diff --git a/spring-tx/src/main/java/org/springframework/transaction/event/ApplicationListenerMethodTransactionalAdapter.java b/spring-tx/src/main/java/org/springframework/transaction/event/ApplicationListenerMethodTransactionalAdapter.java
index a33b07bc63d..3368aa8bf73 100644
--- a/spring-tx/src/main/java/org/springframework/transaction/event/ApplicationListenerMethodTransactionalAdapter.java
+++ b/spring-tx/src/main/java/org/springframework/transaction/event/ApplicationListenerMethodTransactionalAdapter.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright 2002-2016 the original author or authors.
+ * Copyright 2002-2017 the original author or authors.
  *
  * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
  * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
@@ -98,6 +98,11 @@ class ApplicationListenerMethodTransactionalAdapter extends ApplicationListenerM
 			this.phase = phase;
 		}
 
+		@Override
+		public int getOrder() {
+			return this.listener.getOrder();
+		}
+
 		@Override
 		public void beforeCommit(boolean readOnly) {
 			if (this.phase == TransactionPhase.BEFORE_COMMIT) {
@@ -107,20 +112,15 @@ class ApplicationListenerMethodTransactionalAdapter extends ApplicationListenerM
 
 		@Override
 		public void afterCompletion(int status) {
-			if (this.phase == TransactionPhase.AFTER_COMPLETION) {
-				processEvent();
-			}
-			else if (this.phase == TransactionPhase.AFTER_COMMIT && status == STATUS_COMMITTED) {
+			if (this.phase == TransactionPhase.AFTER_COMMIT && status == STATUS_COMMITTED) {
 				processEvent();
 			}
 			else if (this.phase == TransactionPhase.AFTER_ROLLBACK && status == STATUS_ROLLED_BACK) {
 				processEvent();
 			}
-		}
-
-		@Override
-		public int getOrder() {
-			return this.listener.getOrder();
+			else if (this.phase == TransactionPhase.AFTER_COMPLETION) {
+				processEvent();
+			}
 		}
 
 		protected void processEvent() {
diff --git a/spring-tx/src/main/java/org/springframework/transaction/event/TransactionPhase.java b/spring-tx/src/main/java/org/springframework/transaction/event/TransactionPhase.java
index 1f928cee437..84e7ea98d67 100644
--- a/spring-tx/src/main/java/org/springframework/transaction/event/TransactionPhase.java
+++ b/spring-tx/src/main/java/org/springframework/transaction/event/TransactionPhase.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright 2002-2015 the original author or authors.
+ * Copyright 2002-2017 the original author or authors.
  *
  * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
  * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ import org.springframework.transaction.support.TransactionSynchronization;
  * The phase at which a transactional event listener applies.
  *
  * @author Stephane Nicoll
+ * @author Juergen Hoeller
  * @since 4.2
  * @see TransactionalEventListener
  */
@@ -33,17 +34,11 @@ public enum TransactionPhase {
 	 */
 	BEFORE_COMMIT,
 
-	/**
-	 * Fire the event after the transaction has completed. For
-	 * more fine-grained event, use {@link #AFTER_COMMIT} or
-	 * {@link #AFTER_ROLLBACK} to intercept transaction commit
-	 * or rollback respectively.
-	 * @see TransactionSynchronization#afterCompletion(int)
-	 */
-	AFTER_COMPLETION,
-
 	/**
 	 * Fire the event after the commit has completed successfully.
+	 * <p>Note: This is a specialization of {@link #AFTER_COMPLETION} and
+	 * therefore executes in the same after-completion sequence of events,
+	 * (and not in {@link TransactionSynchronization#afterCommit()}).
 	 * @see TransactionSynchronization#afterCompletion(int)
 	 * @see TransactionSynchronization#STATUS_COMMITTED
 	 */
@@ -51,9 +46,20 @@ public enum TransactionPhase {
 
 	/**
 	 * Fire the event if the transaction has rolled back.
+	 * <p>Note: This is a specialization of {@link #AFTER_COMPLETION} and
+	 * therefore executes in the same after-completion sequence of events.
 	 * @see TransactionSynchronization#afterCompletion(int)
 	 * @see TransactionSynchronization#STATUS_ROLLED_BACK
 	 */
-	AFTER_ROLLBACK
+	AFTER_ROLLBACK,
+
+	/**
+	 * Fire the event after the transaction has completed.
+	 * <p>For more fine-grained events, use {@link #AFTER_COMMIT} or
+	 * {@link #AFTER_ROLLBACK} to intercept transaction commit
+	 * or rollback, respectively.
+	 * @see TransactionSynchronization#afterCompletion(int)
+	 */
+	AFTER_COMPLETION
 
 }
diff --git a/spring-tx/src/main/java/org/springframework/transaction/event/TransactionalEventListener.java b/spring-tx/src/main/java/org/springframework/transaction/event/TransactionalEventListener.java
index 64d4fcae5af..8c7d67b04ec 100644
--- a/spring-tx/src/main/java/org/springframework/transaction/event/TransactionalEventListener.java
+++ b/spring-tx/src/main/java/org/springframework/transaction/event/TransactionalEventListener.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright 2002-2015 the original author or authors.
+ * Copyright 2002-2017 the original author or authors.
  *
  * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
  * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
@@ -28,25 +28,27 @@ import org.springframework.core.annotation.AliasFor;
 /**
  * An {@link EventListener} that is invoked according to a {@link TransactionPhase}.
  *
- * <p>If the event is not published within the boundaries of a managed transaction, the event
- * is discarded unless the {@link #fallbackExecution} flag is explicitly set. If a
+ * <p>If the event is not published within the boundaries of a managed transaction, the
+ * event is discarded unless the {@link #fallbackExecution} flag is explicitly set. If a
  * transaction is running, the event is processed according to its {@code TransactionPhase}.
  *
- * <p>Adding {@link org.springframework.core.annotation.Order @Order} on your annotated method
- * allows you to prioritize that listener amongst other listeners running in the same phase.
+ * <p>Adding {@link org.springframework.core.annotation.Order @Order} to your annotated
+ * method allows you to prioritize that listener amongst other listeners running before
+ * or after transaction completion.
  *
  * @author Stephane Nicoll
  * @author Sam Brannen
  * @since 4.2
  */
-@EventListener
 @Target({ElementType.METHOD, ElementType.ANNOTATION_TYPE})
 @Retention(RetentionPolicy.RUNTIME)
 @Documented
+@EventListener
 public @interface TransactionalEventListener {
 
 	/**
 	 * Phase to bind the handling of an event to.
+	 * <p>The default phase is {@link TransactionPhase#AFTER_COMMIT}.
 	 * <p>If no transaction is in progress, the event is not processed at
 	 * all unless {@link #fallbackExecution} has been enabled explicitly.
 	 */
@@ -76,7 +78,7 @@ public @interface TransactionalEventListener {
 	/**
 	 * Spring Expression Language (SpEL) attribute used for making the event
 	 * handling conditional.
-	 * <p>Default is {@code ""}, meaning the event is always handled.
+	 * <p>The default is {@code ""}, meaning the event is always handled.
 	 * @see EventListener#condition
 	 */
 	String condition() default "";