diff --git a/aodh/api/__init__.py b/aodh/api/__init__.py
index 68b67aa11..ae724df26 100644
--- a/aodh/api/__init__.py
+++ b/aodh/api/__init__.py
@@ -34,4 +34,11 @@ OPTS = [
     cfg.BoolOpt('pecan_debug',
                 default=False,
                 help='Toggle Pecan Debug Middleware.'),
+    cfg.BoolOpt('enable_combination_alarms',
+                default=False,
+                help="Enable deprecated combination alarms.",
+                deprecated_for_removal=True,
+                deprecated_reason="Combination alarms are deprecated. "
+                "This option and combination alarms will be "
+                "removed in Aodh 5.0."),
 ]
diff --git a/aodh/api/controllers/v2/alarms.py b/aodh/api/controllers/v2/alarms.py
index 1d1f4d2d5..0f762684d 100644
--- a/aodh/api/controllers/v2/alarms.py
+++ b/aodh/api/controllers/v2/alarms.py
@@ -289,6 +289,10 @@ class Alarm(base.Base):
 
     @staticmethod
     def check_rule(alarm):
+        if (not pecan.request.cfg.api.enable_combination_alarms
+           and alarm.type == 'combination'):
+            raise base.ClientSideError("Unavailable alarm type")
+
         rule = '%s_rule' % alarm.type
         if getattr(alarm, rule) in (wtypes.Unset, None):
             error = _("%(rule)s must be set for %(type)s"
diff --git a/aodh/tests/functional/api/v2/test_alarm_scenarios.py b/aodh/tests/functional/api/v2/test_alarm_scenarios.py
index 8a6e13612..e2cff75c4 100644
--- a/aodh/tests/functional/api/v2/test_alarm_scenarios.py
+++ b/aodh/tests/functional/api/v2/test_alarm_scenarios.py
@@ -1184,7 +1184,7 @@ class TestAlarms(TestAlarmsBase):
             'enabled': False,
             'name': 'added_alarm',
             'state': 'ok',
-            'type': 'combination',
+            'type': 'gnocchi_resources_threshold',
             'ok_actions': ['http://something/ok'],
             'alarm_actions': ['http://something/alarm'],
             'insufficient_data_actions': ['http://something/no'],
@@ -1206,15 +1206,25 @@ class TestAlarms(TestAlarmsBase):
                               expect_errors=True, status=400,
                               headers=self.auth_headers)
         self.assertEqual(
-            "combination_rule must be set for combination type alarm",
+            "gnocchi_resources_threshold_rule must "
+            "be set for gnocchi_resources_threshold type alarm",
             resp.json['error_message']['faultstring'])
 
