diff --git a/src/Storage/Adapter/AbstractAdapter.php b/src/Storage/Adapter/AbstractAdapter.php
index e54841843..90978eff7 100644
--- a/src/Storage/Adapter/AbstractAdapter.php
+++ b/src/Storage/Adapter/AbstractAdapter.php
@@ -18,13 +18,14 @@
 use Zend\Cache\Storage\Event;
 use Zend\Cache\Storage\ExceptionEvent;
 use Zend\Cache\Storage\Plugin;
+use Zend\Cache\Storage\PluginAwareInterface;
 use Zend\Cache\Storage\PostEvent;
 use Zend\Cache\Storage\StorageInterface;
 use Zend\EventManager\EventManager;
 use Zend\EventManager\EventManagerInterface;
 use Zend\EventManager\EventsCapableInterface;
 
-abstract class AbstractAdapter implements StorageInterface, EventsCapableInterface
+abstract class AbstractAdapter implements StorageInterface, PluginAwareInterface
 {
     /**
      * The used EventManager if any
@@ -253,10 +254,7 @@ protected function triggerException($eventName, ArrayObject $args, & $result, \E
     }
 
     /**
-     * Check if a plugin is registered
-     *
-     * @param  Plugin\PluginInterface $plugin
-     * @return bool
+     * {@inheritdoc}
      */
     public function hasPlugin(Plugin\PluginInterface $plugin)
     {
@@ -265,12 +263,7 @@ public function hasPlugin(Plugin\PluginInterface $plugin)
     }
 
     /**
-     * Register a plugin
-     *
-     * @param  Plugin\PluginInterface $plugin
-     * @param  int $priority
-     * @return AbstractAdapter Provides a fluent interface
-     * @throws Exception\LogicException
+     * {@inheritdoc}
      */
     public function addPlugin(Plugin\PluginInterface $plugin, $priority = 1)
     {
@@ -289,11 +282,7 @@ public function addPlugin(Plugin\PluginInterface $plugin, $priority = 1)
     }
 
     /**
-     * Unregister an already registered plugin
-     *
-     * @param  Plugin\PluginInterface $plugin
-     * @return AbstractAdapter Provides a fluent interface
-     * @throws Exception\LogicException
+     * {@inheritdoc}
      */
     public function removePlugin(Plugin\PluginInterface $plugin)
     {
@@ -306,9 +295,7 @@ public function removePlugin(Plugin\PluginInterface $plugin)
     }
 
     /**
-     * Return registry of plugins
-     *
-     * @return SplObjectStorage
+     * {@inheritdoc}
      */
     public function getPluginRegistry()
     {
diff --git a/src/Storage/PluginAwareInterface.php b/src/Storage/PluginAwareInterface.php
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..fc77ff6d7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/Storage/PluginAwareInterface.php
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+<?php
+/**
+ * Zend Framework (http://framework.zend.com/)
+ *
+ * @link      http://github.com/zendframework/zf2 for the canonical source repository
+ * @copyright Copyright (c) 2018 Zend Technologies USA Inc. (http://www.zend.com)
+ * @license   http://framework.zend.com/license/new-bsd New BSD License
+ */
+
+namespace Zend\Cache\Storage;
+
+use Zend\Cache\Exception;
+
+interface PluginAwareInterface extends PluginCapableInterface
+{
+    /**
+     * Register a plugin
+     *
+     * @param  Plugin\PluginInterface $plugin
+     * @param  int $priority
+     * @return StorageInterface
+     * @throws Exception\LogicException
+     */
+    public function addPlugin(Plugin\PluginInterface $plugin, $priority = 1);
+
+    /**
+     * Unregister an already registered plugin
+     *
+     * @param  Plugin\PluginInterface $plugin
+     * @return StorageInterface
+     * @throws Exception\LogicException
+     */
+    public function removePlugin(Plugin\PluginInterface $plugin);
+}
diff --git a/src/Storage/PluginCapableInterface.php b/src/Storage/PluginCapableInterface.php
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f98b4370d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/Storage/PluginCapableInterface.php
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+<?php
+/**
+ * Zend Framework (http://framework.zend.com/)
+ *
+ * @link      http://github.com/zendframework/zf2 for the canonical source repository
+ * @copyright Copyright (c) 2018 Zend Technologies USA Inc. (http://www.zend.com)
+ * @license   http://framework.zend.com/license/new-bsd New BSD License
+ */
+
+namespace Zend\Cache\Storage;
+
+use SplObjectStorage;
+use Zend\EventManager\EventsCapableInterface;
+
+interface PluginCapableInterface extends EventsCapableInterface
+{
+    /**
+     * Check if a plugin is registered
+     *
+     * @param  Plugin\PluginInterface $plugin
+     * @return bool
+     */
+    public function hasPlugin(Plugin\PluginInterface $plugin);
+
+    /**
+     * Return registry of plugins
+     *
+     * @return SplObjectStorage
+     */
+    public function getPluginRegistry();
+}
diff --git a/src/StorageFactory.php b/src/StorageFactory.php
index 64fa6c268..85c7ad3a2 100644
--- a/src/StorageFactory.php
+++ b/src/StorageFactory.php
@@ -10,9 +10,11 @@
 namespace Zend\Cache;
 
