diff --git a/haystack/components/builders/answer_builder.py b/haystack/components/builders/answer_builder.py
index b89d506aec..9a465cafc3 100644
--- a/haystack/components/builders/answer_builder.py
+++ b/haystack/components/builders/answer_builder.py
@@ -113,7 +113,12 @@ def run(  # pylint: disable=too-many-positional-arguments
         all_answers = []
         for reply, given_metadata in zip(replies, meta):
             # Extract content from ChatMessage objects if reply is a ChatMessages, else use the string as is
-            extracted_reply = reply.content if isinstance(reply, ChatMessage) else str(reply)
+            if isinstance(reply, ChatMessage):
+                if reply.text is None:
+                    raise ValueError(f"The provided ChatMessage has no text. ChatMessage: {reply}")
+                extracted_reply = reply.text
+            else:
+                extracted_reply = str(reply)
             extracted_metadata = reply.meta if isinstance(reply, ChatMessage) else {}
 
             extracted_metadata = {**extracted_metadata, **given_metadata}
diff --git a/haystack/components/builders/chat_prompt_builder.py b/haystack/components/builders/chat_prompt_builder.py
index d3be3f8059..fd9969f5b7 100644
--- a/haystack/components/builders/chat_prompt_builder.py
+++ b/haystack/components/builders/chat_prompt_builder.py
@@ -129,7 +129,9 @@ def __init__(
             for message in template:
                 if message.is_from(ChatRole.USER) or message.is_from(ChatRole.SYSTEM):
                     # infer variables from template
-                    ast = self._env.parse(message.content)
+                    if message.text is None:
+                        raise ValueError(f"The provided ChatMessage has no text. ChatMessage: {message}")
+                    ast = self._env.parse(message.text)
                     template_variables = meta.find_undeclared_variables(ast)
                     variables += list(template_variables)
         self.variables = variables
@@ -192,8 +194,9 @@ def run(
         for message in template:
             if message.is_from(ChatRole.USER) or message.is_from(ChatRole.SYSTEM):
                 self._validate_variables(set(template_variables_combined.keys()))
-
-                compiled_template = self._env.from_string(message.content)
+                if message.text is None:
+                    raise ValueError(f"The provided ChatMessage has no text. ChatMessage: {message}")
+                compiled_template = self._env.from_string(message.text)
                 rendered_content = compiled_template.render(template_variables_combined)
                 # deep copy the message to avoid modifying the original message
                 rendered_message: ChatMessage = deepcopy(message)
diff --git a/haystack/components/connectors/openapi_service.py b/haystack/components/connectors/openapi_service.py
index 716a50124d..ea89dde54d 100644
--- a/haystack/components/connectors/openapi_service.py
+++ b/haystack/components/connectors/openapi_service.py
@@ -161,15 +161,17 @@ def _parse_message(self, message: ChatMessage) -> List[Dict[str, Any]]:
         :raises ValueError: If the content is not valid JSON or lacks required fields.
         """
         function_payloads = []
+        if message.text is None:
+            raise ValueError(f"The provided ChatMessage has no text.\nChatMessage: {message}")
         try:
-            tool_calls = json.loads(message.content)
+            tool_calls = json.loads(message.text)
         except json.JSONDecodeError:
-            raise ValueError("Invalid JSON content, expected OpenAI tools message.", message.content)
+            raise ValueError("Invalid JSON content, expected OpenAI tools message.", message.text)
 
         for tool_call in tool_calls:
             # this should never happen, but just in case do a sanity check
             if "type" not in tool_call:
-                raise ValueError("Message payload doesn't seem to be a tool invocation descriptor", message.content)
+                raise ValueError("Message payload doesn't seem to be a tool invocation descriptor", message.text)
 
             # In OpenAPIServiceConnector we know how to handle functions tools only
             if tool_call["type"] == "function":
diff --git a/haystack/components/generators/openai.py b/haystack/components/generators/openai.py
index f296ec82ca..d50b082556 100644
--- a/haystack/components/generators/openai.py
+++ b/haystack/components/generators/openai.py
@@ -240,10 +240,7 @@ def run(
         for response in completions:
             self._check_finish_reason(response)
 
-        return {
-            "replies": [message.content for message in completions],
-            "meta": [message.meta for message in completions],
-        }
+        return {"replies": [message.text for message in completions], "meta": [message.meta for message in completions]}
 
