diff --git a/.github/workflows/labels.yml b/.github/workflows/labels.yml
index 0189478992..dec559a105 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/labels.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/labels.yml
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ jobs:
       GLOBAL: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/conda/infra/main/.github/global.yml
       LOCAL: .github/labels.yml
     steps:
-      - uses: actions/checkout@692973e3d937129bcbf40652eb9f2f61becf3332 # v4.1.7
+      - uses: actions/checkout@a5ac7e51b41094c92402da3b24376905380afc29 # v4.1.6
       - id: has_local
         uses: andstor/file-existence-action@076e0072799f4942c8bc574a82233e1e4d13e9d6 # v3.0.0
         with:
diff --git a/conda_build/build.py b/conda_build/build.py
index 9bce326305..b759f84967 100644
--- a/conda_build/build.py
+++ b/conda_build/build.py
@@ -2886,6 +2886,15 @@ def warn_on_use_of_SRC_DIR(metadata):
             )
 
 
+@deprecated(
+    "3.16.0",
+    "24.7.0",
+    addendum=(
+        "Test built packages instead, not recipes "
+        "(e.g., `conda build --test package` instead of `conda build --test recipe/`)."
+    ),
+    deprecation_type=FutureWarning,  # we need to warn users, not developers
+)
 def _construct_metadata_for_test_from_recipe(recipe_dir, config):
     config.need_cleanup = False
     config.recipe_dir = None
@@ -2893,11 +2902,6 @@ def _construct_metadata_for_test_from_recipe(recipe_dir, config):
     metadata = expand_outputs(
         render_recipe(recipe_dir, config=config, reset_build_id=False)
     )[0][1]
-    log = utils.get_logger(__name__)
-    log.warning(
-        "Testing based on recipes is deprecated as of conda-build 3.16.0.  Please adjust "
-        "your code to pass your desired conda package to test instead."
-    )
 
     utils.rm_rf(metadata.config.test_dir)
 
diff --git a/conda_build/deprecations.py b/conda_build/deprecations.py
index f691b5192d..cf87b4f25c 100644
--- a/conda_build/deprecations.py
+++ b/conda_build/deprecations.py
@@ -86,6 +86,7 @@ def __call__(
         *,
         addendum: str | None = None,
         stack: int = 0,
+        deprecation_type: type[Warning] = DeprecationWarning,
     ) -> Callable[[Callable[P, T]], Callable[P, T]]:
         """Deprecation decorator for functions, methods, & classes.
 
@@ -102,6 +103,7 @@ def deprecated_decorator(func: Callable[P, T]) -> Callable[P, T]:
                 remove_in=remove_in,
                 prefix=f"{func.__module__}.{func.__qualname__}",
                 addendum=addendum,
+                deprecation_type=deprecation_type,
             )
 
             # alert developer that it's time to remove something
@@ -128,6 +130,7 @@ def argument(
         rename: str | None = None,
         addendum: str | None = None,
         stack: int = 0,
+        deprecation_type: type[Warning] = DeprecationWarning,
     ) -> Callable[[Callable[P, T]], Callable[P, T]]:
         """Deprecation decorator for keyword arguments.
 
@@ -149,6 +152,7 @@ def deprecated_decorator(func: Callable[P, T]) -> Callable[P, T]:
                 addendum=(
                     f"Use '{rename}' instead." if rename and not addendum else addendum
                 ),
+                deprecation_type=deprecation_type,
             )
 
             # alert developer that it's time to remove something
@@ -181,6 +185,7 @@ def action(
         *,
         addendum: str | None = None,
         stack: int = 0,
+        deprecation_type: type[Warning] = FutureWarning,
     ) -> ActionType:
         """Wraps any argparse.Action to issue a deprecation warning."""
 