 use Traversable;
+use Zend\Cache\Storage\PluginAwareInterface;
 use Zend\EventManager\EventsCapableInterface;
-use Zend\Stdlib\ArrayUtils;
 use Zend\ServiceManager\ServiceManager;
+use Zend\Stdlib\ArrayUtils;
+use const E_USER_DEPRECATED;
 
 abstract class StorageFactory
 {
@@ -73,12 +75,21 @@ public static function factory($cfg)
 
         // add plugins
         if (isset($cfg['plugins'])) {
-            if (! $adapter instanceof EventsCapableInterface) {
-                throw new Exception\RuntimeException(sprintf(
-                    "The adapter '%s' doesn't implement '%s' and therefore can't handle plugins",
-                    get_class($adapter),
-                    'Zend\EventManager\EventsCapableInterface'
-                ));
+            if (! $adapter instanceof PluginAwareInterface) {
+                if (! $adapter instanceof EventsCapableInterface) {
+                    throw new Exception\RuntimeException(sprintf(
+                        "The adapter '%s' doesn't implement '%s' and therefore can't handle plugins",
+                        get_class($adapter),
+                        EventsCapableInterface::class
+                    ));
+                }
+
+                trigger_error(sprintf(
+                    'Using "%s" to provide plugin capabilities to storage adapters is deprecated as of '
+                    . 'zendframework 2.9; please use "%s" instead',
+                    EventsCapableInterface::class,
+                    PluginAwareInterface::class
+                ), E_USER_DEPRECATED);
             }
 
