diff --git a/src/cleartext.js b/src/cleartext.js
index 40a290f4..dc50601d 100644
--- a/src/cleartext.js
+++ b/src/cleartext.js
@@ -209,3 +209,12 @@ function verifyHeaders(headers, packetlist) {
     throw new Error('Hash algorithm mismatch in armor header and signature');
   }
 }
+
+/**
+ * Creates a new CleartextMessage object from text
+ * @param {String} text
+ * @static
+ */
+export function fromText(text) {
+  return new CleartextMessage(text);
+}
diff --git a/test/general/brainpool.js b/test/general/brainpool.js
index 7120b96d..65d0ccec 100644
--- a/test/general/brainpool.js
+++ b/test/general/brainpool.js
@@ -173,7 +173,7 @@ describe('Brainpool Cryptography', function () {
   });
   it('Sign message', async function () {
     const romeoPrivate = await load_priv_key('romeo');
-    const signed = await openpgp.sign({privateKeys: [romeoPrivate], message: new openpgp.cleartext.CleartextMessage(data.romeo.message)});
+    const signed = await openpgp.sign({privateKeys: [romeoPrivate], message: openpgp.cleartext.fromText(data.romeo.message)});
     const romeoPublic = await load_pub_key('romeo');
     const msg = await openpgp.cleartext.readArmored(signed.data);
     const result = await openpgp.verify({publicKeys: [romeoPublic], message: msg});
@@ -227,7 +227,7 @@ describe('Brainpool Cryptography', function () {
           return Promise.all([
             // Signing message
             openpgp.sign(
-              { message: new openpgp.cleartext.CleartextMessage(testData), privateKeys: hi }
+              { message: openpgp.cleartext.fromText(testData), privateKeys: hi }
             ).then(async signed => {
               const msg = await openpgp.cleartext.readArmored(signed.data);
               // Verifying signed message
@@ -237,7 +237,7 @@ describe('Brainpool Cryptography', function () {
                 ).then(output => expect(output.signatures[0].valid).to.be.true),
                 // Verifying detached signature
                 openpgp.verify(
-                  { message: new openpgp.cleartext.CleartextMessage(testData),
+                  { message: openpgp.cleartext.fromText(testData),
                     publicKeys: pubHi,
                     signature: await openpgp.signature.readArmored(signed.data) }
                 ).then(output => expect(output.signatures[0].valid).to.be.true)
diff --git a/test/general/ecc_nist.js b/test/general/ecc_nist.js
index 94cd9d60..19680625 100644
--- a/test/general/ecc_nist.js
+++ b/test/general/ecc_nist.js
@@ -185,7 +185,7 @@ describe('Elliptic Curve Cryptography', function () {
   });
   it('Sign message', async function () {
     const romeoPrivate = await load_priv_key('romeo');
-    const signed = await openpgp.sign({privateKeys: [romeoPrivate], message: new openpgp.cleartext.CleartextMessage(data.romeo.message)});
+    const signed = await openpgp.sign({privateKeys: [romeoPrivate], message: openpgp.cleartext.fromText(data.romeo.message)});
     const romeoPublic = await load_pub_key('romeo');
     const msg = await openpgp.cleartext.readArmored(signed.data);
     const result = await openpgp.verify({publicKeys: [romeoPublic], message: msg});
@@ -254,7 +254,7 @@ describe('Elliptic Curve Cryptography', function () {
             // Signing message
 
