diff --git a/mercurial/cmdutil.py b/mercurial/cmdutil.py
--- a/mercurial/cmdutil.py
+++ b/mercurial/cmdutil.py
@@ -3089,13 +3089,20 @@
     return b"\n".join(edittext)
 
 
-def commitstatus(repo, node, branch, bheads=None, opts=None):
+def commitstatus(repo, node, branch, bheads=None, tip=None, opts=None):
     if opts is None:
         opts = {}
     ctx = repo[node]
     parents = ctx.parents()
 
-    if (
+    if tip is not None and repo.changelog.tip() == tip:
+        # avoid reporting something like "committed new head" when
+        # recommitting old changesets, and issue a helpful warning
+        # for most instances
+        repo.ui.warn(
+            _("warning: commit already existed in the repository!\n"),
+        )
+    elif (
         not opts.get(b'amend')
         and bheads
         and node not in bheads
diff --git a/mercurial/commands.py b/mercurial/commands.py
--- a/mercurial/commands.py
+++ b/mercurial/commands.py
@@ -850,11 +850,14 @@
             message, opts.get(b'user'), opts.get(b'date'), match, editor=e
         )
 
+    # save to detect changes
+    tip = repo.changelog.tip()
+
     newnode = cmdutil.commit(ui, repo, commitfunc, [], opts)
     if not newnode:
         ui.status(_(b"nothing changed\n"))
         return 1
-    cmdutil.commitstatus(repo, newnode, branch, bheads)
+    cmdutil.commitstatus(repo, newnode, branch, bheads, tip)
 
     def nice(node):
         return b'%d:%s' % (repo.changelog.rev(node), short(node))
@@ -2024,6 +2027,7 @@
 
     branch = repo[None].branch()
     bheads = repo.branchheads(branch)
+    tip = repo.changelog.tip()
 
     extra = {}
     if opts.get(b'close_branch') or opts.get(b'force_close_branch'):
@@ -2113,7 +2117,7 @@
                 ui.status(_(b"nothing changed\n"))
             return 1
 
-    cmdutil.commitstatus(repo, node, branch, bheads, opts)
+    cmdutil.commitstatus(repo, node, branch, bheads, tip, opts)
 
     if not ui.quiet and ui.configbool(b'commands', b'commit.post-status'):
         status(
diff --git a/mercurial/commit.py b/mercurial/commit.py
--- a/mercurial/commit.py
+++ b/mercurial/commit.py
@@ -79,6 +79,9 @@
         if repo.changelog._copiesstorage == b'extra':
             extra = _extra_with_copies(repo, extra, files)
 
+        # save the tip to check whether we actually committed anything
+        oldtip = repo.changelog.tiprev()
+
         # update changelog
         repo.ui.note(_(b"committing changelog\n"))
         repo.changelog.delayupdate(tr)
@@ -99,7 +102,11 @@
         )
         # set the new commit is proper phase
         targetphase = subrepoutil.newcommitphase(repo.ui, ctx)
-        if targetphase:
+
+        # prevent unmarking changesets as public on recommit
+        waspublic = oldtip == repo.changelog.tiprev() and not repo[n].phase()
+
+        if targetphase and not waspublic:
             # retract boundary do not alter parent changeset.
             # if a parent have higher the resulting phase will
             # be compliant anyway
diff --git a/tests/test-backout.t b/tests/test-backout.t
--- a/tests/test-backout.t
+++ b/tests/test-backout.t
@@ -819,5 +819,5 @@
   1 files updated, 0 files merged, 1 files removed, 0 files unresolved
   $ hg backout 2
   removing 3
-  created new head
+  warning: commit already existed in the repository!
   changeset 3:8f188de730d9 backs out changeset 2:cccc23d9d68f
diff --git a/tests/test-phases.t b/tests/test-phases.t
--- a/tests/test-phases.t
+++ b/tests/test-phases.t
@@ -999,3 +999,56 @@
      date:        Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 1970 +0000
      summary:     A
   
+  $ cd ..
+
+Recommitting an exact match of a public commit shouldn't change it to
+draft:
+
+  $ cd initialrepo
+  $ hg phase -r 2
+  2: public
+  $ hg up -C 1
+  0 files updated, 0 files merged, 4 files removed, 0 files unresolved
+  $ mkcommit C
+  warning: commit already existed in the repository!
+  $ hg phase -r 2
+  2: public
+
+Same, but for secret:
+
+  $ hg up 7
+  3 files updated, 0 files merged, 0 files removed, 0 files unresolved
+  $ mkcommit F -s
+  test-debug-phase: new rev 8:  x -> 2
+  test-hook-close-phase: de414268ec5ce2330c590b942fbb5ff0b0ca1a0a:   -> secret
+  $ hg up 7
+  0 files updated, 0 files merged, 1 files removed, 0 files unresolved
+  $ hg phase
+  7: draft
+  $ mkcommit F
+  test-debug-phase: new rev 8:  x -> 2
+  warning: commit already existed in the repository!
+  test-hook-close-phase: de414268ec5ce2330c590b942fbb5ff0b0ca1a0a:   -> secret
+  $ hg phase -r tip
+  8: secret
+
+But what about obsoleted changesets?
+
+  $ hg up 4
+  0 files updated, 0 files merged, 2 files removed, 0 files unresolved
+  $ mkcommit H
+  test-debug-phase: new rev 5:  x -> 2
+  warning: commit already existed in the repository!
+  test-hook-close-phase: a030c6be5127abc010fcbff1851536552e6951a8:   -> secret
+  $ hg phase -r 5
+  5: secret
+  $ hg par
+  changeset:   5:a030c6be5127
+  user:        test
+  date:        Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 1970 +0000
+  obsolete:    pruned
+  summary:     H
+  
+  $ hg up tip
+  2 files updated, 0 files merged, 1 files removed, 0 files unresolved
+  $ cd ..
diff --git a/tests/test-unamend.t b/tests/test-unamend.t
--- a/tests/test-unamend.t
+++ b/tests/test-unamend.t
@@ -405,8 +405,10 @@
   $ hg co -q 0
   $ hg mv a b
   $ hg ci -qm 'move to a b'
+  warning: commit already existed in the repository!
   $ hg mv b c
   $ hg amend
+  warning: commit already existed in the repository!
   $ hg mv c d
   $ hg unamend
   $ hg st --copies --change .