diff --git a/packages/macro/src/macroJs.ts b/packages/macro/src/macroJs.ts
index e57207db7..1640a9eef 100644
--- a/packages/macro/src/macroJs.ts
+++ b/packages/macro/src/macroJs.ts
@@ -193,7 +193,12 @@ export default class MacroJs {
 
     // if there's `message` property, replace macros with formatted message
     const node = descriptor.properties[messageIndex]
-    const tokens = this.tokenizeNode(node.value, true)
+
+    // Inside message descriptor the `t` macro in `message` prop is optional.
+    // Template strings are always processed as if they were wrapped by `t`.
+    const tokens = this.types.isTemplateLiteral(node.value)
+      ? this.tokenizeTemplateLiteral(node.value)
+      : this.tokenizeNode(node.value, true)
 
     let messageNode = node.value
     if (tokens != null) {
@@ -351,7 +356,6 @@ export default class MacroJs {
     }
   }
 
-
   /**
    * Custom matchers
    */
diff --git a/packages/macro/test/js-defineMessage.ts b/packages/macro/test/js-defineMessage.ts
index d44a74558..bf4efa47c 100644
--- a/packages/macro/test/js-defineMessage.ts
+++ b/packages/macro/test/js-defineMessage.ts
@@ -36,11 +36,11 @@ export default [
     `,
   },
   {
-    name: "should left string message intact - template literal",
+    name: "should transform template literals",
     input: `
         import { defineMessage } from '@lingui/macro';
         const message = defineMessage({
-          message: \`Message\`
+          message: \`Message \${name}\`
         })
     `,
     expected: `
@@ -48,7 +48,10 @@ export default [
         const message =
           /*i18n*/
           {
-            id: \`Message\`
+            id: "Message {name}",
+            values: {
+              name: name
+            }
           };
     `,
   },
diff --git a/packages/macro/test/js-t.ts b/packages/macro/test/js-t.ts
index 4f41b6495..b1bf76668 100644
--- a/packages/macro/test/js-t.ts
+++ b/packages/macro/test/js-t.ts
@@ -82,6 +82,23 @@ export default [
         i18n._("Multiline\\nstring")
       `,
   },
+  {
+    name: "Support template strings in t macro message",
+    input: `
+        import { t } from '@lingui/macro'
+        const msg = t({ message: \`Hello \${name}\` })
+      `,
+    expected: `import { i18n } from "@lingui/core";
+    const msg =
+      i18n._(/*i18n*/
+        {
+          id: "Hello {name}",
+          values: {
+            name: name,
+          },
+        });
+      `,
+  },
   {
     name: "Support id and comment in t macro as callExpression",
     input: `