diff --git a/nova/conf/exceptions.py b/nova/conf/exceptions.py
index cfdb176e6f09..68254e2baf5a 100644
--- a/nova/conf/exceptions.py
+++ b/nova/conf/exceptions.py
@@ -18,7 +18,9 @@ from oslo_config import cfg
 exc_log_opts = [
     cfg.BoolOpt('fatal_exception_format_errors',
                 default=False,
-                help='Make exception message format errors fatal'),
+                deprecated_for_removal=True,
+                deprecated_reason='This is only used for internal testing.',
+                help='DEPRECATED: Make exception message format errors fatal'),
 ]
 
 
diff --git a/releasenotes/notes/deprecate-fatal-exception-format-errors-a5d2bf64e3404c39.yaml b/releasenotes/notes/deprecate-fatal-exception-format-errors-a5d2bf64e3404c39.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..19b2dc320503
--- /dev/null
+++ b/releasenotes/notes/deprecate-fatal-exception-format-errors-a5d2bf64e3404c39.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+---
+deprecations:
+  - The ``fatal_exception_format_errors`` config option is now deprecated and
+    may be removed as early as the 15.0.0 release. It is an option which was
+    only relevant for Nova internal testing purposes to ensure that errors in
+    formatted exception messages got detected.
\ No newline at end of file