diff --git a/CHANGES.txt b/CHANGES.txt
index c2ae94a32a..cc7cdb2178 100644
--- a/CHANGES.txt
+++ b/CHANGES.txt
@@ -1,3 +1,15 @@
+New in master
+=============
+
+Features
+--------
+
+Bugfixes
+--------
+
+* Restore `annotation_helper.tmpl` with dummy content - fix themes still mentioning it
+  (Issue #3764, #3773)
+
 New in v8.3.1
 =============
 
diff --git a/nikola/data/themes/base-jinja/templates/annotation_helper.tmpl b/nikola/data/themes/base-jinja/templates/annotation_helper.tmpl
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..014a6de4da
--- /dev/null
+++ b/nikola/data/themes/base-jinja/templates/annotation_helper.tmpl
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+{#  The annotation feature is no longer supported, but themes may still have leftover references. #}
+{#  This file is kept with empty functions for backwards compatibility. #}
+{% macro css() %}
+{% endmacro %}
+
+{% macro code() %}
+{% endmacro %}
diff --git a/nikola/data/themes/base/templates/annotation_helper.tmpl b/nikola/data/themes/base/templates/annotation_helper.tmpl
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..74117929b6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/nikola/data/themes/base/templates/annotation_helper.tmpl
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+## The annotation feature is no longer supported, but themes may still have leftover references.
+## This file is kept with empty functions for backwards compatibility.
+<%def name="css()">
+</%def>
+
+<%def name="code()">
+</%def>