diff --git a/src/DataBuilder.php b/src/DataBuilder.php
index 291f6426..4096d5a5 100644
--- a/src/DataBuilder.php
+++ b/src/DataBuilder.php
@@ -462,18 +462,25 @@ public function makeTrace(
         ?string $classOverride = null,
         string|Stringable $message = null,
     ): Trace {
+        $frames = array();
         if ($this->captureErrorStacktraces) {
             $frames = $this->makeFrames($exception, $includeContext);
-        } else {
-            $frames = array();
+        }
+        
+        $exceptionMessage = $exception->getMessage();
+        $description = $message;
+
+        // If a message is explicitly set when calling the logger, use that. Otherwise, use the exception's message.
+        if (null !== $message) {
+            $exceptionMessage = $message;
+            $description = $exception->getMessage();
         }
 
-        $excInfo = new ExceptionInfo(
+        return new Trace($frames, new ExceptionInfo(
             $classOverride ?: get_class($exception),
-            $exception->getMessage(),
-            $message
-        );
-        return new Trace($frames, $excInfo);
+            $exceptionMessage,
+            $description,
+        ));
     }
 
     public function makeFrames($exception, $includeContext)
diff --git a/tests/DataBuilderTest.php b/tests/DataBuilderTest.php
index ea2b7a12..5e7b3172 100644
--- a/tests/DataBuilderTest.php
+++ b/tests/DataBuilderTest.php
@@ -706,8 +706,8 @@ public function testExceptionInContext(): void
         $this->assertSame(
             array(
                 'class'       => 'Exception',
-                'message'     => 'testing exception',
-                'description' => 'testing',
+                'message'     => 'testing',
+                'description' => 'testing exception',
             ),
             $output['body']['trace']['exception'],
         );