@@ -203,7 +208,7 @@ def __init__(inner_self: Self, *args: Any, **kwargs: Any) -> None:
                         else f"`{inner_self.dest}`"
                     ),
                     addendum=addendum,
-                    deprecation_type=FutureWarning,
+                    deprecation_type=deprecation_type,
                 )
 
                 # alert developer that it's time to remove something
@@ -263,6 +268,7 @@ def constant(
         *,
         addendum: str | None = None,
         stack: int = 0,
+        deprecation_type: type[Warning] = DeprecationWarning,
     ) -> None:
         """Deprecation function for module constant/global.
 
@@ -281,6 +287,7 @@ def constant(
             remove_in=remove_in,
             prefix=f"{fullname}.{constant}",
             addendum=addendum,
+            deprecation_type=deprecation_type,
         )
 
         # alert developer that it's time to remove something
@@ -310,6 +317,7 @@ def topic(
         topic: str,
         addendum: str | None = None,
         stack: int = 0,
+        deprecation_type: type[Warning] = DeprecationWarning,
     ) -> None:
         """Deprecation function for a topic.
 
@@ -325,6 +333,7 @@ def topic(
             remove_in=remove_in,
             prefix=topic,
             addendum=addendum,
+            deprecation_type=deprecation_type,
         )
 
         # alert developer that it's time to remove something
@@ -379,7 +388,7 @@ def _generate_message(
         prefix: str,
         addendum: str | None,
         *,
-        deprecation_type: type[Warning] = DeprecationWarning,
+        deprecation_type: type[Warning],
     ) -> tuple[type[Warning] | None, str]:
         """Generate the standardized deprecation message and determine whether the
         deprecation is pending, active, or past.
diff --git a/conda_build/inspect_pkg.py b/conda_build/inspect_pkg.py
index 5747f3a7b8..54ec2c6f28 100644
--- a/conda_build/inspect_pkg.py
+++ b/conda_build/inspect_pkg.py
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
 from conda.core.prefix_data import PrefixData
 from conda.models.records import PrefixRecord
 
+from .exceptions import CondaBuildUserError
 from .os_utils.ldd import (
     get_linkages,
     get_package_obj_files,
@@ -219,9 +220,13 @@ def inspect_linkages(
     sysroot: str = "",
 ) -> str:
     if not packages and not untracked and not all_packages:
-        sys.exit("At least one package or --untracked or --all must be provided")
+        raise CondaBuildUserError(
+            "At least one package or --untracked or --all must be provided"
+        )
     elif on_win:
-        sys.exit("Error: conda inspect linkages is only implemented in Linux and OS X")
+        raise CondaBuildUserError(
+            "`conda inspect linkages` is only implemented on Linux and macOS"
+        )
 
     prefix = Path(prefix)
     installed = {prec.name: prec for prec in PrefixData(str(prefix)).iter_records()}
@@ -237,7 +242,7 @@ def inspect_linkages(
         if name == untracked_package:
             obj_files = get_untracked_obj_files(prefix)
         elif name not in installed:
-            sys.exit(f"Package {name} is not installed in {prefix}")
+            raise CondaBuildUserError(f"Package {name} is not installed in {prefix}")
         else:
             obj_files = get_package_obj_files(installed[name], prefix)
 
@@ -308,7 +313,9 @@ def inspect_objects(
     groupby: str = "package",
 ):
     if not on_mac:
-        sys.exit("Error: conda inspect objects is only implemented in OS X")
+        raise CondaBuildUserError(
+            "`conda inspect objects` is only implemented on macOS"
+        )
 
     prefix = Path(prefix)
     installed = {prec.name: prec for prec in PrefixData(str(prefix)).iter_records()}
diff --git a/news/3192-deprecate-testing-recipes b/news/3192-deprecate-testing-recipes
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..1ea0d425ad
--- /dev/null
+++ b/news/3192-deprecate-testing-recipes
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+### Enhancements
+
+* <news item>
+
+### Bug fixes
+
+* <news item>
+
+### Deprecations
+
+* Mark `conda_build.build._construct_metadata_for_test_from_recipe` as deprecated. Test built packages instead, not recipes (e.g., `conda build --test package` instead of `conda build --test recipe/`). (#3192 via #5352)
+
+### Docs
+
+* <news item>
+
+### Other
+
+* <news item>
diff --git a/tests/cli/test_main_inspect.py b/tests/cli/test_main_inspect.py
index b8931b5220..83859bf441 100644
--- a/tests/cli/test_main_inspect.py
+++ b/tests/cli/test_main_inspect.py
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 
 from conda_build import api
 from conda_build.cli import main_inspect
+from conda_build.exceptions import CondaBuildUserError
 from conda_build.utils import on_win
 
