diff --git a/boto/exception.py b/boto/exception.py
index 590f3d17c0..99006bd385 100644
--- a/boto/exception.py
+++ b/boto/exception.py
@@ -93,9 +93,9 @@ def __init__(self, status, reason, body=None, *args):
                 self.error_message = self.body
                 self.body = None
 
+        self.message = self.error_message
+
     def __getattr__(self, name):
-        if name == 'message':
-            return self.error_message
         if name == 'code':
             return self.error_code
         raise AttributeError
diff --git a/tests/unit/exceptions/__init__.py b/tests/unit/exceptions/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..e69de29bb2
diff --git a/tests/unit/exceptions/test_server_error.py b/tests/unit/exceptions/test_server_error.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..0645bf6406
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/unit/exceptions/test_server_error.py
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+try:
+    import unittest2 as unittest
+except ImportError:
+    import unittest
+
+from boto.exception import BotoServerError
+
+class BotoServerErrorTest(unittest.TestCase):
+    def setUp(self):
+        self.body = """<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><Error><Code>NoSuchKey</Code><Message>The resource you requested does not exist</Message><Resource>/mybucket/myfoto.jpg</Resource> <RequestId>4442587FB7D0A2F9</RequestId></Error>"""
+
+    def test_exception_message(self):
+        e = BotoServerError(404, "No Such Key", body=self.body)
+        self.assertEqual("NoSuchKey", e.code)
+        self.assertEqual("The resource you requested does not exist", e.message)