diff --git a/model/modelprocessor/errormessage.go b/model/modelprocessor/errormessage.go
index efc1c293..952e4453 100644
--- a/model/modelprocessor/errormessage.go
+++ b/model/modelprocessor/errormessage.go
@@ -32,7 +32,9 @@ func (s SetErrorMessage) ProcessBatch(ctx context.Context, b *modelpb.Batch) err
 	for i := range *b {
 		event := (*b)[i]
 		if event.Error != nil {
-			event.Message = s.setErrorMessage(event)
+			if event.GetMessage() == "" {
+				event.Message = s.setErrorMessage(event)
+			}
 		}
 	}
 	return nil
diff --git a/model/modelprocessor/errormessage_test.go b/model/modelprocessor/errormessage_test.go
index 60757e18..8788ac4a 100644
--- a/model/modelprocessor/errormessage_test.go
+++ b/model/modelprocessor/errormessage_test.go
@@ -29,37 +29,56 @@ import (
 
 func TestSetErrorMessage(t *testing.T) {
 	tests := []struct {
-		input   *modelpb.Error
-		message string
+		desc            string
+		input           *modelpb.APMEvent
+		expectedMessage string
 	}{{
-		input:   &modelpb.Error{},
-		message: "",
-	}, {
-		input:   &modelpb.Error{Log: &modelpb.ErrorLog{Message: "log_message"}},
-		message: "log_message",
+		desc: "keep event message when no error",
+		input: &modelpb.APMEvent{
+			Error: &modelpb.Error{
+				Log:       &modelpb.ErrorLog{},
+				Exception: &modelpb.Exception{},
+			},
+			Message: "message",
+		},
+		expectedMessage: "message",
 	}, {
-		input:   &modelpb.Error{Exception: &modelpb.Exception{Message: "exception_message"}},
-		message: "exception_message",
+		desc: "keep event message when error",
+		input: &modelpb.APMEvent{
+			Error: &modelpb.Error{
+				Log:       &modelpb.ErrorLog{Message: "log_message"},
+				Exception: &modelpb.Exception{Message: "exception_message"},
+			},
+			Message: "message",
+		},
+		expectedMessage: "message",
 	}, {
-		input: &modelpb.Error{
-			Log:       &modelpb.ErrorLog{},
-			Exception: &modelpb.Exception{Message: "exception_message"},
+		desc: "propagate log error if event message empty",
+		input: &modelpb.APMEvent{
+			Error: &modelpb.Error{
+				Log:       &modelpb.ErrorLog{Message: "log_message"},
+				Exception: &modelpb.Exception{},
+			},
+			Message: "",
 		},
-		message: "exception_message",
+		expectedMessage: "log_message",
 	}, {
-		input: &modelpb.Error{
-			Log:       &modelpb.ErrorLog{Message: "log_message"},
-			Exception: &modelpb.Exception{Message: "exception_message"},
+		desc: "propagate exception error if event message is empty",
+		input: &modelpb.APMEvent{
+			Error: &modelpb.Error{
+				Log:       &modelpb.ErrorLog{},
+				Exception: &modelpb.Exception{Message: "exception_message"},
+			},
+			Message: "",
 		},
-		message: "log_message",
+		expectedMessage: "exception_message",
 	}}
 
 	for _, test := range tests {
-		batch := modelpb.Batch{{Error: test.input}}
+		batch := modelpb.Batch{test.input}
 		processor := modelprocessor.SetErrorMessage{}
 		err := processor.ProcessBatch(context.Background(), &batch)
 		assert.NoError(t, err)
-		assert.Equal(t, test.message, batch[0].Message)
+		assert.Equal(t, test.expectedMessage, batch[0].Message)
 	}
-
 }