diff --git a/clients/common/nm-meta-setting-desc.c b/clients/common/nm-meta-setting-desc.c
index 6a238be0ad..52d5f1e390 100644
--- a/clients/common/nm-meta-setting-desc.c
+++ b/clients/common/nm-meta-setting-desc.c
@@ -1175,20 +1175,24 @@ _set_fcn_gobject_mac (ARGS_SET_FCN)
 static gboolean
 _set_fcn_gobject_secret_flags (ARGS_SET_FCN)
 {
-	gs_free const char **strv = NULL;
-	const char **iter;
-	unsigned long flags = 0, val_int;
+	gs_free char *err_token = NULL;
+	gs_free char *str_all = NULL;
+	int flags;
 
 	nm_assert (!error || !*error);
 
-	strv = nm_utils_strsplit_set (value, " \t,");
-	for (iter = strv; iter && *iter; iter++) {
-		if (!nmc_string_to_uint (*iter, TRUE, 0, ALL_SECRET_FLAGS, &val_int)) {
-			g_set_error (error, 1, 0, _("'%s' is not a valid flag number; use <0-%d>"),
-			             *iter, ALL_SECRET_FLAGS);
-			return FALSE;
-		}
-		flags += val_int;
+	if (!nm_utils_enum_from_str (nm_setting_secret_flags_get_type (),
+	                             value,
+	                             &flags,
+	                             &err_token)) {
+		str_all = nm_utils_enum_to_str (nm_setting_secret_flags_get_type (),
+		                                ALL_SECRET_FLAGS);
+		g_set_error (error, 1, 0,
+		             _("'%s' is not a valid flag; use <0-%d> or a combination of '%s'"),
+		             err_token,
+		             ALL_SECRET_FLAGS,
+		             str_all);
+		return FALSE;
 	}
 
 	/* Validate the flags number */
@@ -4883,6 +4887,7 @@ static const NMMetaPropertyType _pt_gobject_mac = {
 static const NMMetaPropertyType _pt_gobject_secret_flags = {
 	.get_fcn =                      _get_fcn_gobject_secret_flags,
 	.set_fcn =                      _set_fcn_gobject_secret_flags,
+	.values_fcn =                   _values_fcn_gobject_enum,
 };
 
 static const NMMetaPropertyType _pt_gobject_enum = {