diff --git a/libraries/kotlin.test/shared/src/main/kotlin.jvm/kotlin/test/TestAssertionsJVM.kt b/libraries/kotlin.test/shared/src/main/kotlin.jvm/kotlin/test/TestAssertionsJVM.kt
index 03eb9a87a30..5f714fed984 100644
--- a/libraries/kotlin.test/shared/src/main/kotlin.jvm/kotlin/test/TestAssertionsJVM.kt
+++ b/libraries/kotlin.test/shared/src/main/kotlin.jvm/kotlin/test/TestAssertionsJVM.kt
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ fun <T : Throwable> assertFailsWith(exceptionClass: KClass<T>, message: String?,
 /** Asserts that a [block] fails with a specific exception of type [T] being thrown.
  *  Since inline method doesn't allow to trace where it was invoked, it is required to pass a [message] to distinguish this method call from others.
  */
-inline fun <reified T : Throwable> assertFailsWith(message: String, noinline block: () -> Unit): T = assertFailsWith(T::class, message, block)
+inline fun <reified T : Throwable> assertFailsWith(message: String? = null, noinline block: () -> Unit): T = assertFailsWith(T::class, message, block)
 
 
 /**
diff --git a/libraries/kotlin.test/shared/src/test/kotlin.jvm/BasicAssertionsJVMTest.kt b/libraries/kotlin.test/shared/src/test/kotlin.jvm/BasicAssertionsJVMTest.kt
index e9f83fc5695..698a1d6bc7c 100644
--- a/libraries/kotlin.test/shared/src/test/kotlin.jvm/BasicAssertionsJVMTest.kt
+++ b/libraries/kotlin.test/shared/src/test/kotlin.jvm/BasicAssertionsJVMTest.kt
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ class BasicAssertionsJVMTest {
 
     @Test
     fun testFailsWithMessage() {
-        assertFailsWith<IllegalArgumentException>("") {
+        assertFailsWith<IllegalArgumentException>() {
             throw IllegalArgumentException()
         }
     }