diff --git a/doc/source/drivers/github.rst b/doc/source/drivers/github.rst
index 500adb43c4..8ebd9459be 100644
--- a/doc/source/drivers/github.rst
+++ b/doc/source/drivers/github.rst
@@ -292,6 +292,13 @@ the following options.
    .. attr:: event
       :required:
 
+      .. warning:: While it is currently possible to list more than
+                   one event in a single trigger, that is deprecated
+                   and support will be removed in a future version.
+                   Instead, specify a single event type per trigger,
+                   and list multiple triggers as necessary to cover
+                   all intended events.
+
       The event from github. Supported events are:
 
       .. value:: pull_request
@@ -359,7 +366,17 @@ the following options.
 
       .. value:: requested
 
-         A check run is requested.
+         .. warning:: This is deprecated and will be removed in a
+                      future version.  Use
+                      :value:`pipeline.trigger.<github
+                      source>.action.rerequested` instead.
+
+         Deprecated alias for :value:`pipeline.trigger.<github
+         source>.action.rerequested`.
+
+      .. value:: rerequested
+
+         A check run is rerequested.
 
       .. value:: completed
 
@@ -400,7 +417,7 @@ the following options.
 
    .. attr:: status
 
-      This is used for ``pull-request`` and ``status`` actions. It
+      This is used for ``pull_request`` and ``status`` actions. It
       accepts a list of strings each of which matches the user setting
       the status, the status context, and the status itself in the
       format of ``user:context:status``.  For example,
diff --git a/releasenotes/notes/github-trigger-deprecations-067ba9feab4c0a76.yaml b/releasenotes/notes/github-trigger-deprecations-067ba9feab4c0a76.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..b87e2df585
--- /dev/null
+++ b/releasenotes/notes/github-trigger-deprecations-067ba9feab4c0a76.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+deprecations:
+  - |
+    Specifying :attr:`pipeline.trigger.<github source>.event` as a
+    list is deprecated.  Update any instances to specify multiple
+    triggers each with a single associated event instead.
+  - |
+    The use of :value:`pipeline.trigger.<github
+    source>.action.requested` has been deprecated for some time
+    already.  Its use will now produce a configuration syntax warning,
+    and in a future version of Zuul, an error.
+  - |
+    The use of :attr:`pipeline.trigger.<github source>.require-status`
+    has been deprecated for some already.  Its use will now produce a
+    configuration syntax warning, and in a future version of Zuul, an
+    error.
diff --git a/tests/fixtures/layouts/github-merge-mode.yaml b/tests/fixtures/layouts/github-merge-mode.yaml
index 08a76cae28..467c316789 100644
--- a/tests/fixtures/layouts/github-merge-mode.yaml
+++ b/tests/fixtures/layouts/github-merge-mode.yaml
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
       github:
         - event: pull_request_review
           action: submitted
-          state: approve
+          state: approved
         - event: pull_request
           action:
             - opened
diff --git a/tests/fixtures/layouts/github-message-update.yaml b/tests/fixtures/layouts/github-message-update.yaml
index ec6551677b..8a22fa7f20 100644
--- a/tests/fixtures/layouts/github-message-update.yaml
+++ b/tests/fixtures/layouts/github-message-update.yaml
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
       github:
         - event: pull_request_review
           action: submitted
-          state: approve
+          state: approved
     start:
       github: {}
     success:
diff --git a/tests/fixtures/layouts/github-schema.yaml b/tests/fixtures/layouts/github-schema.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..75d56c304a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/fixtures/layouts/github-schema.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+- pipeline:
+    name: check
+    manager: independent
+    trigger:
+      github:
+        # Valid
+        - event: pull_request
+          action: comment
+          comment: test me
+        # Valid
+        - event: pull_request
+          action:
+            - opened
+            - closed
+        # "extra keys not allowed @ data['check']"
+        - event: pull_request
+          action:
+            - opened
+            - closed
+          branch: ^master$
+          check: foo
+        # "extra keys not allowed @ data['branch']"
+        - event: check_run
+          branch: ^master$
+        # "as a list is deprecated"
+        - event:
+            - pull_request
+            - check_run
+        # "'require-status' trigger attribute"
+        # "extra keys not allowed @ data['require-status']"
+        - event: check_run
+          require-status: foo
+        # "'unlabel' trigger attribute"
+        # "extra keys not allowed @ data['unlabel']"
+        - event: check_run
+          unlabel: foo
+        # "Use 'rerequested' instead"
+        - event: check_run
+          action: requested
+    success:
+      github: {}
+    failure:
+      github: {}
diff --git a/tests/fixtures/layouts/pcre-deprecation-github.yaml b/tests/fixtures/layouts/pcre-deprecation-github.yaml
index 3d39b77661..6347d47afe 100644
--- a/tests/fixtures/layouts/pcre-deprecation-github.yaml
+++ b/tests/fixtures/layouts/pcre-deprecation-github.yaml
@@ -3,9 +3,7 @@
     manager: independent
     trigger:
       github:
-        - event: pull_request_review
-          action: submitted
-          state: approve
+        - event: push
           ref: '(?!invalid)'
     start:
       github: {}
diff --git a/tests/fixtures/layouts/reviews-github.yaml b/tests/fixtures/layouts/reviews-github.yaml
index d475379445..ba85becaae 100644
--- a/tests/fixtures/layouts/reviews-github.yaml
+++ b/tests/fixtures/layouts/reviews-github.yaml
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
       github:
         - event: pull_request_review
           action: submitted
-          state: approve
+          state: approved
     success:
       github:
         label:
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_github_crd.py b/tests/unit/test_github_crd.py
index 4d9aad0ac1..d35cb73b75 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_github_crd.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_github_crd.py
@@ -195,7 +195,7 @@ class TestGithubCrossRepoDeps(ZuulTestCase):
         self.executor_server.hold_jobs_in_build = True
 
