diff --git a/mercurial/commands.py b/mercurial/commands.py
--- a/mercurial/commands.py
+++ b/mercurial/commands.py
@@ -4512,7 +4512,7 @@ def phase(ui, repo, *revs, **opts):
         rejected = [n for n in nodes
                     if newdata[cl.rev(n)] < targetphase]
         if rejected:
-            ui.warn(_('cannot move %i changesets to a more permissive '
+            ui.warn(_('cannot move %i changesets to a higher '
                       'phase, use --force\n') % len(rejected))
             ret = 1
         if changes:
diff --git a/tests/test-phases.t b/tests/test-phases.t
--- a/tests/test-phases.t
+++ b/tests/test-phases.t
@@ -482,7 +482,7 @@ test partial failure
 
   $ hg phase --public 7
   $ hg phase --draft '5 or 7'
-  cannot move 1 changesets to a more permissive phase, use --force
+  cannot move 1 changesets to a higher phase, use --force
   phase changed for 1 changesets
   [1]
   $ hg log -G --template "{rev} {phase} {desc}\n"
@@ -506,7 +506,7 @@ test partial failure
 test complete failure
 
   $ hg phase --draft 7
-  cannot move 1 changesets to a more permissive phase, use --force
+  cannot move 1 changesets to a higher phase, use --force
   no phases changed
   [1]