diff --git a/mercurial/localrepo.py b/mercurial/localrepo.py
--- a/mercurial/localrepo.py
+++ b/mercurial/localrepo.py
@@ -1268,8 +1268,7 @@ class localrepository(repo.repository):
                       parent2=xp2, pending=p)
             self.changelog.finalize(trp)
             # set the new commit is proper phase
-            targetphase = self.ui.configint('phases', 'new-commit',
-                                            phases.draft)
+            targetphase = phases.newcommitphase(self.ui)
             if targetphase:
                 # retract boundary do not alter parent changeset.
                 # if a parent have higher the resulting phase will
diff --git a/mercurial/phases.py b/mercurial/phases.py
--- a/mercurial/phases.py
+++ b/mercurial/phases.py
@@ -298,3 +298,20 @@ def newheads(repo, heads, roots):
                       heads, roots, roots, heads)
     return [c.node() for c in revset]
 
+
+def newcommitphase(ui):
+    """helper to get the target phase of new commit
+
+    Handle all possible values for the phases.new-commit options.
+
+    """
+    v = ui.config('phases', 'new-commit', draft)
+    try:
+        return phasenames.index(v)
+    except ValueError:
+        try:
+            return int(v)
+        except ValueError:
+            msg = _("phases.new-commit: not a valid phase name ('%s')")
+            raise error.ConfigError(msg % v)
+
diff --git a/tests/test-phases.t b/tests/test-phases.t
--- a/tests/test-phases.t
+++ b/tests/test-phases.t
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ Draft commit are properly created over p
 
 Test creating changeset as secret
 
-  $ mkcommit E --config phases.new-commit=2
+  $ mkcommit E --config phases.new-commit='secret'
   $ hglog
   4 2 E
   3 1 D