         # Enqueue A,B,C
-        self.fake_github.emitEvent(C.getReviewAddedEvent('approve'))
+        self.fake_github.emitEvent(C.getReviewAddedEvent('approved'))
         self.waitUntilSettled()
 
         self.assertEqual(len(self.builds), 1)
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_github_driver.py b/tests/unit/test_github_driver.py
index 97d497835e..7c5e501b7a 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_github_driver.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_github_driver.py
@@ -375,7 +375,7 @@ class TestGithubDriver(ZuulTestCase):
     @simple_layout('layouts/reviews-github.yaml', driver='github')
     def test_reviews(self):
         A = self.fake_github.openFakePullRequest('org/project', 'master', 'A')
-        self.fake_github.emitEvent(A.getReviewAddedEvent('approve'))
+        self.fake_github.emitEvent(A.getReviewAddedEvent('approved'))
         self.waitUntilSettled()
         self.assertEqual(1, len(self.history))
         self.assertEqual('project-reviews', self.history[0].name)
@@ -383,7 +383,7 @@ class TestGithubDriver(ZuulTestCase):
 
         # test_review_unmatched_event
         B = self.fake_github.openFakePullRequest('org/project', 'master', 'B')
-        self.fake_github.emitEvent(B.getReviewAddedEvent('comment'))
+        self.fake_github.emitEvent(B.getReviewAddedEvent('commented'))
         self.waitUntilSettled()
         self.assertEqual(1, len(self.history))
 
@@ -2790,3 +2790,38 @@ class TestGithubDefaultBranch(ZuulTestCase):
         self.assertEqual('foobar', md.default_branch)
         new_layout = layout.uuid
         self.assertNotEqual(new_layout, prev_layout)
+
+
+class TestGithubSchemaWarnings(ZuulTestCase):
+    config_file = 'zuul-github-driver.conf'
+
+    @simple_layout('layouts/github-schema.yaml', driver='github')
+    def test_broken_config_on_startup_warnings(self):
+        tenant = self.scheds.first.sched.abide.tenants.get('tenant-one')
+        self.assertEquals(
+            len(tenant.layout.loading_errors), 8,
+            "An error should have been stored")
+        self.assertIn(
+            "extra keys not allowed @ data['check']",
+            str(tenant.layout.loading_errors[0].error))
+        self.assertIn(
+            "extra keys not allowed @ data['branch']",
+            str(tenant.layout.loading_errors[1].error))
+        self.assertIn(
+            "as a list is deprecated",
+            str(tenant.layout.loading_errors[2].error))
+        self.assertIn(
+            "'require-status' trigger attribute",
+            str(tenant.layout.loading_errors[3].error))
+        self.assertIn(
+            "extra keys not allowed @ data['require-status']",
+            str(tenant.layout.loading_errors[4].error))
+        self.assertIn(
+            "'unlabel' trigger attribute",
+            str(tenant.layout.loading_errors[5].error))
+        self.assertIn(
+            "extra keys not allowed @ data['unlabel']",
+            str(tenant.layout.loading_errors[6].error))
+        self.assertIn(
+            "Use 'rerequested' instead",
+            str(tenant.layout.loading_errors[7].error))
diff --git a/zuul/driver/github/githubtrigger.py b/zuul/driver/github/githubtrigger.py
index 37c5ada2bf..90641faa40 100644
--- a/zuul/driver/github/githubtrigger.py
+++ b/zuul/driver/github/githubtrigger.py
@@ -14,34 +14,78 @@
 # under the License.
 
