {
+              message: 'testMessage',
+              level: 'warning',
+              correctiveActions: {
+                manualSteps: ['step a'],
+              },
+            },
+          ],
+        ],
+      ]);
+
+      deprecationsFactory.getRegistry.mockReturnValue(deprecationsRegistry);
+      deprecationsService['registerConfigDeprecationsInfo'](deprecationsFactory);
+
+      const configDeprecations = await deprecationsRegistry.registerDeprecations.mock.calls[0][0].getDeprecations(
+        getDeprecationsContext
+      );
+      expect(configDeprecations[0].level).toBe('warning');
+    });
   });
 });
diff --git a/src/core/server/deprecations/deprecations_service.ts b/src/core/server/deprecations/deprecations_service.ts
index c41567d88a2a..f6f48d2a88b0 100644
--- a/src/core/server/deprecations/deprecations_service.ts
+++ b/src/core/server/deprecations/deprecations_service.ts
@@ -186,17 +186,21 @@ export class DeprecationsService
       deprecationsRegistry.registerDeprecations({
         getDeprecations: () => {
           return deprecationsContexts.map(
-            ({ title, message, correctiveActions, documentationUrl }) => {
-              return {
-                title: title || `${domainId} has a deprecated setting`,
-                level: 'critical',
-                deprecationType: 'config',
-                message,
-                correctiveActions,
-                documentationUrl,
-                requireRestart: true,
-              };
-            }
+            ({
+              title = `${domainId} has a deprecated setting`,
+              level = 'critical',
+              message,
+              correctiveActions,
+              documentationUrl,
+            }) => ({
+              title,
+              level,
+              message,
+              correctiveActions,
+              documentationUrl,
+              deprecationType: 'config',
+              requireRestart: true,
+            })
           );
         },
       });