diff --git a/docs/CHANGELOG.md b/docs/CHANGELOG.md
index 259aa16..7f70c5d 100644
--- a/docs/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/docs/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -9,6 +9,12 @@ This project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](http://semver.org/).
 The format of this change log follows the advice given at [Keep a CHANGELOG](http://keepachangelog.com).
 
 ## [Unreleased]
+### Deprecated
+- The use of `phpdbg` to calculate PHPUnit's code-coverage has been deprecated in this `moodle-plugin-ci` release (4.5.0) and will be removed in 5.0.0. This includes both the implicit (default) option when no alternative (`pcov` or `xdebug`) is available and the explicit `--coverage-phpdbg` option.
+- ACTION SUGGESTED: In order to avoid deprecation warnings or annotations, proceed to ensure that either `pcov` (Moodle 3.10 and up) or `xdebug` are available and they will be used automatically. Note that any use of `phpdbg` will throw an error in the next major release (5.0.0).
+
+### Fixed
+- Solved a problem with the validation of `dataformat` plugin lang strings.
 
 ## [4.4.5] - 2024-04-03
 ### Changed
diff --git a/docs/CLI.md b/docs/CLI.md
index 507d65d..d11fcd7 100644
--- a/docs/CLI.md
+++ b/docs/CLI.md
@@ -2133,7 +2133,7 @@ Use the xdebug extension to calculate code coverage
 
 #### `--coverage-phpdbg`
 
-Use the phpdbg binary to calculate code coverage
+(**DEPRECATED**) Use the phpdbg binary to calculate code coverage
 
 * Accept value: no
 * Is value required: no
diff --git a/src/Command/PHPUnitCommand.php b/src/Command/PHPUnitCommand.php
index 7e4728b..beee001 100644
--- a/src/Command/PHPUnitCommand.php
+++ b/src/Command/PHPUnitCommand.php
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ protected function configure(): void
             ->addOption('coverage-clover', null, InputOption::VALUE_NONE, 'Generate code coverage report in Clover XML format')
             ->addOption('coverage-pcov', null, InputOption::VALUE_NONE, 'Use the pcov extension to calculate code coverage')
             ->addOption('coverage-xdebug', null, InputOption::VALUE_NONE, 'Use the xdebug extension to calculate code coverage')
-            ->addOption('coverage-phpdbg', null, InputOption::VALUE_NONE, 'Use the phpdbg binary to calculate code coverage')
+            ->addOption('coverage-phpdbg', null, InputOption::VALUE_NONE, '(**DEPRECATED**) Use the phpdbg binary to calculate code coverage')
             ->addOption('fail-on-incomplete', null, InputOption::VALUE_NONE, 'Treat incomplete tests as failures')
             ->addOption('fail-on-risky', null, InputOption::VALUE_NONE, 'Treat risky tests as failures')
             ->addOption('fail-on-skipped', null, InputOption::VALUE_NONE, 'Treat skipped tests as failures')
@@ -195,6 +195,15 @@ private function resolveBinary(InputInterface $input, OutputInterface $output):
                     '-dxdebug.mode=coverage',
                 ];
             case 'phpdbg':
+                // @codeCoverageIgnoreStart
+                if (!defined('PHPUNIT_TEST')) { // Only show deprecation warnings in non-test environments.
+                    if (getenv('GITHUB_ACTIONS')) { // Only show deprecation annotations in GitHub Actions.
+                        echo '::warning title=Deprecated phpdbg option::The use of phpdbg for phpunit code coverage ' .
+                            'is deprecated and will be removed in 5.0.0. Please, switch to pcov or xdebug instead.' . PHP_EOL;
+                    }
+                }
+                // @codeCoverageIgnoreEnd
+
                 return [
                     'phpdbg',
                     '-d',