diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
 include(KDEFrameworkCompilerSettings NO_POLICY_SCOPE)
 include(KDECMakeSettings)
 
-include(GenerateExportHeader)
+include(ECMGenerateExportHeader)
 include(ECMSetupVersion)
 include(ECMGenerateHeaders)
 include(CMakePackageConfigHelpers)
@@ -50,6 +50,8 @@
 find_package(KF5WindowSystem ${KF5_DEP_VERSION} REQUIRED)
 find_package(KF5Sonnet ${KF5_DEP_VERSION} REQUIRED)
 
+set(EXCLUDE_DEPRECATED_BEFORE_AND_AT 0 CACHE STRING "Control the range of deprecated API excluded from the build [default=0].")
+
 option(BUILD_QCH "Build API documentation in QCH format (for e.g. Qt Assistant, Qt Creator & KDevelop)" OFF)
 add_feature_info(QCH ${BUILD_QCH} "API documentation in QCH format (for e.g. Qt Assistant, Qt Creator & KDevelop)")
 
diff --git a/src/CMakeLists.txt b/src/CMakeLists.txt
--- a/src/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -12,8 +12,15 @@
 )
 
 add_library(KF5TextWidgets ${ktextwidgets_LIB_SRCS})
-generate_export_header(KF5TextWidgets BASE_NAME KTextWidgets)
 add_library(KF5::TextWidgets ALIAS KF5TextWidgets)
+ecm_generate_export_header(KF5TextWidgets
+    BASE_NAME KTextWidgets
+    # GROUP_BASE_NAME KF <- enable once all of KF modules use ecm_generate_export_header
+    VERSION ${KF5_VERSION}
+    DEPRECATED_BASE_VERSION 0
+    DEPRECATION_VERSIONS 5.0
+    EXCLUDE_DEPRECATED_BEFORE_AND_AT ${EXCLUDE_DEPRECATED_BEFORE_AND_AT}
+)
 
 set(ktextwidgets_INCLUDES
   ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/dialogs
diff --git a/src/widgets/ktextedit.h b/src/widgets/ktextedit.h
--- a/src/widgets/ktextedit.h
+++ b/src/widgets/ktextedit.h
@@ -51,9 +51,9 @@
 class KTEXTWIDGETS_EXPORT KTextEdit : public QTextEdit //krazy:exclude=qclasses
 {
     Q_OBJECT
-    #ifndef KTEXTWIDGETS_NO_DEPRECATED
+#if KTEXTWIDGETS_BUILD_DEPRECATED_SINCE(5, 0)
     Q_PROPERTY(QString clickMessage READ clickMessage WRITE setClickMessage)
-    #endif
+#endif
     Q_PROPERTY(bool checkSpellingEnabled READ checkSpellingEnabled WRITE setCheckSpellingEnabled)
     Q_PROPERTY(QString spellCheckingLanguage READ spellCheckingLanguage WRITE setSpellCheckingLanguage)
 
@@ -187,22 +187,24 @@
      */
     const QString &spellCheckingLanguage() const;
 
+#if KTEXTWIDGETS_ENABLE_DEPRECATED_SINCE(5, 0)
     /**
      * This makes the text edit display a grayed-out hinting text as long as
      * the user didn't enter any text. It is often used as indication about
      * the purpose of the text edit.
      * @deprecated since 5.0, use QTextEdit::setPlaceholderText instead
      */
-#ifndef KTEXTWIDGETS_NO_DEPRECATED
-    inline KTEXTWIDGETS_DEPRECATED void setClickMessage(const QString &msg) {setPlaceholderText(msg);}
+    KTEXTWIDGETS_DEPRECATED_VERSION(5, 0, "Use QTextEdit::setPlaceholderText(const QString&)")
+    inline void setClickMessage(const QString &msg) {setPlaceholderText(msg);}
 #endif
 
+#if KTEXTWIDGETS_ENABLE_DEPRECATED_SINCE(5, 0)
     /**
      * @return the message set with setClickMessage
      * @deprecated since 5.0, use QTextEdit::placeholderText instead
      */
-#ifndef KTEXTWIDGETS_NO_DEPRECATED
-    inline KTEXTWIDGETS_DEPRECATED QString clickMessage() const {return placeholderText();}
+    KTEXTWIDGETS_DEPRECATED_VERSION(5, 0, "Use QTextEdit::placeholderText()")
+    inline QString clickMessage() const {return placeholderText();}
 #endif
 
     /**