diff --git a/sanic/exceptions.py b/sanic/exceptions.py
index 52e210580e..ce7c91db58 100644
--- a/sanic/exceptions.py
+++ b/sanic/exceptions.py
@@ -75,8 +75,9 @@ def __init__(
         quiet = quiet or getattr(self.__class__, "quiet", None)
         headers = headers or getattr(self.__class__, "headers", {})
         if message is None:
-            if self.message:
-                message = self.message
+            cls_message = getattr(self.__class__, "message", None)
+            if cls_message:
+                message = cls_message
             elif status_code:
                 msg: bytes = STATUS_CODES.get(status_code, b"")
                 message = msg.decode("utf8")
@@ -86,6 +87,7 @@ def __init__(
         self.status_code = status_code or self.status_code
         self.quiet = quiet
         self.headers = headers
+        self.message = message
 
 
 class HTTPException(SanicException):
diff --git a/tests/test_exceptions.py b/tests/test_exceptions.py
index 29c4e45c8f..ebcda8f9bc 100644
--- a/tests/test_exceptions.py
+++ b/tests/test_exceptions.py
@@ -398,3 +398,16 @@ def test_exception_aliases():
     assert MethodNotSupported is MethodNotAllowed
     assert ContentRangeError is RangeNotSatisfiable
     assert HeaderExpectationFailed is ExpectationFailed
+
+
+def test_exception_message_attribute():
+    assert ServerError("it failed").message == "it failed"
+    assert ServerError(b"it failed").message == b"it failed"
+    assert ServerError().message == str(ServerError()) == "Internal Server Error"
+
+    class CustomError(SanicException):
+        message = "Something bad happened"
+
+    assert CustomError().message == CustomError.message == str(CustomError())
+    assert SanicException().message != ""
+    assert SanicException("").message == ""