diff --git a/django/contrib/messages/storage/base.py b/django/contrib/messages/storage/base.py
index 43fe3da23c..fd5d0c24aa 100644
--- a/django/contrib/messages/storage/base.py
+++ b/django/contrib/messages/storage/base.py
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 from django.conf import settings
 from django.contrib.messages import constants, utils
-from django.utils.encoding import force_text
 
 LEVEL_TAGS = utils.get_level_tags()
 
@@ -21,34 +20,24 @@ class Message:
         """
         Prepare the message for serialization by forcing the ``message``
         and ``extra_tags`` to str in case they are lazy translations.
-
-        Known "safe" types (None, int, etc.) are not converted (see Django's
-        ``force_text`` implementation for details).
         """
-        self.message = force_text(self.message, strings_only=True)
-        self.extra_tags = force_text(self.extra_tags, strings_only=True)
+        self.message = str(self.message)
+        self.extra_tags = str(self.extra_tags) if self.extra_tags is not None else None
 
     def __eq__(self, other):
         return isinstance(other, Message) and self.level == other.level and \
             self.message == other.message
 
     def __str__(self):
-        return force_text(self.message)
+        return str(self.message)
 
     @property
     def tags(self):
-        extra_tags = force_text(self.extra_tags, strings_only=True)
-        if extra_tags and self.level_tag:
-            return ' '.join([extra_tags, self.level_tag])
-        elif extra_tags:
-            return extra_tags
-        elif self.level_tag:
-            return self.level_tag
-        return ''
+        return ' '.join(tag for tag in [self.extra_tags, self.level_tag] if tag)
 
     @property
     def level_tag(self):
-        return force_text(LEVEL_TAGS.get(self.level, ''), strings_only=True)
+        return LEVEL_TAGS.get(self.level, '')
 
 
 class BaseStorage: