I suppose it is not because the module is deprecated: this is just an advice with no consequences.

The fact you observe can be related to the server which serve the script; I dont know how the shebang is taken in consideration while the script is run into a web server: some of them, for sure, ignore it completely.

The error is anyway strange..

Which webserver are you using to serve the program? is something in the middle (like mod_perl)?

More info you pass more easy you'll get the anser you need.

L*