@@ -1329,6 +1329,13 @@ attributes/sub-elements:
 
     *Default*: ``surface_source.h5`` in current working directory
 
+.. deprecated::
+  The ``<surf_source_read>`` element is deprecated and will be removed in a
+  future release. A deprecation warning is emitted when it is present. Use a
+  file source instead, e.g. ``<source type="file" file="surface_source.h5"/>``,
+  which is equivalent but additionally supports a source strength and source
+  constraints.
+
 -------------------------------
 ``<surf_source_write>`` Element
 -------------------------------
 
@@ -422,6 +422,11 @@ As an example, to write a maximum of three surface source files:::
       'max_source_files': 3
   }
 
+A surface source file is read back like any other source file, with the
+:class:`openmc.FileSource` class::
+
+  settings.source = openmc.FileSource('surface_source.h5')
+
 .. _compiled_source:
 
 Compiled Sources
 
@@ -80,7 +80,6 @@ extern bool source_write;            //!< write source in HDF5 files?
 extern bool source_mcpl_write;       //!< write source in mcpl files?
 extern bool surf_source_write;       //!< write surface source file?
 extern bool surf_mcpl_write;         //!< write surface mcpl file?
-extern bool surf_source_read;        //!< read surface source file?
 extern bool survival_biasing;        //!< use survival biasing?
 extern bool survival_normalization;  //!< use survival normalization?
 extern bool temperature_multipole;   //!< use multipole data?
 
@@ -297,6 +297,9 @@ class Settings:
         Options for reading surface source points. Acceptable keys are:
 
         :path: Path to surface source file (str).
+
+        .. deprecated:: 0.17.0
+            Use :class:`openmc.FileSource` as a source distribution instead.
     surf_source_write : dict
         Options for writing surface source points. Acceptable keys are:
 
@@ -888,6 +891,13 @@ def surf_source_read(self) -> dict:
 
     @surf_source_read.setter
     def surf_source_read(self, ssr: dict):
+        warnings.warn(
+            "The surf_source_read attribute has been deprecated. Use a "
+            "FileSource as a source distribution instead, i.e., "
+            "settings.source = openmc.FileSource('surface_source.h5'), which "
+            "additionally supports a source strength and source constraints.",
+            FutureWarning, stacklevel=2
+        )
         cv.check_type('surface source reading options', ssr, Mapping)
         for key, value in ssr.items():
             cv.check_value('surface source reading key', key,
 
@@ -75,7 +75,6 @@ bool source_write {true};
 bool source_mcpl_write {false};
 bool surf_source_write {false};
 bool surf_mcpl_write {false};
-bool surf_source_read {false};
 bool survival_biasing {false};
 bool survival_normalization {false};
 bool temperature_multipole {false};
@@ -667,7 +666,12 @@ void read_settings_xml(pugi::xml_node root)
 
   // Check if the user has specified to read surface source
   if (check_for_node(root, "surf_source_read")) {
-    surf_source_read = true;
+    if (mpi::master)
+      warning("The <surf_source_read> element has been deprecated. Use a file "
+              "source instead, i.e., <source type=\"file\" "
+              "file=\"surface_source.h5\"/>, which additionally supports a "
+              "source strength and source constraints.");
+
     // Get surface source read node
     xml_node node_ssr = root.child("surf_source_read");