diff --git a/changes/883-samuelcolvin.md b/changes/883-samuelcolvin.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..38584c5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changes/883-samuelcolvin.md
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+**Breaking Change:** deprecate the `Model.fields` property, use `Model.__fields__` instead
diff --git a/docs/usage/models.md b/docs/usage/models.md
index a4b55d3..0fb2059 100644
--- a/docs/usage/models.md
+++ b/docs/usage/models.md
@@ -92,15 +92,15 @@ Models possess the following methods and attributes:
 `schema_json()`
 : returns a JSON string representation of `schema()`; cf. [Schema](schema.md)
 
-`fields`
-: a dictionary of the model class's fields
+`__fields_set__`
+: Set of names of fields which were set when the model instance was initialised
+
+`__fields__`
+: a dictionary of the model's fields
 
 `__config__`
 : the configuration class for the model, cf. [model config](model_config.md)
 
-`__fields_set__`
-: the set of names of fields which were set when the model instance was initialised
-
 ## Recursive Models
 
 More complex hierarchical data structures can be defined using models themselves as types in annotations.
diff --git a/pydantic/main.py b/pydantic/main.py
index 176c700..29c5e01 100644
--- a/pydantic/main.py
+++ b/pydantic/main.py
@@ -268,7 +268,7 @@ class BaseModel(metaclass=ModelMetaclass):
         elif not self.__config__.allow_mutation:
             raise TypeError(f'"{self.__class__.__name__}" is immutable and does not support item assignment')
         elif self.__config__.validate_assignment:
-            known_field = self.fields.get(name, None)
+            known_field = self.__fields__.get(name, None)
             if known_field:
                 value, error_ = known_field.validate(value, self.dict(exclude={name}), loc=name)
                 if error_:
@@ -295,7 +295,7 @@ class BaseModel(metaclass=ModelMetaclass):
         Generate a dictionary representation of the model, optionally specifying which fields to include or exclude.
         """
         get_key = self._get_key_factory(by_alias)
-        get_key = partial(get_key, self.fields)
+        get_key = partial(get_key, self.__fields__)
 
         allowed_keys = self._calculate_keys(include=include, exclude=exclude, skip_defaults=skip_defaults)
         return {
@@ -457,6 +457,7 @@ class BaseModel(metaclass=ModelMetaclass):
 
     @property
     def fields(self) -> Dict[str, ModelField]:
+        warnings.warn('`fields` attribute is deprecated, use `__fields__` instead', DeprecationWarning)
         return self.__fields__
 
     @classmethod
diff --git a/tests/test_edge_cases.py b/tests/test_edge_cases.py
index 6c97c9a..83afbf4 100644
--- a/tests/test_edge_cases.py
+++ b/tests/test_edge_cases.py
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ def test_str_bytes():
 
     m = Model(v='s')
     assert m.v == 's'
-    assert '<ModelField(v type=typing.Union[str, bytes] required)>' == repr(m.fields['v'])
+    assert '<ModelField(v type=typing.Union[str, bytes] required)>' == repr(m.__fields__['v'])
 
     m = Model(v=b'b')
     assert m.v == 'b'
@@ -1066,3 +1066,14 @@ def test_population_by_alias():
     assert Model(a='different').a == 'different'
     assert Model(a='different').dict() == {'a': 'different'}
     assert Model(a='different').dict(by_alias=True) == {'_a': 'different'}
+
+
+def test_fields_deprecated():
+    class Model(BaseModel):
+        v: str = 'x'
+
+    with pytest.warns(DeprecationWarning, match='`fields` attribute is deprecated, use `__fields__` instead'):
+        assert Model().fields.keys() == {'v'}
+
+    assert Model().__fields__.keys() == {'v'}
+    assert Model.__fields__.keys() == {'v'}
diff --git a/tests/test_main.py b/tests/test_main.py
index faf1b70..c355c2a 100644
--- a/tests/test_main.py
+++ b/tests/test_main.py
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ def test_ultra_simple_failed():
 def test_ultra_simple_repr():
     m = UltraSimpleModel(a=10.2)
     assert repr(m) == '<UltraSimpleModel a=10.2 b=10>'
-    assert repr(m.fields['a']) == '<ModelField(a type=float required)>'
+    assert repr(m.__fields__['a']) == '<ModelField(a type=float required)>'
     assert dict(m) == {'a': 10.2, 'b': 10}
     assert m.dict() == {'a': 10.2, 'b': 10}
     assert m.json() == '{"a": 10.2, "b": 10}'