diff --git a/monasca_persister/repositories/persister.py b/monasca_persister/repositories/persister.py
index 0be7fff0..ca996317 100644
--- a/monasca_persister/repositories/persister.py
+++ b/monasca_persister/repositories/persister.py
@@ -47,13 +47,13 @@ class Persister(six.with_metaclass(ABCMeta, object)):
             self._data_points = []
             self._consumer.commit()
         except Exception as ex:
-            if "partial write: points beyond retention policy dropped" in ex.message:
+            if "partial write: points beyond retention policy dropped" in str(ex):
                 LOG.warning("Some points older than retention policy were dropped")
                 self._data_points = []
                 self._consumer.commit()
 
             elif cfg.CONF.repositories.ignore_parse_point_error \
-                    and "unable to parse" in ex.message:
+                    and "unable to parse" in str(ex):
                 LOG.warning("Some points were unable to be parsed and were dropped")
                 self._data_points = []
                 self._consumer.commit()
diff --git a/monasca_persister/tests/test_persister_repo.py b/monasca_persister/tests/test_persister_repo.py
index 0bb94b4f..a3b77baa 100644
--- a/monasca_persister/tests/test_persister_repo.py
+++ b/monasca_persister/tests/test_persister_repo.py
@@ -108,17 +108,16 @@ class TestPersisterRepo(base.BaseTestCase):
                 mock_consumer.commit.assert_called()
                 self.assertEqual([], self.persister._data_points)
 
-    @patch.object(LOG, 'info', side_effect=FakeException())
-    def test_flush_logs_warning_and_exception(self, mock_log_info):
+    def test_flush_logs_warning_and_exception(self):
         exception_msgs = ['partial write: points beyond retention policy dropped',
-                          'unable to parse points']
+                          'unable to parse']
         with(patch.object(cfg.CONF.repositories, 'ignore_parse_point_error',
                           return_value=True)):
             for elem in exception_msgs:
-                mock_log_info.side_effect.message = elem
-                self.persister._data_points = ['some']
-                self.persister._flush()
-                self.mock_log_warning.assert_called()
+                with patch.object(LOG, 'info', side_effect=FakeException(elem)):
+                    self.persister._data_points = ['some']
+                    self.persister._flush()
+                    self.mock_log_warning.assert_called()
 
     @patch.object(LOG, 'info', side_effect=FakeException())
     def test_flush_logs_exception(self, mock_log_info):