diff --git a/sdk/python/feast/entity.py b/sdk/python/feast/entity.py
index 290e6307a4..9c529115c8 100644
--- a/sdk/python/feast/entity.py
+++ b/sdk/python/feast/entity.py
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 # WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
 # See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 # limitations under the License.
+import warnings
 from datetime import datetime
 from typing import Dict, List, Optional
 
@@ -79,6 +80,13 @@ def __init__(
             ValueError: Parameters are specified incorrectly.
         """
         self.name = name
+        if value_type is None:
+            warnings.warn(
+                "Entity value_type will be mandatory in the next release. "
+                "Please specify a value_type for entity '%s'." % name,
+                DeprecationWarning,
+                stacklevel=2,
+            )
         self.value_type = value_type or ValueType.UNKNOWN
 
         if join_keys and len(join_keys) > 1:
diff --git a/sdk/python/tests/unit/test_entity.py b/sdk/python/tests/unit/test_entity.py
index 78f7123104..b36f363a6f 100644
--- a/sdk/python/tests/unit/test_entity.py
+++ b/sdk/python/tests/unit/test_entity.py
@@ -11,6 +11,8 @@
 # WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
 # See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 # limitations under the License.
+import warnings
+
 import assertpy
 import pytest
 
@@ -73,3 +75,16 @@ def test_hash():
 
     s4 = {entity1, entity2, entity3, entity4}
     assert len(s4) == 3
+
+
+def test_entity_without_value_type_warns():
+    with pytest.warns(DeprecationWarning, match="Entity value_type will be mandatory"):
+        entity = Entity(name="my-entity")
+    assert entity.value_type == ValueType.UNKNOWN
+
+
+def test_entity_with_value_type_no_warning():
+    with warnings.catch_warnings():
+        warnings.simplefilter("error")
+        entity = Entity(name="my-entity", value_type=ValueType.STRING)
+    assert entity.value_type == ValueType.STRING