diff --git a/spring-cloud-sleuth-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/cloud/sleuth/instrument/messaging/TracingChannelInterceptor.java b/spring-cloud-sleuth-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/cloud/sleuth/instrument/messaging/TracingChannelInterceptor.java
index 5569ce561..ce2d3027e 100644
--- a/spring-cloud-sleuth-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/cloud/sleuth/instrument/messaging/TracingChannelInterceptor.java
+++ b/spring-cloud-sleuth-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/cloud/sleuth/instrument/messaging/TracingChannelInterceptor.java
@@ -324,7 +324,8 @@ public final class TracingChannelInterceptor extends ChannelInterceptorAdapter
 		Object payload = message.getPayload();
 		if (payload instanceof MessagingException) {
 			MessagingException e = (MessagingException) payload;
-			return e.getFailedMessage();
+			Message<?> failedMessage = e.getFailedMessage();
+			return failedMessage != null ? failedMessage : message;
 		}
 		return message;
 	}
diff --git a/spring-cloud-sleuth-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/cloud/sleuth/instrument/messaging/TracingChannelInterceptorTest.java b/spring-cloud-sleuth-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/cloud/sleuth/instrument/messaging/TracingChannelInterceptorTest.java
index 0eee574a8..534e1224d 100644
--- a/spring-cloud-sleuth-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/cloud/sleuth/instrument/messaging/TracingChannelInterceptorTest.java
+++ b/spring-cloud-sleuth-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/cloud/sleuth/instrument/messaging/TracingChannelInterceptorTest.java
@@ -263,6 +263,28 @@ public class TracingChannelInterceptorTest {
 		assertThat(this.message.getHeaders().getErrorChannel()).isSameAs(errorsReplyChannel);
 	}
 
+	@Test
+	public void errorMessageHeadersWithNullPayloadRetained() {
+		this.channel.addInterceptor(this.interceptor);
+		Map<String, Object> errorChannelHeaders = new HashMap<>();
+		errorChannelHeaders.put(TraceMessageHeaders.TRACE_ID_NAME, "000000000000000a");
+		errorChannelHeaders.put(TraceMessageHeaders.SPAN_ID_NAME, "000000000000000a");
+		this.channel.send(new ErrorMessage(new MessagingException("exception"),
+				errorChannelHeaders));
+
+		this.message = this.channel.receive();
+
+		assertThat(this.message).isNotNull();
+		String spanId = this.message.getHeaders().get(TraceMessageHeaders.SPAN_ID_NAME,
+				String.class);
+		assertThat(spanId).isNotNull();
+		String traceId = this.message.getHeaders().get(TraceMessageHeaders.TRACE_ID_NAME,
+				String.class);
+		assertThat(traceId).isEqualTo("000000000000000a");
+		assertThat(spanId).isNotEqualTo("000000000000000a");
+		assertThat(this.spans).hasSize(2);
+	}
+
 	ChannelInterceptor producerSideOnly(ChannelInterceptor delegate) {
 		return new ChannelInterceptorAdapter() {
 			@Override