diff --git a/src/infi/clickhouse_orm/database.py b/src/infi/clickhouse_orm/database.py
index d8c9762..3b7179f 100644
--- a/src/infi/clickhouse_orm/database.py
+++ b/src/infi/clickhouse_orm/database.py
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ class ServerError(DatabaseException):
         else:
             # just skip custom init
             # if non-standard message format
+            self.message = message
             super(ServerError, self).__init__(message)
 
     ERROR_PATTERN = re.compile(r'''
diff --git a/tests/test_database.py b/tests/test_database.py
index 331bcef..d4cf387 100644
--- a/tests/test_database.py
+++ b/tests/test_database.py
@@ -162,7 +162,7 @@ class DatabaseTestCase(TestCaseWithData):
             float_field = Float32Field()
         with self.assertRaises(DatabaseException) as cm:
             self.database.create_table(EnginelessModel)
-        self.assertEqual(cm.exception.message, 'EnginelessModel class must define an engine')
+        self.assertEqual(str(cm.exception), 'EnginelessModel class must define an engine')
 
     def test_potentially_problematic_field_names(self):
         class Model1(Model):