             if (! is_array($cfg['plugins'])) {
diff --git a/test/Storage/Adapter/TestAsset/AdapterWithStorageAndEventsCapableInterface.php b/test/Storage/Adapter/TestAsset/AdapterWithStorageAndEventsCapableInterface.php
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..ab10f856b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/Storage/Adapter/TestAsset/AdapterWithStorageAndEventsCapableInterface.php
@@ -0,0 +1,326 @@
+<?php
+
+namespace ZendTest\Cache\Storage\Adapter\TestAsset;
+
+use Traversable;
+use Zend\Cache\Storage\Adapter;
+use Zend\Cache\Storage\Capabilities;
+use Zend\Cache\Storage\Plugin\PluginInterface;
+use Zend\Cache\Storage\StorageInterface;
+use Zend\EventManager\EventManagerInterface;
+use Zend\EventManager\EventsCapableInterface;
+
+class AdapterWithStorageAndEventsCapableInterface implements StorageInterface, EventsCapableInterface
+{
+
+    /**
+     * Retrieve the event manager
+     *
+     * Lazy-loads an EventManager instance if none registered.
+     *
+     * @return EventManagerInterface
+     */
+    public function getEventManager()
+    {
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Set options.
+     *
+     * @param array|Traversable|Adapter\AdapterOptions $options
+     *
+     * @return StorageInterface Fluent interface
+     */
+    public function setOptions($options)
+    {
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Get options
+     *
+     * @return Adapter\AdapterOptions
+     */
+    public function getOptions()
+    {
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Get an item.
+     *
+     * @param  string $key
+     * @param  bool   $success
+     * @param  mixed  $casToken
+     *
+     * @return mixed Data on success, null on failure
+     * @throws \Zend\Cache\Exception\ExceptionInterface
+     */
+    public function getItem($key, & $success = null, & $casToken = null)
+    {
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Get multiple items.
+     *
+     * @param  array $keys
+     *
+     * @return array Associative array of keys and values
+     * @throws \Zend\Cache\Exception\ExceptionInterface
+     */
+    public function getItems(array $keys)
+    {
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Test if an item exists.
+     *
+     * @param  string $key
+     *
+     * @return bool
+     * @throws \Zend\Cache\Exception\ExceptionInterface
+     */
+    public function hasItem($key)
+    {
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Test multiple items.
+     *
+     * @param  array $keys
+     *
+     * @return array Array of found keys
+     * @throws \Zend\Cache\Exception\ExceptionInterface
+     */
+    public function hasItems(array $keys)
+    {
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Get metadata of an item.
+     *
+     * @param  string $key
+     *
+     * @return array|bool Metadata on success, false on failure
+     * @throws \Zend\Cache\Exception\ExceptionInterface
+     */
+    public function getMetadata($key)
+    {
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Get multiple metadata
+     *
+     * @param  array $keys
+     *
+     * @return array Associative array of keys and metadata
+     * @throws \Zend\Cache\Exception\ExceptionInterface
+     */
+    public function getMetadatas(array $keys)
+    {
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Store an item.
+     *
+     * @param  string $key
+     * @param  mixed  $value
+     *
+     * @return bool
+     * @throws \Zend\Cache\Exception\ExceptionInterface
+     */
+    public function setItem($key, $value)
+    {
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Store multiple items.
+     *
+     * @param  array $keyValuePairs
+     *
+     * @return array Array of not stored keys
+     * @throws \Zend\Cache\Exception\ExceptionInterface
+     */
+    public function setItems(array $keyValuePairs)
+    {
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Add an item.
+     *
+     * @param  string $key
+     * @param  mixed  $value
+     *
+     * @return bool
+     * @throws \Zend\Cache\Exception\ExceptionInterface
+     */
+    public function addItem($key, $value)
+    {
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Add multiple items.
+     *
+     * @param  array $keyValuePairs
+     *
+     * @return array Array of not stored keys
+     * @throws \Zend\Cache\Exception\ExceptionInterface
+     */
+    public function addItems(array $keyValuePairs)
+    {
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Replace an existing item.
+     *
+     * @param  string $key
+     * @param  mixed  $value
+     *
+     * @return bool
+     * @throws \Zend\Cache\Exception\ExceptionInterface
+     */
+    public function replaceItem($key, $value)
+    {
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Replace multiple existing items.
+     *
+     * @param  array $keyValuePairs
+     *
+     * @return array Array of not stored keys
+     * @throws \Zend\Cache\Exception\ExceptionInterface
+     */
+    public function replaceItems(array $keyValuePairs)
+    {
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Set an item only if token matches
+     *
+     * It uses the token received from getItem() to check if the item has
+     * changed before overwriting it.
+     *
+     * @param  mixed  $token
+     * @param  string $key
+     * @param  mixed  $value
+     *
+     * @return bool
+     * @throws \Zend\Cache\Exception\ExceptionInterface
+     * @see    getItem()
+     * @see    setItem()
+     */
+    public function checkAndSetItem($token, $key, $value)
+    {
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Reset lifetime of an item
+     *
+     * @param  string $key
+     *
+     * @return bool
+     * @throws \Zend\Cache\Exception\ExceptionInterface
+     */
+    public function touchItem($key)
+    {
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Reset lifetime of multiple items.
+     *
+     * @param  array $keys
+     *
+     * @return array Array of not updated keys
+     * @throws \Zend\Cache\Exception\ExceptionInterface
+     */
+    public function touchItems(array $keys)
+    {
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Remove an item.
+     *
+     * @param  string $key
+     *
+     * @return bool
+     * @throws \Zend\Cache\Exception\ExceptionInterface
+     */
+    public function removeItem($key)
+    {
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Remove multiple items.
+     *
+     * @param  array $keys
+     *
+     * @return array Array of not removed keys
+     * @throws \Zend\Cache\Exception\ExceptionInterface
+     */
+    public function removeItems(array $keys)
+    {
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Increment an item.
+     *
+     * @param  string $key
+     * @param  int    $value
+     *
+     * @return int|bool The new value on success, false on failure
+     * @throws \Zend\Cache\Exception\ExceptionInterface
+     */
+    public function incrementItem($key, $value)
+    {
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Increment multiple items.
+     *
+     * @param  array $keyValuePairs
+     *
+     * @return array Associative array of keys and new values
+     * @throws \Zend\Cache\Exception\ExceptionInterface
+     */
+    public function incrementItems(array $keyValuePairs)
+    {
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Decrement an item.
+     *
+     * @param  string $key
+     * @param  int    $value
+     *
+     * @return int|bool The new value on success, false on failure
+     * @throws \Zend\Cache\Exception\ExceptionInterface
+     */
+    public function decrementItem($key, $value)
+    {
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Decrement multiple items.
+     *
+     * @param  array $keyValuePairs
+     *
+     * @return array Associative array of keys and new values
+     * @throws \Zend\Cache\Exception\ExceptionInterface
+     */
+    public function decrementItems(array $keyValuePairs)
+    {
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Capabilities of this storage
+     *
+     * @return Capabilities
+     */
+    public function getCapabilities()
+    {
+    }
+
+    public function hasPlugin(PluginInterface $plugin)
+    {
+        return true;
+    }
+}
diff --git a/test/StorageFactoryTest.php b/test/StorageFactoryTest.php
index 95d7a5240..a3a746fa6 100644
--- a/test/StorageFactoryTest.php
+++ b/test/StorageFactoryTest.php
@@ -9,9 +9,15 @@
 
