diff --git a/lib/error_tracker.ex b/lib/error_tracker.ex
index aff02a1..59e63ff 100644
--- a/lib/error_tracker.ex
+++ b/lib/error_tracker.ex
@@ -140,8 +140,10 @@ defmodule ErrorTracker do
 
     if enabled?() && !ignored?(error, context) do
       sanitized_context = sanitize_context(context)
+      sanitized_reason = sanitize_reason(reason)
+      error = %{error | reason: sanitized_reason}
 
-      upsert_error!(error, stacktrace, sanitized_context, breadcrumbs, reason)
+      upsert_error!(error, stacktrace, sanitized_context, breadcrumbs, sanitized_reason)
     else
       :noop
     end
@@ -300,6 +302,15 @@ defmodule ErrorTracker do
       else: context
   end
 
+  defp sanitize_reason(reason) do
+    filter_mod = Application.get_env(:error_tracker, :filter)
+
+    if filter_mod && Code.ensure_loaded?(filter_mod) &&
+         function_exported?(filter_mod, :sanitize_reason, 1),
+       do: filter_mod.sanitize_reason(reason),
+       else: reason
+  end
+
   defp normalize_exception(%struct{} = ex, _stacktrace) when is_exception(ex) do
     {to_string(struct), Exception.message(ex)}
   end
@@ -344,12 +355,24 @@ defmodule ErrorTracker do
           Repo.with_adapter(fn
             :mysql ->
               Repo.insert!(error,
-                on_conflict: [set: [status: :unresolved, last_occurrence_at: DateTime.utc_now()]]
+                on_conflict: [
+                  set: [
+                    status: :unresolved,
+                    last_occurrence_at: DateTime.utc_now(),
+                    reason: error.reason
+                  ]
+                ]
               )
 
             _other ->
               Repo.insert!(error,
-                on_conflict: [set: [status: :unresolved, last_occurrence_at: DateTime.utc_now()]],
+                on_conflict: [
+                  set: [
+                    status: :unresolved,
+                    last_occurrence_at: DateTime.utc_now(),
+                    reason: error.reason
+                  ]
+                ],
                 conflict_target: :fingerprint
               )
           end)
diff --git a/lib/error_tracker/filter.ex b/lib/error_tracker/filter.ex
index 69f1ac7..7489cef 100644
--- a/lib/error_tracker/filter.ex
+++ b/lib/error_tracker/filter.ex
@@ -18,6 +18,22 @@ defmodule ErrorTracker.Filter do
   With this configuration in place, the ErrorTracker will call `MyApp.Filter.sanitize/1` to get a context before
   saving error occurrence.
 
+  The error message (the exception's `reason`) is saved as well, and it can carry
+  user data such as an email address or a query value. Implement the optional
+  `sanitize_reason/1` callback to change it before it is saved:
+
+      defmodule MyApp.ErrorFilter do
+        @behaviour ErrorTracker.Filter
+
+        @impl true
+        def sanitize(context), do: context
+
+        @impl true
+        def sanitize_reason(reason), do: String.slice(reason, 0, 300)
+      end
+
+  The ignorer still receives the original message, since nothing it sees is saved.
+
   > #### A note on performance {: .warning}
   >
   > Keep in mind that the `sanitize/1` will be called in the context of the ErrorTracker itself.
@@ -29,4 +45,12 @@ defmodule ErrorTracker.Filter do
   This function will be given an error context to inspect/modify before it's saved.
   """
   @callback sanitize(context :: map()) :: map()
+
+  @doc """
+  This function will be given the error message to inspect/modify before it's saved,
+  on both the error and the occurrence.
+  """
+  @callback sanitize_reason(reason :: String.t()) :: String.t()
+
+  @optional_callbacks sanitize_reason: 1
 end
diff --git a/test/error_tracker/filter_test.exs b/test/error_tracker/filter_test.exs
index 118cd8a..03b8b2e 100644
--- a/test/error_tracker/filter_test.exs
+++ b/test/error_tracker/filter_test.exs
@@ -1,6 +1,9 @@
 defmodule ErrorTracker.FilterTest do
   use ErrorTracker.Test.Case
 
+  alias ErrorTracker.FilterTest.AuthHeaderHider
+  alias ErrorTracker.FilterTest.EmailHider
+
   setup context do
     if filter = context[:filter] do
       previous_setting = Application.get_env(:error_tracker, :filter)
@@ -28,7 +31,7 @@ defmodule ErrorTracker.FilterTest do
     assert ctx == @sensitive_ctx
   end
 
-  @tag filter: ErrorTracker.FilterTest.AuthHeaderHider
+  @tag filter: AuthHeaderHider
   test "user defined filter should be used to sanitize the context before it's saved." do
     assert %ErrorTracker.Occurrence{context: ctx} =
              report_error(fn -> raise "BOOM" end, @sensitive_ctx)
@@ -40,6 +43,47 @@ defmodule ErrorTracker.FilterTest do
 
     assert cleaned_header_value == "REMOVED"
   end
+
+  @tag filter: AuthHeaderHider
+  test "without sanitize_reason/1, the error message is saved as it is." do
+    assert %ErrorTracker.Occurrence{reason: "BOOM jane@example.com"} =
+             report_error(fn -> raise "BOOM jane@example.com" end)
+  end
+
+  @tag filter: EmailHider
+  test "sanitize_reason/1 changes the error message before it's saved." do
+    occurrence = report_error(fn -> raise "BOOM jane@example.com" end)
+
+    assert %ErrorTracker.Occurrence{reason: "BOOM [email]"} =
+             repo().get!(ErrorTracker.Occurrence, occurrence.id)
+
+    assert %ErrorTracker.Error{reason: "BOOM [email]"} =
+             repo().get!(ErrorTracker.Error, occurrence.error_id)
+  end
+
+  test "an error saved before sanitize_reason/1 is cleaned when it happens again." do
+    report = fn -> report_error(fn -> raise "BOOM jane@example.com" end) end
+    first = report.()
+
+    previous_setting = Application.get_env(:error_tracker, :filter)
+    Application.put_env(:error_tracker, :filter, EmailHider)
+    on_exit(fn -> Application.put_env(:error_tracker, :filter, previous_setting) end)
+    again = report.()
+
+    assert again.error_id == first.error_id
+
+    assert %ErrorTracker.Error{reason: "BOOM [email]"} =
+             repo().get!(ErrorTracker.Error, first.error_id)
+  end
+end
+
+defmodule ErrorTracker.FilterTest.EmailHider do
+  @moduledoc false
+  @behaviour ErrorTracker.Filter
+
+  def sanitize(context), do: context
+
+  def sanitize_reason(reason), do: String.replace(reason, ~r/\S+@\S+/, "[email]")
 end
 
 defmodule ErrorTracker.FilterTest.AuthHeaderHider do