diff --git a/.github/workflows/main.yml b/.github/workflows/main.yml
index 6af3ac7958..b348056b7d 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/main.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/main.yml
@@ -7,10 +7,10 @@ jobs:
     strategy:
       matrix:
         python:
+        - pypy3
         - 3.6
         - 3.9
         - 3.10.0-alpha - 3.10.99
-        - pypy3
         platform: [ubuntu-latest, macos-latest, windows-latest]
     runs-on: ${{ matrix.platform }}
     steps:
diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 90ae80505e..dc14826ec8 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ docs/build
 include
 lib
 distribute.egg-info
+foo.egg-info
 setuptools.egg-info
 .coverage
 .eggs
diff --git a/changelog.d/1988-change.rst b/changelog.d/1988-change.rst
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..4f10463930
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog.d/1988-change.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+Deprecated the ``bdist_rpm`` command. Binary packages should be built as wheels instead.
+-- by :user:`hugovk`
diff --git a/setuptools/command/bdist_rpm.py b/setuptools/command/bdist_rpm.py
index 0eb1b9c254..98bf5dea84 100644
--- a/setuptools/command/bdist_rpm.py
+++ b/setuptools/command/bdist_rpm.py
@@ -1,4 +1,7 @@
 import distutils.command.bdist_rpm as orig
+import warnings
+
+from setuptools import SetuptoolsDeprecationWarning
 
 
 class bdist_rpm(orig.bdist_rpm):
@@ -11,6 +14,12 @@ class bdist_rpm(orig.bdist_rpm):
     """
 
     def run(self):
+        warnings.warn(
+            "bdist_rpm is deprecated and will be removed in a future "
+            "version. Use bdist_wheel (wheel packages) instead.",
+            SetuptoolsDeprecationWarning,
+        )
+
         # ensure distro name is up-to-date
         self.run_command('egg_info')
 
diff --git a/setuptools/tests/test_bdist_deprecations.py b/setuptools/tests/test_bdist_deprecations.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..28482fd027
--- /dev/null
+++ b/setuptools/tests/test_bdist_deprecations.py
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+"""develop tests
+"""
+import mock
+import sys
+
+import pytest
+
+from setuptools.dist import Distribution
+from setuptools import SetuptoolsDeprecationWarning
+
+
+@pytest.mark.skipif(sys.platform == 'win32', reason='non-Windows only')
+@mock.patch('distutils.command.bdist_rpm.bdist_rpm')
+def test_bdist_rpm_warning(distutils_cmd):
+    dist = Distribution(
+        dict(
+            script_name='setup.py',
+            script_args=['bdist_rpm'],
+            name='foo',
+            py_modules=['hi'],
+        )
+    )
+    dist.parse_command_line()
+    with pytest.warns(SetuptoolsDeprecationWarning):
+        dist.run_commands()
+
+    distutils_cmd.run.assert_called_once()