diff --git a/lib/validates_timeliness/validator.rb b/lib/validates_timeliness/validator.rb
index 0e2c8b4..08d2700 100644
--- a/lib/validates_timeliness/validator.rb
+++ b/lib/validates_timeliness/validator.rb
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ module ValidatesTimeliness
 
     def add_error(record, attr_name, message, value=nil)
       value = format_error_value(value) if value
-      message_options = { :message => options[:"#{message}_message"], :restriction => value }
+      message_options = { :message => (options[:"#{message}_message"] || options[:message]), :restriction => value }
       record.errors.add(attr_name, message, message_options)
     end
 
diff --git a/spec/validates_timeliness/validator_spec.rb b/spec/validates_timeliness/validator_spec.rb
index 69ec35a..09f1bb5 100644
--- a/spec/validates_timeliness/validator_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/validates_timeliness/validator_spec.rb
@@ -87,6 +87,20 @@ RSpec.describe ValidatesTimeliness::Validator do
     end
   end
 
+  describe ':message options' do
+    it 'should allow message option too' do
+      Person.validates_date :birth_date, on_or_after: :today, message: 'cannot be in past'
+      invalid!(:birth_date, Date.today - 5.days, 'cannot be in past')
+      valid!(:birth_date, Date.today)
+    end
+
+    it 'should first allow the defined message' do
+      Person.validates_date :birth_date, on_or_after: :today, on_or_after_message: 'cannot be in past', message: 'dummy message'
+      invalid!(:birth_date, Date.today - 5.days, 'cannot be in past')
+      valid!(:birth_date, Date.today)
+    end
+  end
+
   describe ":between option" do
     describe "array value" do
       it 'should be split option into :on_or_after and :on_or_before values' do