diff --git a/core/src/test/scala/org/apache/spark/util/JsonProtocolSuite.scala b/core/src/test/scala/org/apache/spark/util/JsonProtocolSuite.scala
index a91c9ddeaef3656ae92735ab33abc53115649da2..01030120ae548d9bdd1a7fc78f62557772f38301 100644
--- a/core/src/test/scala/org/apache/spark/util/JsonProtocolSuite.scala
+++ b/core/src/test/scala/org/apache/spark/util/JsonProtocolSuite.scala
@@ -177,6 +177,17 @@ class JsonProtocolSuite extends FunSuite {
       deserializedBmRemoved)
   }
 
+  test("FetchFailed backwards compatibility") {
+    // FetchFailed in Spark 1.1.0 does not have an "Message" property.
+    val fetchFailed = FetchFailed(BlockManagerId("With or", "without you", 15), 17, 18, 19,
+      "ignored")
+    val oldEvent = JsonProtocol.taskEndReasonToJson(fetchFailed)
+      .removeField({ _._1 == "Message" })
+    val expectedFetchFailed = FetchFailed(BlockManagerId("With or", "without you", 15), 17, 18, 19,
+      "Unknown reason")
+    assert(expectedFetchFailed === JsonProtocol.taskEndReasonFromJson(oldEvent))
+  }
+
   test("SparkListenerApplicationStart backwards compatibility") {
     // SparkListenerApplicationStart in Spark 1.0.0 do not have an "appId" property.
     val applicationStart = SparkListenerApplicationStart("test", None, 1L, "user")