diff --git a/src/main/java/io/apicurio/datamodels/asyncapi/io/AaiDataModelWriter.java b/src/main/java/io/apicurio/datamodels/asyncapi/io/AaiDataModelWriter.java
index 32319c99..fab719b7 100755
--- a/src/main/java/io/apicurio/datamodels/asyncapi/io/AaiDataModelWriter.java
+++ b/src/main/java/io/apicurio/datamodels/asyncapi/io/AaiDataModelWriter.java
@@ -390,8 +390,13 @@ public void visitOperation(Operation node) {
         Object parent = this.lookupParentJson(node);
         Object json = this.writeOperationBase(aaiNode);
 
-        JsonCompat.setPropertyNull(json, Constants.PROP_TRAITS); // prop
-        JsonCompat.setPropertyNull(json, Constants.PROP_MESSAGE); // prop
+        JsonCompat.setPropertyNull(json, Constants.PROP_TRAITS);
+        if (aaiNode.message != null) {
+            Object messageJson = writeMessageBase(aaiNode.message);
+            JsonCompat.setProperty(json, Constants.PROP_MESSAGE, messageJson);
+        } else {
+            JsonCompat.setPropertyNull(json, Constants.PROP_MESSAGE);
+        }
         // PROCESS PARENT
         JsonCompat.setProperty(parent, node.getType(), json);
 
diff --git a/src/test/resources/fixtures/cmd/commands/delete-operation/asyncapi-2/delete-operation.before.json b/src/test/resources/fixtures/cmd/commands/delete-operation/asyncapi-2/delete-operation.before.json
index 47222381..165fc9a2 100755
--- a/src/test/resources/fixtures/cmd/commands/delete-operation/asyncapi-2/delete-operation.before.json
+++ b/src/test/resources/fixtures/cmd/commands/delete-operation/asyncapi-2/delete-operation.before.json
@@ -8,7 +8,10 @@
     "myChannel": {
       "description": "This is myChannel description",
       "subscribe": {
-        "summary": "Subscribe summary"
+        "summary": "Subscribe summary",
+        "message": {
+          "name": "bullshit"
+        }
       }
     }
   }