             openpgp.sign(
-              { message: new openpgp.cleartext.CleartextMessage(testData), privateKeys: hi }
+              { message: openpgp.cleartext.fromText(testData), privateKeys: hi }
             ).then(async signed => {
               const msg = await openpgp.cleartext.readArmored(signed.data);
               // Verifying signed message
@@ -264,7 +264,7 @@ describe('Elliptic Curve Cryptography', function () {
                 ).then(output => expect(output.signatures[0].valid).to.be.true),
                 // Verifying detached signature
                 openpgp.verify(
-                  { message: new openpgp.cleartext.CleartextMessage(testData),
+                  { message: openpgp.cleartext.fromText(testData),
                     publicKeys: pubHi,
                     signature: await openpgp.signature.readArmored(signed.data) }
                 ).then(output => expect(output.signatures[0].valid).to.be.true)
diff --git a/test/general/key.js b/test/general/key.js
index 5cd45f5d..c79e6c1e 100644
--- a/test/general/key.js
+++ b/test/general/key.js
@@ -1993,7 +1993,7 @@ VYGdb3eNlV8CfoEC
     privateKey.users[0].userId.parse('Test User <b@c.com>');
     // Set second user to prefer aes128. We will select this user.
     privateKey.users[1].selfCertifications[0].preferredHashAlgorithms = [openpgp.enums.hash.sha512];
-    const signed = await openpgp.sign({message: new openpgp.cleartext.CleartextMessage('hello'), privateKeys: privateKey, fromUserId: {name: 'Test McTestington', email: 'test@example.com'}, armor: false});
+    const signed = await openpgp.sign({message: openpgp.cleartext.fromText('hello'), privateKeys: privateKey, fromUserId: {name: 'Test McTestington', email: 'test@example.com'}, armor: false});
     expect(signed.message.signature.packets[0].hashAlgorithm).to.equal(openpgp.enums.hash.sha512);
     const encrypted = await openpgp.encrypt({message: openpgp.message.fromText('hello'), publicKeys: publicKey, privateKeys: privateKey, fromUserId: {name: 'Test McTestington', email: 'test@example.com'}, detached: true, armor: false});
     expect(encrypted.signature.packets[0].hashAlgorithm).to.equal(openpgp.enums.hash.sha512);
@@ -2064,7 +2064,7 @@ VYGdb3eNlV8CfoEC
       expect(newKey.users.length).to.equal(1);
       expect(newKey.users[0].userId.userid).to.equal(userId);
       expect(newKey.isDecrypted()).to.be.true;
-      return openpgp.sign({message: new openpgp.cleartext.CleartextMessage('hello'), privateKeys: newKey, armor: true}).then(async function(signed) {
+      return openpgp.sign({message: openpgp.cleartext.fromText('hello'), privateKeys: newKey, armor: true}).then(async function(signed) {
         return openpgp.verify(
           {message: await openpgp.cleartext.readArmored(signed.data), publicKeys: newKey.toPublic()}
         ).then(async function(verified) {
diff --git a/test/general/openpgp.js b/test/general/openpgp.js
index 7b1c6174..0d26c7fa 100644
--- a/test/general/openpgp.js
+++ b/test/general/openpgp.js
@@ -1538,7 +1538,7 @@ describe('OpenPGP.js public api tests', function() {
         });
 
         it('should sign and verify cleartext data', function () {
-          const message = new openpgp.cleartext.CleartextMessage(plaintext);
+          const message = openpgp.cleartext.fromText(plaintext);
           const signOpt = {
             message,
             privateKeys: privateKey.keys
@@ -1563,7 +1563,7 @@ describe('OpenPGP.js public api tests', function() {
           const privKeyDE = (await openpgp.key.readArmored(priv_key_de)).keys[0];
           await privKeyDE.decrypt(passphrase);
 
-          const message = new openpgp.cleartext.CleartextMessage(plaintext);
+          const message = openpgp.cleartext.fromText(plaintext);
           const signOpt = {
             message,
             privateKeys: [privateKey.keys[0], privKeyDE]
@@ -1590,7 +1590,7 @@ describe('OpenPGP.js public api tests', function() {
         });
 
         it('should sign and verify cleartext data with detached signatures', function () {
-          const message = new openpgp.cleartext.CleartextMessage(plaintext);
+          const message = openpgp.cleartext.fromText(plaintext);
           const signOpt = {
             message,
             privateKeys: privateKey.keys,
@@ -1613,7 +1613,7 @@ describe('OpenPGP.js public api tests', function() {
         });
 
         it('should sign and fail to verify cleartext data with wrong public pgp key', async function () {
-          const message = new openpgp.cleartext.CleartextMessage(plaintext);
+          const message = openpgp.cleartext.fromText(plaintext);
           const signOpt = {
             message,
             privateKeys: privateKey.keys
@@ -1634,7 +1634,7 @@ describe('OpenPGP.js public api tests', function() {
         });
 
         it('should sign and fail to verify cleartext data with wrong public pgp key with detached signature', async function () {
-          const message = new openpgp.cleartext.CleartextMessage(plaintext);
+          const message = openpgp.cleartext.fromText(plaintext);
           const signOpt = {
             message,
             privateKeys: privateKey.keys,
@@ -1657,7 +1657,7 @@ describe('OpenPGP.js public api tests', function() {
         });
 
