diff --git a/Lib/commands.py b/Lib/commands.py
index 287aa27..ccaaaee 100644
--- a/Lib/commands.py
+++ b/Lib/commands.py
@@ -18,6 +18,10 @@
 
  [Note:  it would be nice to add functions to interpret the exit status.]
 """
+from warnings import warnpy3k
+warnpy3k("the commands module has been removed in Python 3.0; "
+         "use the subprocess module instead", stacklevel=2)
+del warnpy3k
 
 __all__ = ["getstatusoutput","getoutput","getstatus"]
 
@@ -63,8 +67,6 @@
 # Make command argument from directory and pathname (prefix space, add quotes).
 #
 def mk2arg(head, x):
-    from warnings import warnpy3k
-    warnpy3k("In 3.x, mk2arg has been removed.")
     import os
     return mkarg(os.path.join(head, x))
 
@@ -77,8 +79,6 @@
 # with backslash.
 #
 def mkarg(x):
-    from warnings import warnpy3k
-    warnpy3k("in 3.x, mkarg has been removed.")
     if '\'' not in x:
         return ' \'' + x + '\''
     s = ' "'