diff --git a/OpenRA.Mods.Common/OpenRA.Mods.Common.csproj b/OpenRA.Mods.Common/OpenRA.Mods.Common.csproj
index 75b7aa858e..62a99d7c55 100644
--- a/OpenRA.Mods.Common/OpenRA.Mods.Common.csproj
+++ b/OpenRA.Mods.Common/OpenRA.Mods.Common.csproj
@@ -448,7 +448,6 @@
     <Compile Include="Traits\Render\WithRepairAnimation.cs" />
     <Compile Include="Traits\Render\WithRepairOverlay.cs" />
     <Compile Include="Traits\Render\WithResources.cs" />
-    <Compile Include="Traits\Render\WithSpriteRotorOverlay.cs" />
     <Compile Include="Traits\Render\WithShadow.cs" />
     <Compile Include="Traits\Render\WithSpriteBody.cs" />
     <Compile Include="Traits\Render\WithSpriteTurret.cs" />
diff --git a/OpenRA.Mods.Common/Traits/Render/WithSpriteRotorOverlay.cs b/OpenRA.Mods.Common/Traits/Render/WithSpriteRotorOverlay.cs
deleted file mode 100644
index 40678b6ecf..0000000000
--- a/OpenRA.Mods.Common/Traits/Render/WithSpriteRotorOverlay.cs
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,81 +0,0 @@
-#region Copyright & License Information
-/*
- * Copyright 2007-2016 The OpenRA Developers (see AUTHORS)
- * This file is part of OpenRA, which is free software. It is made
- * available to you under the terms of the GNU General Public License
- * as published by the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of
- * the License, or (at your option) any later version. For more
- * information, see COPYING.
- */
-#endregion
-
-using System.Collections.Generic;
-using OpenRA.Graphics;
-using OpenRA.Mods.Common.Graphics;
-using OpenRA.Traits;
-
-namespace OpenRA.Mods.Common.Traits.Render
-{
-	[Desc("Displays a helicopter rotor overlay.")]
-	public class WithSpriteRotorOverlayInfo : ITraitInfo, IRenderActorPreviewSpritesInfo, Requires<RenderSpritesInfo>, Requires<BodyOrientationInfo>
-	{
-		[Desc("Sequence name to use when flying")]
-		[SequenceReference] public readonly string Sequence = "rotor";
-
-		[Desc("Sequence name to use when landed")]
-		[SequenceReference] public readonly string GroundSequence = "slow-rotor";
-
-		[Desc("Position relative to body")]
-		public readonly WVec Offset = WVec.Zero;
-
-		public object Create(ActorInitializer init) { return new WithSpriteRotorOverlay(init.Self, this); }
-
-		public IEnumerable<IActorPreview> RenderPreviewSprites(ActorPreviewInitializer init, RenderSpritesInfo rs, string image, int facings, PaletteReference p)
-		{
-			var body = init.Actor.TraitInfo<BodyOrientationInfo>();
-			var facing = init.Contains<FacingInit>() ? init.Get<FacingInit, int>() : 0;
-			var anim = new Animation(init.World, image, () => facing);
-			anim.PlayRepeating(RenderSprites.NormalizeSequence(anim, init.GetDamageState(), Sequence));
-
-			var orientation = body.QuantizeOrientation(new WRot(WAngle.Zero, WAngle.Zero, WAngle.FromFacing(facing)), facings);
-			var offset = body.LocalToWorld(Offset.Rotate(orientation));
-			yield return new SpriteActorPreview(anim, offset, offset.Y + offset.Z + 1, p, rs.Scale);
-		}
-	}
-
-	public class WithSpriteRotorOverlay : ITick
-	{
-		readonly WithSpriteRotorOverlayInfo info;
-		readonly Animation rotorAnim;
-		readonly IMove movement;
-
-		public WithSpriteRotorOverlay(Actor self, WithSpriteRotorOverlayInfo info)
-		{
-			this.info = info;
-			var rs = self.Trait<RenderSprites>();
-			var body = self.Trait<BodyOrientation>();
-			movement = self.Trait<IMove>();
-
-			rotorAnim = new Animation(self.World, rs.GetImage(self));
-			rotorAnim.PlayRepeating(info.Sequence);
-			rs.Add(new AnimationWithOffset(rotorAnim,
-				() => body.LocalToWorld(info.Offset.Rotate(body.QuantizeOrientation(self, self.Orientation))),
-				null, p => ZOffsetFromCenter(self, p, 1)));
-		}
-
-		public void Tick(Actor self)
-		{
-			var isFlying = movement.IsMoving && !self.IsDead;
-			if (isFlying ^ (rotorAnim.CurrentSequence.Name != info.Sequence))
-				return;
-
-			rotorAnim.ReplaceAnim(isFlying ? info.Sequence : info.GroundSequence);
-		}
-
-		public static int ZOffsetFromCenter(Actor self, WPos pos, int offset)
-		{
-			var delta = self.CenterPosition - pos;
-			return delta.Y + delta.Z + offset;
-		}
-	}
-}
diff --git a/OpenRA.Mods.Common/UtilityCommands/UpgradeRules.cs b/OpenRA.Mods.Common/UtilityCommands/UpgradeRules.cs
index da302ea48c..98878fcba7 100644
--- a/OpenRA.Mods.Common/UtilityCommands/UpgradeRules.cs
+++ b/OpenRA.Mods.Common/UtilityCommands/UpgradeRules.cs
@@ -130,6 +130,22 @@ namespace OpenRA.Mods.Common.UtilityCommands
 					node.Value.Nodes.Add(new MiniYamlNode("Id", id));
 				}
 
+				if (engineVersion < 20160611)
+				{
+					// Deprecated WithSpriteRotorOverlay
+					if (depth == 1 && node.Key.StartsWith("WithSpriteRotorOverlay"))
+					{
+						var parts = node.Key.Split('@');
+						node.Key = "WithIdleOverlay";
+						if (parts.Length > 1)
+							node.Key += "@" + parts[1];
+
+						Console.WriteLine("The 'WithSpriteRotorOverlay' trait has been removed.");
+						Console.WriteLine("Its functionality can be fully replicated with 'WithIdleOverlay' + upgrades.");
+						Console.WriteLine("Look at the helicopters in our RA / C&C1  mods for implementation details.");
+					}
+				}
+
 				UpgradeActorRules(engineVersion, ref node.Value.Nodes, node, depth + 1);
 			}
 		}