     def test_post_alarm_with_duplicate_actions(self):
         body = {
             'name': 'dup-alarm-actions',
-            'type': 'combination',
-            'combination_rule': {
-                'alarm_ids': ['a', 'b'],
+            'type': 'threshold',
+            'threshold_rule': {
+                'meter_name': 'ameter',
+                'query': [{'field': 'metadata.field',
+                           'op': 'eq',
+                           'value': '5',
+                           'type': 'string'}],
+                'comparison_operator': 'le',
+                'statistic': 'count',
+                'threshold': 50,
+                'evaluation_periods': '3',
+                'period': '180',
             },
             'alarm_actions': ['http://no.where', 'http://no.where']
         }
@@ -1229,9 +1239,18 @@ class TestAlarms(TestAlarmsBase):
         self.CONF.set_override('alarm_max_actions', 1, group='api')
         body = {
             'name': 'alarm-with-many-actions',
-            'type': 'combination',
-            'combination_rule': {
-                'alarm_ids': ['a', 'b'],
+            'type': 'threshold',
+            'threshold_rule': {
+                'meter_name': 'ameter',
+                'query': [{'field': 'metadata.field',
+                           'op': 'eq',
+                           'value': '5',
+                           'type': 'string'}],
+                'comparison_operator': 'le',
+                'statistic': 'count',
+                'threshold': 50,
+                'evaluation_periods': '3',
+                'period': '180',
             },
             'alarm_actions': ['http://no.where', 'http://no.where2']
         }
@@ -1244,9 +1263,18 @@ class TestAlarms(TestAlarmsBase):
     def test_post_alarm_normal_user_set_log_actions(self):
         body = {
             'name': 'log_alarm_actions',
-            'type': 'combination',
-            'combination_rule': {
-                'alarm_ids': ['a', 'b'],
+            'type': 'threshold',
+            'threshold_rule': {
+                'meter_name': 'ameter',
+                'query': [{'field': 'metadata.field',
+                           'op': 'eq',
+                           'value': '5',
+                           'type': 'string'}],
+                'comparison_operator': 'le',
+                'statistic': 'count',
+                'threshold': 50,
+                'evaluation_periods': '3',
+                'period': '180',
             },
             'alarm_actions': ['log://']
         }
@@ -1260,9 +1288,18 @@ class TestAlarms(TestAlarmsBase):
     def test_post_alarm_normal_user_set_test_actions(self):
         body = {
             'name': 'test_alarm_actions',
-            'type': 'combination',
-            'combination_rule': {
-                'alarm_ids': ['a', 'b'],
+            'type': 'threshold',
+            'threshold_rule': {
+                'meter_name': 'ameter',
+                'query': [{'field': 'metadata.field',
+                           'op': 'eq',
+                           'value': '5',
+                           'type': 'string'}],
+                'comparison_operator': 'le',
+                'statistic': 'count',
+                'threshold': 50,
+                'evaluation_periods': '3',
+                'period': '180',
             },
             'alarm_actions': ['test://']
         }
@@ -1276,9 +1313,18 @@ class TestAlarms(TestAlarmsBase):
     def test_post_alarm_admin_user_set_log_test_actions(self):
         body = {
             'name': 'admin_alarm_actions',
-            'type': 'combination',
-            'combination_rule': {
-                'alarm_ids': ['a', 'b'],
+            'type': 'threshold',
+            'threshold_rule': {
+                'meter_name': 'ameter',
+                'query': [{'field': 'metadata.field',
+                           'op': 'eq',
+                           'value': '5',
+                           'type': 'string'}],
+                'comparison_operator': 'le',
+                'statistic': 'count',
+                'threshold': 50,
+                'evaluation_periods': '3',
+                'period': '180',
             },
             'alarm_actions': ['test://', 'log://']
         }
@@ -1294,9 +1340,18 @@ class TestAlarms(TestAlarmsBase):
     def test_post_alarm_without_actions(self):
         body = {
             'name': 'alarm_actions_none',
-            'type': 'combination',
-            'combination_rule': {
-                'alarm_ids': ['a', 'b'],
+            'type': 'threshold',
+            'threshold_rule': {
+                'meter_name': 'ameter',
+                'query': [{'field': 'metadata.field',
+                           'op': 'eq',
+                           'value': '5',
+                           'type': 'string'}],
+                'comparison_operator': 'le',
+                'statistic': 'count',
+                'threshold': 50,
+                'evaluation_periods': '3',
+                'period': '180',
             },
             'alarm_actions': None
         }
@@ -2388,6 +2443,7 @@ class TestAlarmsRuleCombination(TestAlarmsBase):
 
     def setUp(self):
         super(TestAlarmsRuleCombination, self).setUp()
+        self.CONF.set_override("enable_combination_alarms", True, "api")
         for alarm in default_alarms(self.auth_headers):
             self.alarm_conn.create_alarm(alarm)
 
diff --git a/releasenotes/notes/deprecate-combination-alarms-7ff26b73b61a0e59.yaml b/releasenotes/notes/deprecate-combination-alarms-7ff26b73b61a0e59.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..61cc34e76
--- /dev/null
+++ b/releasenotes/notes/deprecate-combination-alarms-7ff26b73b61a0e59.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+---
+deprecations:
+  - The combination alarms are officially deprecated and disabled by default.
+    Set api.enable_combination_alarms to True to enable them.
+    Existing alarms will still be evaluated, but access to them via the API is
+    linked to whether that configuration option is turned on or off.
+    It's advised to use composite alarms instead.