diff --git a/cli/src/checks.rs b/cli/src/checks.rs
index 5ef4aafa61..524a84bbca 100644
--- a/cli/src/checks.rs
+++ b/cli/src/checks.rs
@@ -169,7 +169,7 @@ mod tests {
         assert_eq!(calculate_fee(&fee_calculator, &[]), 0);
 
         // No signatures, no fee.
-        let message = Message::new(&[]);
+        let message = Message::default();
         assert_eq!(calculate_fee(&fee_calculator, &[&message, &message]), 0);
 
         // One message w/ one signature, a fee.
diff --git a/ledger/src/entry.rs b/ledger/src/entry.rs
index 21bb6cfb30..cf7869c436 100644
--- a/ledger/src/entry.rs
+++ b/ledger/src/entry.rs
@@ -479,7 +479,6 @@ mod tests {
     use solana_budget_program::budget_instruction;
     use solana_sdk::{
         hash::{hash, Hash},
-        message::Message,
         signature::{Keypair, Signer},
         system_transaction,
         transaction::Transaction,
@@ -684,8 +683,7 @@ mod tests {
     #[test]
     fn test_verify_tick_hash_count() {
         let hashes_per_tick = 10;
-        let keypairs: Vec<&Keypair> = Vec::new();
-        let tx: Transaction = Transaction::new(&keypairs, Message::new(&[]), Hash::default());
+        let tx = Transaction::default();
         let tx_entry = Entry::new(&Hash::default(), 1, vec![tx]);
         let full_tick_entry = Entry::new_tick(hashes_per_tick, &Hash::default());
         let partial_tick_entry = Entry::new_tick(hashes_per_tick - 1, &Hash::default());
diff --git a/programs/bpf_loader/src/syscalls.rs b/programs/bpf_loader/src/syscalls.rs
index 3c010fe3e9..8717beedaf 100644
--- a/programs/bpf_loader/src/syscalls.rs
+++ b/programs/bpf_loader/src/syscalls.rs
@@ -689,7 +689,7 @@ fn call<'a>(
     // Translate data passed from the VM
 
     let instruction = syscall.translate_instruction(instruction_addr, ro_regions)?;
-    let message = Message::new(&[instruction]);
+    let message = Message::new_with_payer(&[instruction], None);
     let callee_program_id_index = message.instructions[0].program_id_index as usize;
     let callee_program_id = message.account_keys[callee_program_id_index];
     let caller_program_id = invoke_context
diff --git a/runtime/src/bank.rs b/runtime/src/bank.rs
index b6880a9aa5..469d6ad591 100644
--- a/runtime/src/bank.rs
+++ b/runtime/src/bank.rs
@@ -5455,12 +5455,8 @@ mod tests {
         let mut transfer_instruction =
             system_instruction::transfer(&mint_keypair.pubkey(), &key.pubkey(), 0);
         transfer_instruction.accounts[0].is_signer = false;
-
-        let tx = Transaction::new_signed_instructions(
-            &Vec::<&Keypair>::new(),
-            &[transfer_instruction],
-            bank.last_blockhash(),
-        );
+        let message = Message::new_with_payer(&[transfer_instruction], None);
+        let tx = Transaction::new(&[&Keypair::new(); 0], message, bank.last_blockhash());
 
         assert_eq!(
             bank.process_transaction(&tx),
diff --git a/runtime/src/message_processor.rs b/runtime/src/message_processor.rs
index 95aa5b8c0d..3a533a8df8 100644
--- a/runtime/src/message_processor.rs
+++ b/runtime/src/message_processor.rs
@@ -611,8 +611,10 @@ mod tests {
                 AccountMeta::new(keys[not_owned_index], false),
                 AccountMeta::new(keys[owned_index], false),
             ];
-            let message =
-                Message::new(&[Instruction::new(program_ids[owned_index], &[0_u8], metas)]);
+            let message = Message::new_with_payer(
+                &[Instruction::new(program_ids[owned_index], &[0_u8], metas)],
+                None,
+            );
 
             // modify account owned by the program
             accounts[owned_index].borrow_mut().data[0] = (MAX_DEPTH + owned_index) as u8;
@@ -1437,11 +1439,12 @@ mod tests {
 
         // not owned account modified by the caller (before the invoke)
         accounts[0].borrow_mut().data[0] = 1;
-        let message = Message::new(&[Instruction::new(
+        let instruction = Instruction::new(
             callee_program_id,
             &MockInstruction::NoopSuccess,
             metas.clone(),
-        )]);
+        );
+        let message = Message::new_with_payer(&[instruction], None);
         assert_eq!(
             MessageProcessor::process_cross_program_instruction(
                 &message,
@@ -1469,8 +1472,8 @@ mod tests {
         ];
 
         for case in cases {
-            let message =
-                Message::new(&[Instruction::new(callee_program_id, &case.0, metas.clone())]);
+            let instruction = Instruction::new(callee_program_id, &case.0, metas.clone());
+            let message = Message::new_with_payer(&[instruction], None);
             assert_eq!(
                 MessageProcessor::process_cross_program_instruction(
                     &message,
diff --git a/runtime/src/nonce_utils.rs b/runtime/src/nonce_utils.rs
index cdd9eb353c..70e6c5218c 100644
--- a/runtime/src/nonce_utils.rs
+++ b/runtime/src/nonce_utils.rs
@@ -125,8 +125,7 @@ mod tests {
 
