diff --git a/lib/rackstash/encoders/message.rb b/lib/rackstash/encoders/message.rb
index 73b605c..a8911d8 100644
--- a/lib/rackstash/encoders/message.rb
+++ b/lib/rackstash/encoders/message.rb
@@ -19,12 +19,11 @@ module Rackstash
       include Rackstash::Encoders::Helpers::Message
 
       # @param event [Hash] a log event as produced by the {Flow}
-      # @return [String] the `"message"` field of the event. Trailing whitespace
-      #     will be removed.
+      # @return [String] the `"message"` field of the event
       def encode(event)
         normalize_message(event)
 
-        event[FIELD_MESSAGE].rstrip
+        event[FIELD_MESSAGE]
       end
     end
   end
diff --git a/spec/rackstash/encoders/message_spec.rb b/spec/rackstash/encoders/message_spec.rb
index da8ba0b..b959107 100644
--- a/spec/rackstash/encoders/message_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/rackstash/encoders/message_spec.rb
@@ -14,13 +14,8 @@ describe Rackstash::Encoders::Message do
 
   describe '#encode' do
     it 'gets the message from the event hash' do
-      event = { 'hello' => 'world', 'message' => ["hello\n", "world"] }
-      expect(encoder.encode(event)).to eql "hello\nworld"
-    end
-
-    it 'rstrips the message' do
-      event = { 'message' => "\n\t \nline1\nline2\n  \n\t\n" }
-      expect(encoder.encode(event)).to eql "\n\t \nline1\nline2"
+      event = { 'hello' => 'world', 'message' => ["\n\t \nline1\n", "line2\n  \n\t\n"] }
+      expect(encoder.encode(event)).to eql "\n\t \nline1\nline2\n  \n\t\n"
     end
   end
 end