 namespace ZendTest\Cache;
 
+use const E_USER_DEPRECATED;
+use ErrorException;
 use PHPUnit\Framework\TestCase;
+use Prophecy\Prophecy\MethodProphecy;
 use Zend\Cache;
+use Zend\EventManager\EventsCapableInterface;
 use Zend\ServiceManager\ServiceManager;
+use Zend\Stdlib\ErrorHandler;
+use ZendTest\Cache\Storage\Adapter\TestAsset\AdapterWithStorageAndEventsCapableInterface;
 
 /**
  * @group      Zend_Cache
@@ -206,4 +212,19 @@ public function testFactoryWithPluginsAndOptionsArray()
             }
         }
     }
+
+    public function testWillTriggerDeprecationWarningForMissingPluginAwareInterface()
+    {
+        $adapters = $this->prophesize(Cache\Storage\AdapterPluginManager::class);
+
+        $adapters->get('Foo')->willReturn(new AdapterWithStorageAndEventsCapableInterface());
+
+        Cache\StorageFactory::setAdapterPluginManager($adapters->reveal());
+        ErrorHandler::start(E_USER_DEPRECATED);
+
+        Cache\StorageFactory::factory(['adapter' => 'Foo', 'plugins' => ['IgnoreUserAbort']]);
+
+        $stack = ErrorHandler::stop();
+        $this->assertInstanceOf(ErrorException::class, $stack);
+    }
 }