     #[test]
     fn tx_uses_nonce_empty_ix_fail() {
-        let tx = Transaction::new_signed_instructions(&[&Keypair::new(); 0], &[], Hash::default());
-        assert!(transaction_uses_durable_nonce(&tx).is_none());
+        assert!(transaction_uses_durable_nonce(&Transaction::default()).is_none());
     }
 
     #[test]
diff --git a/sdk/src/fee_calculator.rs b/sdk/src/fee_calculator.rs
index 3ba388febc..6fb4de9e1f 100644
--- a/sdk/src/fee_calculator.rs
+++ b/sdk/src/fee_calculator.rs
@@ -183,7 +183,7 @@ mod tests {
     #[test]
     fn test_fee_calculator_calculate_fee() {
         // Default: no fee.
-        let message = Message::new(&[]);
+        let message = Message::default();
         assert_eq!(FeeCalculator::default().calculate_fee(&message), 0);
 
         // No signature, no fee.
diff --git a/sdk/src/message.rs b/sdk/src/message.rs
index 740285ef71..d349320809 100644
--- a/sdk/src/message.rs
+++ b/sdk/src/message.rs
@@ -57,6 +57,18 @@ impl InstructionKeys {
     }
 }
 
+/// Return the pubkey of the first writable signer in the given set of instructions.
+fn find_writable_signer(instructions: &[Instruction]) -> Option<&Pubkey> {
+    for instruction in instructions {
+        for account in &instruction.accounts {
+            if account.is_signer && account.is_writable {
+                return Some(&account.pubkey);
+            }
+        }
+    }
+    None
+}
+
 /// Return pubkeys referenced by all instructions, with the ones needing signatures first. If the
 /// payer key is provided, it is always placed first in the list of signed keys. Read-only signed
 /// accounts are placed last in the set of signed accounts. Read-only unsigned accounts,
@@ -143,7 +155,7 @@ pub struct MessageHeader {
     pub num_readonly_unsigned_accounts: u8,
 }
 
-#[derive(Serialize, Deserialize, Debug, PartialEq, Eq, Clone)]
+#[derive(Serialize, Deserialize, Default, Debug, PartialEq, Eq, Clone)]
 #[serde(rename_all = "camelCase")]
 pub struct Message {
     /// The message header, identifying signed and read-only `account_keys`
@@ -221,7 +233,8 @@ impl Message {
     }
 
     pub fn new(instructions: &[Instruction]) -> Self {
-        Self::new_with_payer(instructions, None)
+        let payer = find_writable_signer(instructions).expect("no suitable key for fee-payer");
+        Self::new_with_payer(instructions, Some(payer))
     }
 
     pub fn new_with_payer(instructions: &[Instruction], payer: Option<&Pubkey>) -> Self {
@@ -465,7 +478,7 @@ mod tests {
         let program_id = Pubkey::default();
         let id0 = Pubkey::default();
         let ix = Instruction::new(program_id, &0, vec![AccountMeta::new(id0, false)]);
-        let message = Message::new(&[ix]);
+        let message = Message::new_with_payer(&[ix], None);
         assert_eq!(message.header.num_required_signatures, 0);
 
         let ix = Instruction::new(program_id, &0, vec![AccountMeta::new(id0, true)]);
diff --git a/sdk/src/transaction.rs b/sdk/src/transaction.rs
index de50d07231..b38558d86f 100644
--- a/sdk/src/transaction.rs
+++ b/sdk/src/transaction.rs
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ impl std::fmt::Display for TransactionError {
 }
 
 /// An atomic transaction
-#[derive(Debug, PartialEq, Eq, Clone, Serialize, Deserialize)]
+#[derive(Debug, PartialEq, Default, Eq, Clone, Serialize, Deserialize)]
 pub struct Transaction {
     /// A set of digital signatures of `account_keys`, `program_ids`, `recent_blockhash`, and `instructions`, signed by the first
     /// signatures.len() keys of account_keys
diff --git a/tokens/src/commands.rs b/tokens/src/commands.rs
index 0bb3612bed..6d7a94d85d 100644
--- a/tokens/src/commands.rs
+++ b/tokens/src/commands.rs
@@ -605,7 +605,7 @@ pub fn test_process_distribute_stake_with_client<C: Client>(client: C, sender_ke
 mod tests {
     use super::*;
     use solana_runtime::{bank::Bank, bank_client::BankClient};
-    use solana_sdk::{genesis_config::create_genesis_config, transaction::Transaction};
+    use solana_sdk::genesis_config::create_genesis_config;
 
     #[test]
     fn test_process_distribute_tokens() {
@@ -679,9 +679,7 @@ mod tests {
         let transaction_infos = vec![TransactionInfo {
             recipient: bob,
             amount: 1.0,
-            new_stake_account_address: None,
-            finalized_date: None,
-            transaction: Transaction::new_unsigned_instructions(&[]),
+            ..TransactionInfo::default()
         }];
         apply_previous_transactions(&mut allocations, &transaction_infos);
         assert_eq!(allocations.len(), 1);
diff --git a/tokens/src/db.rs b/tokens/src/db.rs
index 1dde747205..c7829488fb 100644
--- a/tokens/src/db.rs
+++ b/tokens/src/db.rs
@@ -25,8 +25,10 @@ struct SignedTransactionInfo {
 
 impl Default for TransactionInfo {
     fn default() -> Self {
-        let mut transaction = Transaction::new_unsigned_instructions(&[]);
-        transaction.signatures.push(Signature::default());
+        let transaction = Transaction {
+            signatures: vec![Signature::default()],
+            ..Transaction::default()
+        };
         Self {
             recipient: Pubkey::default(),
             amount: 0.0,