diff --git a/Annex/Version.hs b/Annex/Version.hs
index 95541dca4b..4bb2cc2a63 100644
--- a/Annex/Version.hs
+++ b/Annex/Version.hs
@@ -14,6 +14,8 @@ import Config
 import Types.RepoVersion
 import qualified Annex
 
+import qualified Data.Map as M
+
 defaultVersion :: RepoVersion
 defaultVersion = RepoVersion 5
 
@@ -33,8 +35,12 @@ upgradableVersions = map RepoVersion [0..6]
 upgradableVersions = map RepoVersion [2..6]
 #endif
 
-autoUpgradeableVersions :: [RepoVersion]
-autoUpgradeableVersions = map RepoVersion [3, 4, 6]
+autoUpgradeableVersions :: M.Map RepoVersion RepoVersion
+autoUpgradeableVersions = M.fromList
+	[ (RepoVersion 3, RepoVersion 5)
+	, (RepoVersion 4, RepoVersion 5)
+	, (RepoVersion 6, RepoVersion 7)
+	]
 
 versionField :: ConfigKey
 versionField = annexConfig "version"
diff --git a/CHANGELOG b/CHANGELOG
index 40a994902e..ab1e5ea44f 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG
+++ b/CHANGELOG
@@ -3,6 +3,9 @@ git-annex (7.20181025) UNRELEASED; urgency=medium
   * Added v7 repository mode. v6 upgrades automatically to v7, but
     v5 is still the default for now. While v6 was always experimental
     to some degree, its successor v7 is ready for production use!
+  * Direct mode repositories are deprecated; they have many problems
+    that v7 fixes, so upgrading them now is recommended (but not yet
+    required): git annex upgrade --version=7
   * At long last there's a way to hide annexed files whose content
     is missing from the working tree: git-annex adjust --hide-missing
     See https://git-annex.branchable.com/tips/hiding_missing_files/
diff --git a/Upgrade.hs b/Upgrade.hs
index b943584cef..02070d1649 100644
--- a/Upgrade.hs
+++ b/Upgrade.hs
@@ -22,18 +22,24 @@ import qualified Upgrade.V4
 import qualified Upgrade.V5
 import qualified Upgrade.V6
 
+import qualified Data.Map as M
+
 checkUpgrade :: RepoVersion -> Annex ()
 checkUpgrade = maybe noop giveup <=< needsUpgrade
 
 needsUpgrade :: RepoVersion -> Annex (Maybe String)
 needsUpgrade v
 	| v `elem` supportedVersions = ok
-	| v `elem` autoUpgradeableVersions = ifM (upgrade True defaultVersion)
-		( ok
-		, err "Automatic upgrade failed!"
-		)
-	| v `elem` upgradableVersions = err "Upgrade this repository: git-annex upgrade"
-	| otherwise = err "Upgrade git-annex."
+	| otherwise = case M.lookup v autoUpgradeableVersions of
+		Nothing
+			| v `elem` upgradableVersions ->
+				err "Upgrade this repository: git-annex upgrade"
+			| otherwise ->
+				err "Upgrade git-annex."
+		Just newv -> ifM (upgrade True newv)
+			( ok
+			, err "Automatic upgrade failed!"
+			)
   where
 	err msg = return $ Just $ "Repository version " ++
 		show (fromRepoVersion v) ++
diff --git a/doc/direct_mode.mdwn b/doc/direct_mode.mdwn
index d3e1067f9a..ff51df6193 100644
--- a/doc/direct_mode.mdwn
+++ b/doc/direct_mode.mdwn
@@ -11,9 +11,9 @@ understand how to update its working tree.
 
 ## deprecated
 
-Direct mode is deprecated! Intead, git-annex v6 repositories can simply
+Direct mode is deprecated! Intead, git-annex v7 repositories can simply
 have files that are unlocked and thus can be directly accessed and
-modified. See [[upgrades]] for details about the transition to v6
+modified. See [[upgrades]] for details about the transition to v7
 repositories.
 
 ## enabling (and disabling) direct mode