         it('should sign and verify cleartext data and not armor', function () {
-          const message = new openpgp.cleartext.CleartextMessage(plaintext);
+          const message = openpgp.cleartext.fromText(plaintext);
           const signOpt = {
             message,
             privateKeys: privateKey.keys,
@@ -1680,7 +1680,7 @@ describe('OpenPGP.js public api tests', function() {
 
         it('should sign and verify cleartext data and not armor with detached signatures', function () {
             const start = openpgp.util.normalizeDate();
-            const message = new openpgp.cleartext.CleartextMessage(plaintext);
+            const message = openpgp.cleartext.fromText(plaintext);
             const signOpt = {
                 message,
                 privateKeys: privateKey.keys,
@@ -1706,7 +1706,7 @@ describe('OpenPGP.js public api tests', function() {
         });
 
         it('should sign and verify cleartext data with a date in the past', function () {
-            const message = new openpgp.cleartext.CleartextMessage(plaintext);
+            const message = openpgp.cleartext.fromText(plaintext);
             const past = new Date(2000);
             const signOpt = {
                 message,
diff --git a/test/general/signature.js b/test/general/signature.js
index 137c759d..8686274b 100644
--- a/test/general/signature.js
+++ b/test/general/signature.js
@@ -606,7 +606,7 @@ yYDnCgA=
     const privKey = (await openpgp.key.readArmored(priv_key_arm2)).keys[0];
     await privKey.decrypt('hello world');
 
-    return openpgp.sign({ privateKeys:[privKey], message: new openpgp.cleartext.CleartextMessage(plaintext) }).then(async function(signed) {
+    return openpgp.sign({ privateKeys:[privKey], message: openpgp.cleartext.fromText(plaintext) }).then(async function(signed) {
 
       const csMsg = await openpgp.cleartext.readArmored(signed.data);
       return openpgp.verify({ publicKeys:[pubKey], message:csMsg });
@@ -626,7 +626,7 @@ yYDnCgA=
     const privKey = (await openpgp.key.readArmored(priv_key_arm2)).keys[0];
     await privKey.decrypt('hello world');
 
-    return openpgp.sign({ privateKeys:[privKey], message: new openpgp.cleartext.CleartextMessage(plaintext) }).then(async function(signed) {
+    return openpgp.sign({ privateKeys:[privKey], message: openpgp.cleartext.fromText(plaintext) }).then(async function(signed) {
 
       const csMsg = await openpgp.cleartext.readArmored(signed.data);
       return openpgp.verify({ publicKeys:[pubKey], message:csMsg });
@@ -646,7 +646,7 @@ yYDnCgA=
     const privKey = (await openpgp.key.readArmored(priv_key_arm2)).keys[0];
     await privKey.decrypt('hello world');
 
-    return openpgp.sign({ privateKeys:[privKey], message: new openpgp.cleartext.CleartextMessage(plaintext) }).then(async function(signed) {
+    return openpgp.sign({ privateKeys:[privKey], message: openpgp.cleartext.fromText(plaintext) }).then(async function(signed) {
 
       const csMsg = await openpgp.cleartext.readArmored(signed.data);
       return openpgp.verify({ publicKeys:[pubKey], message:csMsg });
diff --git a/test/general/x25519.js b/test/general/x25519.js
index 6f0c1e8f..201085fa 100644
--- a/test/general/x25519.js
+++ b/test/general/x25519.js
@@ -172,7 +172,7 @@ describe('X25519 Cryptography', function () {
     const name = 'light';
     const randomData = input.createSomeMessage();
     const priv = await load_priv_key(name);
-    const signed = await openpgp.sign({ privateKeys: [priv], message: new openpgp.cleartext.CleartextMessage(randomData)});
+    const signed = await openpgp.sign({ privateKeys: [priv], message: openpgp.cleartext.fromText(randomData)});
     const pub = await load_pub_key(name);
     const msg = await openpgp.cleartext.readArmored(signed.data);
     const result = await openpgp.verify({ publicKeys: [pub], message: msg});
@@ -274,7 +274,7 @@ describe('X25519 Cryptography', function () {
             }),
             // Signing message
             openpgp.sign(
-              { message: new openpgp.cleartext.CleartextMessage('Hi, this is me, Hi!'), privateKeys: hi }
+              { message: openpgp.cleartext.fromText('Hi, this is me, Hi!'), privateKeys: hi }
             ).then(async signed => {
               const msg = await openpgp.cleartext.readArmored(signed.data);
               // Verifying signed message