 from ..utils import metadata_dir
@@ -23,7 +24,7 @@ def test_inspect_linkages(testing_workdir, capfd):
     # get a package that has known object output
     args = ["linkages", "python"]
     if on_win:
-        with pytest.raises(SystemExit) as exc:
+        with pytest.raises(CondaBuildUserError) as exc:
             main_inspect.execute(args)
             assert "conda inspect linkages is only implemented in Linux and OS X" in exc
     else:
@@ -36,7 +37,7 @@ def test_inspect_objects(testing_workdir, capfd):
     # get a package that has known object output
     args = ["objects", "python"]
     if sys.platform != "darwin":
-        with pytest.raises(SystemExit) as exc:
+        with pytest.raises(CondaBuildUserError) as exc:
             main_inspect.execute(args)
             assert "conda inspect objects is only implemented in OS X" in exc
     else:
diff --git a/tests/test_build.py b/tests/test_build.py
index f7c3f2ba8c..d94df2dd93 100644
--- a/tests/test_build.py
+++ b/tests/test_build.py
@@ -20,7 +20,10 @@
 from conda_build import api, build
 from conda_build.exceptions import CondaBuildUserError
 
-from .utils import get_noarch_python_meta, metadata_dir
+from .utils import get_noarch_python_meta, metadata_dir, metadata_path
+
+if TYPE_CHECKING:
+    from conda_build.config import Config
 
 if TYPE_CHECKING:
     from pytest_mock import MockerFixture
@@ -351,6 +354,14 @@ def test_copy_readme(testing_metadata: MetaData, readme: str):
     assert Path(testing_metadata.config.info_dir, readme).exists()
 
 
+def test_construct_metadata_for_test_from_recipe(testing_config: Config) -> None:
+    with pytest.warns(FutureWarning):
+        build._construct_metadata_for_test_from_recipe(
+            str(metadata_path / "test_source_files"),
+            testing_config,
+        )
+
+
 @pytest.mark.skipif(not on_win, reason="WSL is only on Windows")
 def test_wsl_unsupported(
     testing_metadata: MetaData,
diff --git a/tests/test_inspect.py b/tests/test_inspect.py
index cd90ba98ae..04acf2728b 100644
--- a/tests/test_inspect.py
+++ b/tests/test_inspect.py
@@ -6,11 +6,12 @@
 import pytest
 
 from conda_build import api
+from conda_build.exceptions import CondaBuildUserError
 
 
 def test_inspect_linkages():
     if sys.platform == "win32":
-        with pytest.raises(SystemExit) as exc:
+        with pytest.raises(CondaBuildUserError) as exc:
             out_string = api.inspect_linkages("python")
             assert "conda inspect linkages is only implemented in Linux and OS X" in exc
     else:
@@ -20,7 +21,7 @@ def test_inspect_linkages():
 
 def test_inspect_objects():
     if sys.platform != "darwin":
-        with pytest.raises(SystemExit) as exc:
+        with pytest.raises(CondaBuildUserError) as exc:
             out_string = api.inspect_objects("python")
             assert "conda inspect objects is only implemented in OS X" in exc
     else:
diff --git a/tests/test_inspect_pkg.py b/tests/test_inspect_pkg.py
index dae6d7f6ca..4f20b85105 100644
--- a/tests/test_inspect_pkg.py
+++ b/tests/test_inspect_pkg.py
@@ -10,8 +10,9 @@
 import pytest
 from conda.core.prefix_data import PrefixData
 
