diff --git a/scrapy/utils/python.py b/scrapy/utils/python.py
index a4201bb04..138e86d37 100644
--- a/scrapy/utils/python.py
+++ b/scrapy/utils/python.py
@@ -383,9 +383,11 @@ class MutableChain(object):
         self.data = chain(self.data, *iterables)
 
     def __iter__(self):
-        return self.data.__iter__()
+        return self
 
     def __next__(self):
         return next(self.data)
 
-    next = __next__
+    @deprecated("scrapy.utils.python.MutableChain.__next__")
+    def next(self):
+        return self.__next__()
diff --git a/tests/test_utils_python.py b/tests/test_utils_python.py
index a94398796..76ee8f48b 100644
--- a/tests/test_utils_python.py
+++ b/tests/test_utils_python.py
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import unittest
 from itertools import count
 import platform
 import six
+from warnings import catch_warnings
 
 from scrapy.utils.python import (
     memoizemethod_noargs, binary_is_text, equal_attributes,
@@ -21,8 +22,12 @@ class MutableChainTest(unittest.TestCase):
         m.extend([7, 8])
         m.extend([9, 10], (11, 12))
         self.assertEqual(next(m), 0)
-        self.assertEqual(m.next(), 1)
-        self.assertEqual(m.__next__(), 2)
+        self.assertEqual(m.__next__(), 1)
+        with catch_warnings(record=True) as warnings:
+            self.assertEqual(m.next(), 2)
+            self.assertEqual(len(warnings), 1)
+            self.assertIn('scrapy.utils.python.MutableChain.__next__',
+                          str(warnings[0].message))
         self.assertEqual(list(m), list(range(3, 13)))