diff --git a/core/src/sigverify.rs b/core/src/sigverify.rs
index ea199c7eca..ea6ddb41aa 100644
--- a/core/src/sigverify.rs
+++ b/core/src/sigverify.rs
@@ -356,7 +356,7 @@ mod tests {
     fn test_system_transaction_layout() {
         let tx = test_tx();
         let tx_bytes = serialize(&tx).unwrap();
-        let message = tx.message();
+        let message_data = tx.message_data();
         let packet = sigverify::make_packet_from_transaction(tx.clone());
 
         let (sig_len, sig_start, msg_start_offset, pubkey_offset) =
@@ -371,7 +371,7 @@ mod tests {
             Some(pubkey_offset as usize)
         );
         assert_eq!(
-            memfind(&tx_bytes, &message),
+            memfind(&tx_bytes, &message_data),
             Some(msg_start_offset as usize)
         );
         assert_eq!(
@@ -386,7 +386,7 @@ mod tests {
         use crate::packet::PACKET_DATA_SIZE;
         let mut tx0 = test_tx();
         tx0.instructions[0].data = vec![1, 2, 3];
-        let message0a = tx0.message();
+        let message0a = tx0.message_data();
         let tx_bytes = serialize(&tx0).unwrap();
         assert!(tx_bytes.len() < PACKET_DATA_SIZE);
         assert_eq!(
@@ -398,7 +398,7 @@ mod tests {
         assert_eq!(tx1.instructions[0].data, vec![1, 2, 3]);
 
         tx0.instructions[0].data = vec![1, 2, 4];
-        let message0b = tx0.message();
+        let message0b = tx0.message_data();
         assert_ne!(message0a, message0b);
     }
 
diff --git a/sdk/src/transaction.rs b/sdk/src/transaction.rs
index e71e60e1ec..3cada29fce 100644
--- a/sdk/src/transaction.rs
+++ b/sdk/src/transaction.rs
@@ -174,26 +174,31 @@ impl Transaction {
         let program_ids_index = self.instructions[instruction_index].program_ids_index;
         &self.program_ids[program_ids_index as usize]
     }
-    /// Get the transaction data to sign.
-    pub fn message(&self) -> Vec<u8> {
-        let message = Message {
+
+    /// Return a message containing all data that should be signed.
+    pub fn message(&self) -> Message {
+        Message {
             num_signatures: self.signatures.len() as u8,
             account_keys: self.account_keys.clone(),
             recent_blockhash: self.recent_blockhash,
             fee: self.fee,
             program_ids: self.program_ids.clone(),
             instructions: self.instructions.clone(),
-        };
-        serialize(&message).unwrap()
+        }
+    }
+
+    /// Return the serialized message data to sign.
+    pub fn message_data(&self) -> Vec<u8> {
+        serialize(&self.message()).unwrap()
     }
 
     /// Sign this transaction.
     pub fn sign_unchecked<T: KeypairUtil>(&mut self, keypairs: &[&T], recent_blockhash: Hash) {
         self.recent_blockhash = recent_blockhash;
-        let message = self.message();
+        let message_data = self.message_data();
         self.signatures = keypairs
             .iter()
-            .map(|keypair| keypair.sign_message(&message))
+            .map(|keypair| keypair.sign_message(&message_data))
             .collect();
     }