diff --git a/misc/check_legacy_init_py.py b/misc/check_legacy_init_py.py
index c1003680..1ba087eb 100755
--- a/misc/check_legacy_init_py.py
+++ b/misc/check_legacy_init_py.py
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
 logger = logzero.logger
 
 
-MSG = 'importing my.fbmessenger is DEPRECATED'
+MSG = 'my.fbmessenger is DEPRECATED'
 
 def expect(*cmd: str, should_warn: bool=True) -> None:
     res = run(cmd, stderr=PIPE)
@@ -61,6 +61,7 @@ def check_ok(*cmd: str, **kwargs) -> None:
 check_warn('-c', 'from   my.fbmessenger import messages, dump_chat_history')
 check_warn('-m', 'my.core', 'query' , 'my.fbmessenger.messages', '-o', 'pprint', '--limit=10')
 check_warn('-m', 'my.core', 'doctor', 'my.fbmessenger')
+check_warn('-m', 'my.core', 'module', 'requires', 'my.fbmessenger')
 
 # todo kinda annoying it doesn't work when executed as -c (but does as script!)
 # presumably because doesn't have proper line number information?
@@ -71,6 +72,7 @@ def check_ok(*cmd: str, **kwargs) -> None:
 check_ok  ('-c', 'from my.fbmessenger.export import messages, dump_chat_history')
 check_ok  ('-m', 'my.core', 'query' , 'my.fbmessenger.export.messages', '-o', 'pprint', '--limit=10')
 check_ok  ('-m', 'my.core', 'doctor', 'my.fbmessenger.export')
+check_ok  ('-m', 'my.core', 'module', 'requires', 'my.fbmessenger.export')
 
 # NOTE:
 # to check that overlays work, run something like
diff --git a/my/core/__main__.py b/my/core/__main__.py
index ba9245a0..4dfc0210 100644
--- a/my/core/__main__.py
+++ b/my/core/__main__.py
@@ -339,6 +339,9 @@ def _requires(modules: Sequence[str]) -> Sequence[str]:
     mods = [module_by_name(module) for module in modules]
     res = []
     for mod in mods:
+        if mod.legacy is not None:
+            warning(mod.legacy)
+
         reqs = mod.requires
         if reqs is None:
             error(f"Module {mod.name} has no REQUIRES specification")
diff --git a/my/core/discovery_pure.py b/my/core/discovery_pure.py
index dbd07b90..5c9dbedd 100644
--- a/my/core/discovery_pure.py
+++ b/my/core/discovery_pure.py
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ class HPIModule(NamedTuple):
     doc: Optional[str] = None
     file: Optional[Path] = None
     requires: Requires = None
+    legacy: Optional[str] = None  # contains reason/deprecation warning
 
 
 def ignored(m: str) -> bool:
@@ -75,9 +76,19 @@ def _is_not_module_src(src: Path) -> bool:
 
 
 def _is_not_module_ast(a: ast.Module) -> bool:
+    marker = NOT_HPI_MODULE_VAR
     return any(
-        getattr(node, 'name', None) == NOT_HPI_MODULE_VAR  # direct definition
-        or any(getattr(n, 'name', None) == NOT_HPI_MODULE_VAR for n in getattr(node, 'names', []))  # import from
+        getattr(node, 'name', None) == marker  # direct definition
+        or any(getattr(n, 'name', None) == marker for n in getattr(node, 'names', []))  # import from
+        for node in a.body
+    )
+
+
+def _is_legacy_module(a: ast.Module) -> bool:
+    marker = 'handle_legacy_import'
+    return any(
+        getattr(node, 'name', None) == marker  # direct definition
+        or any(getattr(n, 'name', None) == marker for n in getattr(node, 'names', []))  # import from
         for node in a.body
     )
 
@@ -156,7 +167,11 @@ def _modules_under_root(my_root: Path) -> Iterable[HPIModule]:
         if ignored(m):
             continue
         a: ast.Module = ast.parse(f.read_text())
-        if _is_not_module_ast(a):
+
+        # legacy modules are 'forced' to be modules so 'hpi module install' still works for older modules
+        # a bit messy, will think how to fix it properly later
+        legacy_module = _is_legacy_module(a)
+        if _is_not_module_ast(a) and not legacy_module:
             continue
         doc = ast.get_docstring(a, clean=False)
 
@@ -166,12 +181,15 @@ def _modules_under_root(my_root: Path) -> Iterable[HPIModule]:
         except Exception as e:
             logging.exception(e)
 
+        legacy = f'{m} is DEPRECATED. Please refer to the module documentation.' if legacy_module else None
+
         yield HPIModule(
             name=m,
             skip_reason=None,
             doc=doc,
             file=f.relative_to(my_root.parent),
             requires=requires,
+            legacy=legacy,
         )
 
 
@@ -209,6 +227,12 @@ def test_requires() -> None:
     assert len(r) == 2  # fragile, but ok for now
 
 
+def test_legacy_modules() -> None:
+    # shouldn't crash
+    module_by_name('my.reddit')
+    module_by_name('my.fbmessenger')
+
+
 def test_pure() -> None:
     """
     We want to keep this module clean of other HPI imports