diff --git a/CHANGES.current b/CHANGES.current
index ff6d7c5b4..301094ee4 100644
--- a/CHANGES.current
+++ b/CHANGES.current
@@ -7,6 +7,15 @@ the issue number to the end of the URL: https://github.com/swig/swig/issues/
 Version 4.4.0 (in progress)
 ===========================
 
+2025-06-09: olly
+	    The $function variable in %exception/feature:except typemaps is
+	    no longer recognised.  It was marked as deprecated in 2008.
+	    Use $action (added in 2001) instead which has exactly the same
+	    value.
+
+	    SWIG/D has an unrelated $function variable which is substituted in
+	    %pragma(d) wrapperloaderbindcommand - this is still supported.
+
 2025-06-09: olly
 	    [Python] #3162 Fix wrapping of a bool const& parameter with a
 	    default value.  Regression introduced in SWIG 4.3.0.
diff --git a/Source/Modules/emit.cxx b/Source/Modules/emit.cxx
index 7039196d3..0b1e25a5b 100644
--- a/Source/Modules/emit.cxx
+++ b/Source/Modules/emit.cxx
@@ -398,7 +398,6 @@ int emit_action_code(Node *n, String *wrappercode, String *eaction) {
   if ((tm) && Len(tm) && (Strcmp(tm, "1") != 0)) {
     if (Strchr(tm, '$')) {
       Swig_replace_special_variables(n, parentNode(n), tm);
-      Replaceall(tm, "$function", eaction); // deprecated
       Replaceall(tm, "$action", eaction);
     }
     Printv(wrappercode, tm, "\n", NIL);