diff --git a/oslo/messaging/exceptions.py b/oslo/messaging/exceptions.py
index b6bbb74be..7eba1c6b9 100644
--- a/oslo/messaging/exceptions.py
+++ b/oslo/messaging/exceptions.py
@@ -19,12 +19,6 @@ __all__ = ['MessagingException', 'MessagingTimeout', 'InvalidTarget']
 class MessagingException(Exception):
     """Base class for exceptions."""
 
-    def __init__(self, msg=None):
-        self.msg = msg
-
-    def __str__(self):
-        return self.msg
-
 
 class MessagingTimeout(MessagingException):
     """Raised if message sending times out."""
diff --git a/tests/test_exception_serialization.py b/tests/test_exception_serialization.py
index 8884c60d3..4c06c3a2c 100644
--- a/tests/test_exception_serialization.py
+++ b/tests/test_exception_serialization.py
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
 
 import sys
 
+import six
 import testscenarios
 
 from oslo import messaging
@@ -161,7 +162,6 @@ class DeserializeRemoteExceptionTestCase(test_utils.BaseTestCase):
               args=['test'],
               kwargs={},
               str='test\ntraceback\ntraceback\n',
-              message='test',
               remote_name='Exception',
               remote_args=('test\ntraceback\ntraceback\n', ),
               remote_kwargs={})),
@@ -173,7 +173,6 @@ class DeserializeRemoteExceptionTestCase(test_utils.BaseTestCase):
               args=[],
               kwargs={},
               str='test\ntraceback\ntraceback\n',
-              message='I am Nova',
               remote_name='NovaStyleException_Remote',
               remote_args=('I am Nova', ),
               remote_kwargs={})),
@@ -185,7 +184,6 @@ class DeserializeRemoteExceptionTestCase(test_utils.BaseTestCase):
               args=['testing'],
               kwargs={},
               str='test\ntraceback\ntraceback\n',
-              message='testing',
               remote_name='NovaStyleException_Remote',
               remote_args=('testing', ),
               remote_kwargs={})),
@@ -197,7 +195,6 @@ class DeserializeRemoteExceptionTestCase(test_utils.BaseTestCase):
               args=[],
               kwargs={'who': 'Oslo'},
               str='test\ntraceback\ntraceback\n',
-              message='I am Oslo',
               remote_name='KwargsStyleException_Remote',
               remote_args=('I am Oslo', ),
               remote_kwargs={})),
@@ -299,9 +296,9 @@ class DeserializeRemoteExceptionTestCase(test_utils.BaseTestCase):
 
         self.assertIsInstance(ex, self.cls)
         self.assertEqual(ex.__class__.__name__, self.remote_name)
-        self.assertEqual(str(ex), self.str)
+        self.assertEqual(six.text_type(ex), self.str)
         if hasattr(self, 'msg'):
-            self.assertEqual(ex.msg, self.msg)
+            self.assertEqual(six.text_type(ex), self.msg)
+            self.assertEqual(ex.args, (self.msg,) + self.remote_args)
         else:
-            self.assertEqual(ex.message, self.message)
-        self.assertEqual(ex.args, self.remote_args)
+            self.assertEqual(ex.args, self.remote_args)
diff --git a/tests/test_transport.py b/tests/test_transport.py
index dcf59555c..317bb91b0 100644
--- a/tests/test_transport.py
+++ b/tests/test_transport.py
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ import itertools
 import fixtures
 import mox
 from oslo.config import cfg
+import six
 from stevedore import driver
 import testscenarios
 
@@ -181,8 +182,7 @@ class GetTransportSadPathTestCase(test_utils.BaseTestCase):
 
             self.assertIsInstance(ex, messaging.MessagingException)
             self.assertIsInstance(ex, ex_cls)
-            self.assertTrue(hasattr(ex, 'msg'))
-            self.assertIn(ex_msg_contains, ex.msg)
+            self.assertIn(ex_msg_contains, six.text_type(ex))
 
             for k, v in self.ex.items():
                 self.assertTrue(hasattr(ex, k))