 import logging
-import voluptuous as v
+import voluptuous as vs
 from zuul.trigger import BaseTrigger
 from zuul.driver.github.githubmodel import GithubEventFilter
 from zuul.driver.github import githubsource
 from zuul.driver.util import scalar_or_list, to_list, make_regex, ZUUL_REGEX
+from zuul.configloader import DeprecationWarning
+
+
+class GithubUnlabelDeprecation(DeprecationWarning):
+    zuul_error_name = 'Github unlabel Deprecation'
+    zuul_error_message = """The 'unlabel' trigger attribute
+is deprecated.  Use 'label' instead."""
+
+
+class GithubEventListDeprecation(DeprecationWarning):
+    zuul_error_name = 'Github event list Deprecation'
+    zuul_error_message = """Specifying the 'event' trigger attribute
+as a list is deprecated.  Use a single item instead."""
+
+
+class GithubRequireStatusDeprecation(DeprecationWarning):
+    zuul_error_name = 'Github require-status Deprecation'
+    zuul_error_message = """The 'require-status' trigger attribute
+is deprecated.  Use 'require' instead."""
+
+
+class GithubRequestedActionDeprecation(DeprecationWarning):
+    zuul_error_name = 'Github requested action Deprecation'
+    zuul_error_message = """The 'requested' value for the 'action'
+trigger attribute is deprecated.  Use 'rerequested' instead."""
+
+
+class GithubTriggerConfigurationWarning(DeprecationWarning):
+    zuul_error_name = 'Github Trigger Configuration Warning'
 
 
 class GithubTrigger(BaseTrigger):
     name = 'github'
     log = logging.getLogger("zuul.trigger.GithubTrigger")
 
-    def __init__(self, driver, connection, config=None):
-
-        # This is a compatibility layer to map the action 'requested' back
-        # to the original action 'rerequested'.
-        # TODO: Remove after zuul 5.0
-        for item in config:
-            if item.get('action') == 'requested':
-                item['action'] = 'rerequested'
-
-        super().__init__(driver, connection, config=config)
-
     def getEventFilters(self, connection_name, trigger_config,
                         parse_context):
         efilters = []
         pcontext = parse_context
+        new_schema = getNewSchema()
+
         for trigger in to_list(trigger_config):
 
+            # Deprecated in 8.3.0 but warning added in 10.0
+            if 'require-status' in trigger:
+                with pcontext.confAttr(trigger, 'require-status'):
+                    pcontext.accumulator.addError(
+                        GithubRequireStatusDeprecation())
+            # Deprecated with warning in 10.0
+            if 'unlabel' in trigger:
+                with pcontext.confAttr(trigger, 'unlabel'):
+                    pcontext.accumulator.addError(
+                        GithubUnlabelDeprecation())
+            # Deprecated with warning in 10.0
+            if isinstance(trigger.get('event', None), list):
+                with pcontext.confAttr(trigger, 'event'):
+                    pcontext.accumulator.addError(
+                        GithubEventListDeprecation())
+
+            try:
+                new_schema(trigger)
+            except vs.Invalid as e:
+                pcontext.accumulator.addError(
+                    GithubTriggerConfigurationWarning(
+                        "The trigger configuration as supplied "
+                        f"has an error: {e}"))
+
             with pcontext.confAttr(trigger, 'event') as attr:
                 types = [make_regex(x, pcontext)
                          for x in to_list(attr)]
@@ -55,6 +99,18 @@ class GithubTrigger(BaseTrigger):
                 comments = [make_regex(x, pcontext)
                             for x in to_list(attr)]
 
+            # This is a compatibility layer to map the action 'requested' back
+            # to the original action 'rerequested'.
+            # TODO: Remove after zuul 5.0
+            # Note the original backwards compat handling for this did
+            # not allow 'requested' as a list, so we don't do that
+            # here either.
+            if trigger.get('action') == 'requested':
+                trigger['action'] = 'rerequested'
+                with pcontext.confAttr(trigger, 'action'):
+                    pcontext.accumulator.addError(
+                        GithubRequestedActionDeprecation())
+
             f = GithubEventFilter(
                 connection_name=connection_name,
                 trigger=self,
@@ -80,17 +136,119 @@ class GithubTrigger(BaseTrigger):
         pass
 
