diff --git a/src/main/java/graphql/schema/validation/DeprecatedInputObjectAndArgumentsAreValid.java b/src/main/java/graphql/schema/validation/DeprecatedInputObjectAndArgumentsAreValid.java
index ce619223cc..f7c1c1c776 100644
--- a/src/main/java/graphql/schema/validation/DeprecatedInputObjectAndArgumentsAreValid.java
+++ b/src/main/java/graphql/schema/validation/DeprecatedInputObjectAndArgumentsAreValid.java
@@ -42,10 +42,9 @@ public TraversalControl visitGraphQLInputObjectField(GraphQLInputObjectField inp
     // An applied directive's argument cannot be deprecated.
     @Override
     public TraversalControl visitGraphQLArgument(GraphQLArgument argument, TraverserContext<GraphQLSchemaElement> context) {
-        // There can only be at most one @deprecated, because it is not a repeatable directive
-        GraphQLAppliedDirective deprecatedDirective = argument.getAppliedDirective(Directives.DEPRECATED_DIRECTIVE_DEFINITION.getName());
-
-        if (deprecatedDirective != null && GraphQLTypeUtil.isNonNull(argument.getType()) && !argument.hasSetDefaultValue()) {
+        // even if an argument is built using SLD or direct via code, the isDeprecated() method works
+        boolean isDeprecated = argument.isDeprecated();
+        if (isDeprecated && GraphQLTypeUtil.isNonNull(argument.getType()) && !argument.hasSetDefaultValue()) {
             if (context.getParentNode() instanceof GraphQLFieldDefinition) {
                 GraphQLFieldDefinition fieldDefinition = (GraphQLFieldDefinition) context.getParentNode();
                 SchemaValidationErrorCollector errorCollector = context.getVarFromParents(SchemaValidationErrorCollector.class);
diff --git a/src/test/groovy/graphql/schema/validation/DeprecatedInputObjectAndArgumentsAreValidTest.groovy b/src/test/groovy/graphql/schema/validation/DeprecatedInputObjectAndArgumentsAreValidTest.groovy
index 056f134db4..4f82f5f688 100644
--- a/src/test/groovy/graphql/schema/validation/DeprecatedInputObjectAndArgumentsAreValidTest.groovy
+++ b/src/test/groovy/graphql/schema/validation/DeprecatedInputObjectAndArgumentsAreValidTest.groovy
@@ -1,6 +1,12 @@
 package graphql.schema.validation
 
+import graphql.Scalars
 import graphql.TestUtil
+import graphql.schema.GraphQLArgument
+import graphql.schema.GraphQLFieldDefinition
+import graphql.schema.GraphQLNonNull
+import graphql.schema.GraphQLObjectType
+import graphql.schema.GraphQLSchema
 import spock.lang.Specification
 
 class DeprecatedInputObjectAndArgumentsAreValidTest extends Specification {
@@ -293,4 +299,31 @@ class DeprecatedInputObjectAndArgumentsAreValidTest extends Specification {
         noExceptionThrown()
     }
 
+    def "schema build via code has the same validation rule"() {
+        when:
+        GraphQLArgument deprecatedArg = GraphQLArgument.newArgument()
+                .name("input")
+                .type(GraphQLNonNull.nonNull(Scalars.GraphQLString))
+                .deprecate("Some very good reason")
+                .build()
+
+        GraphQLFieldDefinition field = GraphQLFieldDefinition.newFieldDefinition()
+                .name("field")
+                .type(Scalars.GraphQLString)
+                .argument(deprecatedArg)
+                .build()
+
+        GraphQLObjectType queryType = GraphQLObjectType.newObject()
+                .name("Query")
+                .field(field)
+                .build()
+
+        GraphQLSchema.newSchema()
+                .query(queryType)
+                .build()
+
+        then:
+        def invalidSchemaException = thrown(InvalidSchemaException)
+        invalidSchemaException.message.contains("Required argument 'input' on field 'field' cannot be deprecated")
+    }
 }