diff --git a/lib/graphql-hive.rb b/lib/graphql-hive.rb
index 51852b0..3e1c49f 100644
--- a/lib/graphql-hive.rb
+++ b/lib/graphql-hive.rb
@@ -39,7 +39,8 @@ class Hive < GraphQL::Tracing::PlatformTracing
       report_schema: true,
       buffer_size: 50,
       logger: nil,
-      collect_usage_sampling: 1.0
+      collect_usage_sampling: 1.0,
+      start_by_default: true
     }.freeze
 
     self.platform_keys = {
@@ -90,6 +91,14 @@ def initialize(options = {})
         if opts[:report_schema] && @@schema
           send_report_schema(@@schema)
         end
+        if opts[:start_by_default]
+          @logger.warn("Deprecation warning: The default behavior of starting" \
+            "the usage reporter thread will be changed in future versions. " \
+            "Please set `start_by_default` to `false` and configure the " \
+            "GraphQL::Hive to call `on_start` when your server boots. See " \
+            "the README for more information.")
+          @usage_reporter.on_start
+        end
       end
     end