diff --git a/include/internal/catch_assertionhandler.cpp b/include/internal/catch_assertionhandler.cpp
index fe8e32a0..d53b09fa 100644
--- a/include/internal/catch_assertionhandler.cpp
+++ b/include/internal/catch_assertionhandler.cpp
@@ -59,8 +59,22 @@ namespace Catch {
         getCurrentContext().getResultCapture()->assertionStarting( m_assertionInfo );
     }
 
-    void AssertionHandler::handle( ResultWas::OfType resultType, ITransientExpression const* expr, bool negated ) {
+    void AssertionHandler::handle( ITransientExpression const& expr ) {
 
+        bool negated = isFalseTest( m_assertionInfo.resultDisposition );
+        bool result = expr.getResult() != negated;
+
+        handle( result ? ResultWas::Ok : ResultWas::ExpressionFailed, &expr, negated );
+    }
+    void AssertionHandler::handle( ResultWas::OfType resultType ) {
+        handle( resultType, nullptr, false );
+    }
+    void AssertionHandler::handle( ResultWas::OfType resultType, StringRef const& message ) {
+        AssertionResultData data( resultType, LazyExpression( false ) );
+        data.message = message.c_str();
+        handle( data, nullptr );
+    }
+    void AssertionHandler::handle( ResultWas::OfType resultType, ITransientExpression const* expr, bool negated ) {
         AssertionResultData data( resultType, LazyExpression( negated ) );
         handle( data, expr );
     }
@@ -80,16 +94,7 @@ namespace Catch {
                     (m_assertionInfo.resultDisposition & ResultDisposition::Normal);
         }
     }
-    void AssertionHandler::handle( ITransientExpression const& expr ) {
 
-        bool negated = isFalseTest( m_assertionInfo.resultDisposition );
-        bool result = expr.getResult() != negated;
-
-        handle( result ? ResultWas::Ok : ResultWas::ExpressionFailed, &expr, negated );
-    }
-    void AssertionHandler::handle( ResultWas::OfType resultType ) {
-        handle( resultType, nullptr, false );
-    }
     auto AssertionHandler::allowThrows() const -> bool {
         return getCurrentContext().getConfig()->allowThrows();
     }
@@ -117,12 +122,7 @@ namespace Catch {
         useActiveException();
     }
     void AssertionHandler::useActiveException() {
-        bool negated = isFalseTest( m_assertionInfo.resultDisposition );
-
-        AssertionResultData data( ResultWas::ThrewException, LazyExpression( negated ) );
-        data.message = Catch::translateActiveException();
-
-        handle( data, nullptr );
+        handle( ResultWas::ThrewException, Catch::translateActiveException().c_str() );
     }
 
 } // namespace Catch
diff --git a/include/internal/catch_assertionhandler.h b/include/internal/catch_assertionhandler.h
index 6e140e44..18137448 100644
--- a/include/internal/catch_assertionhandler.h
+++ b/include/internal/catch_assertionhandler.h
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ namespace Catch {
             handle( expr.makeUnaryExpr() );
         }
         void handle( ResultWas::OfType resultType );
+        void handle( ResultWas::OfType resultType, StringRef const& message );
         void handle( ResultWas::OfType resultType, ITransientExpression const* expr, bool negated );
         void handle( AssertionResultData const& resultData, ITransientExpression const* expr );
 
diff --git a/include/internal/catch_capture.hpp b/include/internal/catch_capture.hpp
index 68859412..13101ec6 100644
--- a/include/internal/catch_capture.hpp
+++ b/include/internal/catch_capture.hpp
@@ -133,10 +133,9 @@
 ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 #define INTERNAL_CATCH_MSG( macroName, messageType, resultDisposition, ... ) \
     do { \
-        Catch::ResultBuilder __catchResult( macroName, CATCH_INTERNAL_LINEINFO, "", resultDisposition ); \
-        __catchResult << __VA_ARGS__ + ::Catch::StreamEndStop(); \
-        __catchResult.captureResult( messageType ); \
-        INTERNAL_CATCH_REACT( __catchResult ) \
+        Catch::AssertionHandler catchAssertionHandler( macroName, CATCH_INTERNAL_LINEINFO, "", resultDisposition ); \
+        catchAssertionHandler.handle( messageType, ( Catch::MessageStream() << __VA_ARGS__ + ::Catch::StreamEndStop() ).m_stream.str().c_str() ); \
+        INTERNAL_CATCH_REACT2( catchAssertionHandler ) \
     } while( Catch::alwaysFalse() )
 
 ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
diff --git a/include/internal/catch_message.h b/include/internal/catch_message.h
index 2550fb41..553882b7 100644
--- a/include/internal/catch_message.h
+++ b/include/internal/catch_message.h
@@ -32,7 +32,19 @@ namespace Catch {
         static unsigned int globalCount;
     };
 
-    struct MessageBuilder {
+    struct MessageStream {
+
+        template<typename T>
+        MessageStream& operator << ( T const& value ) {
+            m_stream << value;
+            return *this;
+        }
+
+        // !TBD reuse a global/ thread-local stream
+        std::ostringstream m_stream;
+    };
+
+    struct MessageBuilder : MessageStream {
         MessageBuilder( std::string const& macroName,
                         SourceLineInfo const& lineInfo,
                         ResultWas::OfType type );
@@ -44,7 +56,6 @@ namespace Catch {
         }
 
         MessageInfo m_info;
-        std::ostringstream m_stream;
     };
 
     class ScopedMessage {