diff --git a/charmcraft/models/config.py b/charmcraft/models/config.py
index 550d2fd17..464f1618b 100644
--- a/charmcraft/models/config.py
+++ b/charmcraft/models/config.py
@@ -50,10 +50,10 @@ def validate_actions(cls, options):
             if "type" not in option:
                 raise ValueError(f"'{name}' is missing a type")
 
-            if option["type"] not in ["string", "int", "float", "boolean"]:
+            if option["type"] not in ["string", "int", "float", "boolean", "secret"]:
                 raise ValueError(
                     f"'{option}' has an invalid type '{option['type']}', "
-                    "must be one of: string, int, float, boolean"
+                    "must be one of: string, int, float, boolean, secret"
                 )
 
         return options
diff --git a/tests/test_models.py b/tests/test_models.py
index 90ee8446d..2eda78678 100644
--- a/tests/test_models.py
+++ b/tests/test_models.py
@@ -1135,6 +1135,8 @@ def test_load_config_in_charmcraft_yaml(tmp_path, prepare_charmcraft_yaml):
                 test-bool:
                   default: true
                   type: boolean
+                test-secret:
+                  type: secret
             """
         )
     )
@@ -1146,6 +1148,7 @@ def test_load_config_in_charmcraft_yaml(tmp_path, prepare_charmcraft_yaml):
             "test-string": {"description": "test-2", "type": "string"},
             "test-float": {"default": 1.23, "type": "float"},
             "test-bool": {"default": True, "type": "boolean"},
+            "test-secret": {"type": "secret"},
         },
     }
 
@@ -1179,6 +1182,8 @@ def test_load_config_in_config_yaml(tmp_path, prepare_charmcraft_yaml, prepare_c
               test-bool:
                 default: true
                 type: boolean
+              test-secret:
+                type: secret
             """
         ),
     )
@@ -1190,6 +1195,7 @@ def test_load_config_in_config_yaml(tmp_path, prepare_charmcraft_yaml, prepare_c
             "test-string": {"description": "test-2", "type": "string"},
             "test-float": {"default": 1.23, "type": "float"},
             "test-bool": {"default": True, "type": "boolean"},
+            "test-secret": {"type": "secret"},
         },
     }
 
@@ -1248,6 +1254,8 @@ def test_load_bad_config_in_charmcraft_yaml(tmp_path, prepare_charmcraft_yaml):
                 test-bool:
                   default: true
                   type: boolean
+                test-secret:
+                  type: secret
             """
         )
     )