-from conda_build.inspect_pkg import which_package
-from conda_build.utils import on_win
+from conda_build.exceptions import CondaBuildUserError
+from conda_build.inspect_pkg import inspect_linkages, inspect_objects, which_package
+from conda_build.utils import on_mac, on_win
 
 
 def test_which_package(tmp_path: Path):
@@ -271,3 +272,26 @@ def test_which_package_battery(tmp_path: Path):
 
     # missing files should return no packages
     assert not len(list(which_package(tmp_path / "missing", tmp_path)))
+
+
+def test_inspect_linkages_no_packages():
+    with pytest.raises(CondaBuildUserError):
+        inspect_linkages([])
+
+
+@pytest.mark.skipif(not on_win, reason="inspect_linkages is available")
+def test_inspect_linkages_on_win():
+    with pytest.raises(CondaBuildUserError):
+        inspect_linkages(["packages"])
+
+
+@pytest.mark.skipif(on_win, reason="inspect_linkages is not available")
+def test_inspect_linkages_not_installed():
+    with pytest.raises(CondaBuildUserError):
+        inspect_linkages(["not_installed_pkg"])
+
+
+@pytest.mark.skipif(on_mac, reason="inspect_objects is only available on macOS")
+def test_inspect_objects_not_on_mac():
+    with pytest.raises(CondaBuildUserError):
+        inspect_objects([])
diff --git a/tests/test_post.py b/tests/test_post.py
index eb2672218a..e0eb59237f 100644
--- a/tests/test_post.py
+++ b/tests/test_post.py
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 
 import pytest
 
+import conda_build.utils
 from conda_build import api, post
 from conda_build.utils import (
     get_site_packages,
@@ -138,7 +139,7 @@ def test_menuinst_validation_fails_bad_schema(testing_config, caplog, tmp_path):
     assert "ValidationError" in captured_text
 
 
-def test_menuinst_validation_fails_bad_json(testing_config, caplog, tmp_path):
+def test_menuinst_validation_fails_bad_json(testing_config, monkeypatch, tmp_path):
     "3rd check - non-parsable JSON fails validation"
     recipe = Path(metadata_dir, "_menu_json_validation")
     recipe_tmp = tmp_path / "_menu_json_validation"
@@ -147,13 +148,36 @@ def test_menuinst_validation_fails_bad_json(testing_config, caplog, tmp_path):
     menu_json_contents = menu_json.read_text()
     menu_json.write_text(menu_json_contents + "Make this an invalid JSON")
 
-    with caplog.at_level(logging.WARNING):
-        api.build(str(recipe_tmp), config=testing_config, notest=True)
+    # suspect caplog fixture may fail; use monkeypatch instead.
+    records = []
 
-    captured_text = caplog.text
-    assert "Found 'Menu/*.json' files but couldn't validate:" not in captured_text
-    assert "not a valid menuinst JSON document" in captured_text
-    assert "JSONDecodeError" in captured_text
+    class MonkeyLogger:
+        def __getattr__(self, name):
+            return self.warning
+
+        def warning(self, *args, **kwargs):
+            records.append((*args, kwargs))
+
+    monkeylogger = MonkeyLogger()
+
+    def get_monkey_logger(*args, **kwargs):
+        return monkeylogger
+
+    # For some reason it uses get_logger in the individual functions, instead of
+    # a module-level global that we could easily patch.
+    monkeypatch.setattr(conda_build.utils, "get_logger", get_monkey_logger)
+
+    api.build(str(recipe_tmp), config=testing_config, notest=True)
+
+    # without %s substitution
+    messages = [record[0] for record in records]
+
+    assert "Found 'Menu/*.json' files but couldn't validate: %s" not in messages
+    assert "'%s' is not a valid menuinst JSON document!" in messages
+    assert any(
+        isinstance(record[-1].get("exc_info"), json.JSONDecodeError)
+        for record in records
+    )
 
 
 def test_file_hash(testing_config, caplog, tmp_path):