 
+def getNewSchema():
+    # For now, this is only used to raise deprecation errors if the
+    # syntax does not match.  This was added in 10.0.  When we're
+    # ready to enforce this, rename this method getSchema.
+    base_schema = vs.Schema({
+        vs.Required('event'): vs.Any('pull_request',
+                                     'pull_request_review',
+                                     'push',
+                                     'check_run'),
+        'require': githubsource.getRequireSchema(),
+        'reject': githubsource.getRejectSchema(),
+    })
+
+    # Pull request
+    pull_request_base_schema = base_schema.extend({
+        vs.Required('event'): 'pull_request',
+        'branch': scalar_or_list(vs.Any(ZUUL_REGEX, str)),
+    })
+
+    pull_request_default_schema = pull_request_base_schema.extend({
+        'action': scalar_or_list(vs.Any(
+            'opened', 'changed', 'closed', 'reopened')),
+    })
+
+    pull_request_comment_schema = pull_request_base_schema.extend({
+        vs.Required('action'): 'comment',
+        'comment': scalar_or_list(vs.Any(ZUUL_REGEX, str)),
+    })
+
+    pull_request_labeled_schema = pull_request_base_schema.extend({
+        vs.Required('action'): scalar_or_list(vs.Any('labeled', 'unlabeled')),
+        'label': scalar_or_list(str),
+    })
+
+    pull_request_status_schema = pull_request_base_schema.extend({
+        vs.Required('action'): 'status',
+        'status': scalar_or_list(str),
+    })
+
+    # Pull request review
+    pull_request_review_base_schema = base_schema.extend({
+        vs.Required('event'): 'pull_request_review',
+        'branch': scalar_or_list(vs.Any(ZUUL_REGEX, str)),
+    })
+
+    pull_request_review_schema = pull_request_review_base_schema.extend({
+        'action': scalar_or_list(vs.Any('submitted', 'dismissed')),
+        'state': scalar_or_list(vs.Any(
+            'approved', 'commented', 'changes_requested',
+            'dismissed', 'pending')),
+    })
+
+    # Push
+    push_schema = base_schema.extend({
+        vs.Required('event'): 'push',
+        'ref': scalar_or_list(vs.Any(ZUUL_REGEX, str)),
+    })
+
+    # Check run
+    check_run_schema = base_schema.extend({
+        vs.Required('event'): 'check_run',
+        'action': scalar_or_list(vs.Any('requested', 'completed')),
+        'check': scalar_or_list(str),
+    })
+
+    init_schema = base_schema.extend({}, extra=vs.ALLOW_EXTRA)
+
+    def validate(data):
+        # This method could be a simple vs.Any() across all the
+        # possibilities, but sometimes the error messages are less
+        # intuitive (e.g., indicating that the action is wrong rather
+        # than that a user has added an attribute that is incompatible
+        # with the action).  Instead, we assume the user got the event
+        # and/or action right first, then apply the appropriate schema
+        # for what they selected.
+
+        event = data.get('event')
+        # TODO: run this unconditionally after
+        # GithubEventListDeprecation is complete
+        if isinstance(event, str):
+            # First, make sure the common items are correct.
+            init_schema(data)
+        action = data.get('action')
+        if event == 'pull_request':
+            if action == 'comment':
+                pull_request_comment_schema(data)
+            elif action == 'labeled':
+                pull_request_labeled_schema(data)
+            elif action == 'status':
+                pull_request_status_schema(data)
+            else:
+                pull_request_default_schema(data)
+        elif event == 'pull_request_review':
+            pull_request_review_schema(data)
+        elif event == 'push':
+            push_schema(data)
+        elif event == 'check_run':
+            check_run_schema(data)
+
+    return validate
+
+
 def getSchema():
-    github_trigger = {
-        v.Required('event'):
-            scalar_or_list(v.Any('pull_request',
-                                 'pull_request_review',
-                                 'push',
-                                 'check_run')),
+    old_schema = vs.Schema({
+        vs.Required('event'):
+            scalar_or_list(vs.Any('pull_request',
+                                  'pull_request_review',
+                                  'push',
+                                  'check_run')),
         'action': scalar_or_list(str),
-        'branch': scalar_or_list(v.Any(ZUUL_REGEX, str)),
-        'ref': scalar_or_list(v.Any(ZUUL_REGEX, str)),
-        'comment': scalar_or_list(v.Any(ZUUL_REGEX, str)),
+        'branch': scalar_or_list(vs.Any(ZUUL_REGEX, str)),
+        'ref': scalar_or_list(vs.Any(ZUUL_REGEX, str)),
+        'comment': scalar_or_list(vs.Any(ZUUL_REGEX, str)),
         'label': scalar_or_list(str),
         'unlabel': scalar_or_list(str),
         'state': scalar_or_list(str),
@@ -99,6 +257,6 @@ def getSchema():
         'reject': githubsource.getRejectSchema(),
         'status': scalar_or_list(str),
         'check': scalar_or_list(str),
-    }
+    })
 
-    return github_trigger
+    return old_schema