diff --git a/addons/mail/models/mail_channel.py b/addons/mail/models/mail_channel.py
index 46c838225dd..7258a64448d 100644
--- a/addons/mail/models/mail_channel.py
+++ b/addons/mail/models/mail_channel.py
@@ -596,8 +596,8 @@ class Channel(models.Model):
                 self._action_unfollow(p)
         return super(Channel, self)._message_receive_bounce(email, partner)
 
-    def _message_compute_author(self, author_id=None, email_from=None, raise_exception=False):
-        return super()._message_compute_author(author_id=author_id, email_from=email_from, raise_exception=False)
+    def _message_compute_author(self, author_id=None, email_from=None, raise_on_email=True):
+        return super()._message_compute_author(author_id=author_id, email_from=email_from, raise_on_email=False)
 
     def _message_compute_parent_id(self, parent_id):
         # super() unravels the chain of parents to set parent_id as the first
diff --git a/addons/mail/models/mail_message.py b/addons/mail/models/mail_message.py
index ad0304f4224..b1aa97f0b21 100644
--- a/addons/mail/models/mail_message.py
+++ b/addons/mail/models/mail_message.py
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ class Message(models.Model):
         missing_author = 'author_id' in fields and 'author_id' not in res
         missing_email_from = 'email_from' in fields and 'email_from' not in res
         if missing_author or missing_email_from:
-            author_id, email_from = self.env['mail.thread']._message_compute_author(res.get('author_id'), res.get('email_from'), raise_exception=False)
+            author_id, email_from = self.env['mail.thread']._message_compute_author(res.get('author_id'), res.get('email_from'), raise_on_email=False)
             if missing_email_from:
                 res['email_from'] = email_from
             if missing_author:
@@ -565,7 +565,7 @@ class Message(models.Model):
         tracking_values_list = []
         for values in values_list:
             if 'email_from' not in values:  # needed to compute reply_to
-                author_id, email_from = self.env['mail.thread']._message_compute_author(values.get('author_id'), email_from=None, raise_exception=False)
+                _author_id, email_from = self.env['mail.thread']._message_compute_author(values.get('author_id'), email_from=None, raise_on_email=False)
                 values['email_from'] = email_from
             if not values.get('message_id'):
                 values['message_id'] = self._get_message_id(values)
diff --git a/addons/mail/models/mail_thread.py b/addons/mail/models/mail_thread.py
index b2da49490ff..f732c314ef2 100644
--- a/addons/mail/models/mail_thread.py
+++ b/addons/mail/models/mail_thread.py
@@ -1923,7 +1923,7 @@ class MailThread(models.AbstractModel):
             author_id, email_from = False, False
         else:
             author_guest_id = False
-            author_id, email_from = self._message_compute_author(author_id, email_from, raise_exception=True)
+            author_id, email_from = self._message_compute_author(author_id, email_from, raise_on_email=True)
 
         if subtype_xmlid:
             subtype_id = self.env['ir.model.data']._xmlid_to_res_id(subtype_xmlid)
@@ -2061,7 +2061,7 @@ class MailThread(models.AbstractModel):
         msg_kwargs = dict((key, val) for key, val in kwargs.items() if key in self.env['mail.message']._fields)
         notif_kwargs = dict((key, val) for key, val in kwargs.items() if key not in msg_kwargs)
 
-        author_id, email_from = self._message_compute_author(author_id, email_from, raise_exception=True)
+        author_id, email_from = self._message_compute_author(author_id, email_from, raise_on_email=True)
 
         if not partner_ids:
             _logger.warning('Message notify called without recipient_ids, skipping')
@@ -2112,7 +2112,7 @@ class MailThread(models.AbstractModel):
         the log process. This method should be called within methods where
         access rights are already granted to avoid privilege escalation. """
         self.ensure_one()
-        author_id, email_from = self._message_compute_author(author_id, email_from, raise_exception=False)
+        author_id, email_from = self._message_compute_author(author_id, email_from, raise_on_email=False)
 
         msg_values = {
             'subject': subject,
@@ -2139,7 +2139,7 @@ class MailThread(models.AbstractModel):
 
           :param bodies: dict {record_id: body}
         """
-        author_id, email_from = self._message_compute_author(author_id, email_from, raise_exception=False)
+        author_id, email_from = self._message_compute_author(author_id, email_from, raise_on_email=False)
 
         base_message_values = {
             'subject': subject,
@@ -2164,10 +2164,15 @@ class MailThread(models.AbstractModel):
     # MAIL.MESSAGE HELPERS
     # ------------------------------------------------------------
 
-    def _message_compute_author(self, author_id=None, email_from=None, raise_exception=True):
+    def _message_compute_author(self, author_id=None, email_from=None, raise_on_email=True):
         """ Tool method computing author information for messages. Purpose is
         to ensure maximum coherence between author / current user / email_from
-        when sending emails. """
+        when sending emails.
+
+        :param raise_on_email: if email_from is not found, raise an UserError
+
+        :return tuple: res.partner ID (may be False or None), email_from
+        """
         if author_id is None:
             if email_from:
                 author = self._mail_find_partner_from_emails([email_from])[0]
@@ -2182,8 +2187,8 @@ class MailThread(models.AbstractModel):
                 email_from = author.email_formatted
 
         # superuser mode without author email -> probably public user; anyway we don't want to crash
-        if not email_from and not self.env.su and raise_exception:
-            raise exceptions.UserError(_("Unable to log message, please configure the sender's email address."))
+        if not email_from and raise_on_email and not self.env.su:
+            raise exceptions.UserError(_("Unable to send message, please configure the sender's email address."))
 
         return author_id, email_from
 
diff --git a/addons/mail/wizard/mail_compose_message.py b/addons/mail/wizard/mail_compose_message.py
index 6bbad560f2b..4a351470fb6 100644
--- a/addons/mail/wizard/mail_compose_message.py
+++ b/addons/mail/wizard/mail_compose_message.py
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ class MailComposer(models.TransientModel):
         missing_author = 'author_id' in fields and 'author_id' not in result
         missing_email_from = 'email_from' in fields and 'email_from' not in result
         if missing_author or missing_email_from:
-            author_id, email_from = self.env['mail.thread']._message_compute_author(result.get('author_id'), result.get('email_from'), raise_exception=False)
+            author_id, email_from = self.env['mail.thread']._message_compute_author(result.get('author_id'), result.get('email_from'), raise_on_email=False)
             if missing_email_from:
                 result['email_from'] = email_from
             if missing_author:
diff --git a/addons/mail_group/models/mail_group.py b/addons/mail_group/models/mail_group.py
index c792c8409bc..eb38c47b675 100644
--- a/addons/mail_group/models/mail_group.py
+++ b/addons/mail_group/models/mail_group.py
@@ -287,7 +287,7 @@ class MailGroup(models.Model):
         # First create the <mail.message>
         Mailthread = self.env['mail.thread']
         values = dict((key, val) for key, val in kwargs.items() if key in self.env['mail.message']._fields)
-        author_id, email_from = Mailthread._message_compute_author(author_id, email_from, raise_exception=True)
+        author_id, email_from = Mailthread._message_compute_author(author_id, email_from, raise_on_email=True)
 
         values.update({
             'author_id': author_id,