diff --git a/src/msg/producer/writer/message_benchmark_test.go b/src/msg/producer/writer/message_benchmark_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..76d1a10241
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/msg/producer/writer/message_benchmark_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,76 @@
+// Copyright (c) 2018 Uber Technologies, Inc.
+//
+// Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy
+// of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal
+// in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights
+// to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell
+// copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is
+// furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:
+//
+// The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in
+// all copies or substantial portions of the Software.
+//
+// THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
+// IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY,
+// FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE
+// AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER
+// LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM,
+// OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN
+// THE SOFTWARE.
+
+package writer
+
+import (
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/m3db/m3/src/msg/producer"
+)
+
+var (
+	// BenchMessage prevents optimization
+	BenchMessage *message
+	// BenchBool prevents optimization
+	BenchBool bool
+)
+
+type emptyMessage struct{}
+
+// Shard returns the shard of the message.
+func (e emptyMessage) Shard() uint32 { return 0 }
+
+// Bytes returns the bytes of the message.
+func (e emptyMessage) Bytes() []byte { return nil }
+
+// Size returns the size of the bytes of the message.
+func (e emptyMessage) Size() int { return 0 }
+
+// Finalize will be called by producer to indicate the end of its lifecycle.
+func (e emptyMessage) Finalize(_ producer.FinalizeReason) {}
+
+func BenchmarkMessageAtomics(b *testing.B) {
+	rm := producer.NewRefCountedMessage(emptyMessage{}, nil)
+	msg := newMessage()
+	for n := 0; n < b.N; n++ {
+		msg.Set(metadata{}, rm, 500)
+		rm.IncRef()
+		msg.Ack()
+		BenchBool = msg.IsAcked()
+		_, BenchBool = msg.Marshaler()
+		msg.Close()
+		BenchMessage = msg
+	}
+}
+
+func BenchmarkMessageAtomicsAllocs(b *testing.B) {
+	for n := 0; n < b.N; n++ {
+		rm := producer.NewRefCountedMessage(emptyMessage{}, nil)
+		msg := newMessage()
+		msg.Set(metadata{}, rm, 500)
+		rm.IncRef()
+		msg.Ack()
+		BenchBool = msg.IsAcked()
+		_, BenchBool = msg.Marshaler()
+		msg.Close()
+		BenchMessage = msg
+	}
+}