     @staticmethod
     def _create_message_from_chunks(
diff --git a/haystack/components/generators/openai_utils.py b/haystack/components/generators/openai_utils.py
index 555e0ee30b..5b1838c386 100644
--- a/haystack/components/generators/openai_utils.py
+++ b/haystack/components/generators/openai_utils.py
@@ -18,7 +18,10 @@ def _convert_message_to_openai_format(message: ChatMessage) -> Dict[str, str]:
         - `content`
         - `name` (optional)
     """
-    openai_msg = {"role": message.role.value, "content": message.content}
+    if message.text is None:
+        raise ValueError(f"The provided ChatMessage has no text. ChatMessage: {message}")
+
+    openai_msg = {"role": message.role.value, "content": message.text}
     if message.name:
         openai_msg["name"] = message.name
 
diff --git a/haystack/components/validators/json_schema.py b/haystack/components/validators/json_schema.py
index 13f35be87e..0a449aff42 100644
--- a/haystack/components/validators/json_schema.py
+++ b/haystack/components/validators/json_schema.py
@@ -141,18 +141,20 @@ def run(
             dictionaries.
         """
         last_message = messages[-1]
-        if not is_valid_json(last_message.content):
+        if last_message.text is None:
+            raise ValueError(f"The provided ChatMessage has no text. ChatMessage: {last_message}")
+        if not is_valid_json(last_message.text):
             return {
                 "validation_error": [
                     ChatMessage.from_user(
-                        f"The message '{last_message.content}' is not a valid JSON object. "
+                        f"The message '{last_message.text}' is not a valid JSON object. "
                         f"Please provide only a valid JSON object in string format."
                         f"Don't use any markdown and don't add any comment."
                     )
                 ]
             }
 
-        last_message_content = json.loads(last_message.content)
+        last_message_content = json.loads(last_message.text)
         json_schema = json_schema or self.json_schema
         error_template = error_template or self.error_template or self.default_error_template
 
@@ -182,16 +184,11 @@ def run(
             error_template = error_template or self.default_error_template
 
             recovery_prompt = self._construct_error_recovery_message(
-                error_template,
-                str(e),
-                error_path,
-                error_schema_path,
-                validation_schema,
-                failing_json=last_message.content,
+                error_template, str(e), error_path, error_schema_path, validation_schema, failing_json=last_message.text
             )
             return {"validation_error": [ChatMessage.from_user(recovery_prompt)]}
 
-    def _construct_error_recovery_message(
+    def _construct_error_recovery_message(  # pylint: disable=too-many-positional-arguments
         self,
         error_template: str,
         error_message: str,
diff --git a/releasenotes/notes/use-chatmessage-text-266c94d742c76d32.yaml b/releasenotes/notes/use-chatmessage-text-266c94d742c76d32.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..7c4062fc70
--- /dev/null
+++ b/releasenotes/notes/use-chatmessage-text-266c94d742c76d32.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+enhancements:
+  - |
+    Replace usage of `ChatMessage.content` with `ChatMessage.text` across the codebase.
+    This is done in preparation for the removal of `content` in Haystack 2.9.0.
diff --git a/test/components/builders/test_chat_prompt_builder.py b/test/components/builders/test_chat_prompt_builder.py
index 7e42eedbcb..5e1ae6132e 100644
--- a/test/components/builders/test_chat_prompt_builder.py
+++ b/test/components/builders/test_chat_prompt_builder.py
@@ -18,8 +18,8 @@ def test_init(self):
             ]
         )
         assert builder.required_variables == []
-        assert builder.template[0].content == "This is a {{ variable }}"
-        assert builder.template[1].content == "This is a {{ variable2 }}"
+        assert builder.template[0].text == "This is a {{ variable }}"
+        assert builder.template[1].text == "This is a {{ variable2 }}"
         assert builder._variables is None
         assert builder._required_variables is None
 
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ def test_init_with_required_variables(self):
             template=[ChatMessage.from_user("This is a {{ variable }}")], required_variables=["variable"]
         )
         assert builder.required_variables == ["variable"]
-        assert builder.template[0].content == "This is a {{ variable }}"
+        assert builder.template[0].text == "This is a {{ variable }}"
         assert builder._variables is None
         assert builder._required_variables == ["variable"]
 
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ def test_init_with_custom_variables(self):
         builder = ChatPromptBuilder(template=template, variables=variables)
         assert builder.required_variables == []
         assert builder._variables == variables
-        assert builder.template[0].content == "Hello, {{ var1 }}, {{ var2 }}!"
+        assert builder.template[0].text == "Hello, {{ var1 }}, {{ var2 }}!"
         assert builder._required_variables is None
 
         # we have inputs that contain: template, template_variables + variables
diff --git a/test/components/connectors/test_openapi_service.py b/test/components/connectors/test_openapi_service.py
index b5681f3218..4e488012c4 100644
--- a/test/components/connectors/test_openapi_service.py
+++ b/test/components/connectors/test_openapi_service.py
@@ -182,7 +182,7 @@ def test_run_with_mix_params_request_body(self, openapi_mock, test_files_path):
         # verify call went through on the wire
         mock_service.call_greet.assert_called_once_with(parameters={"name": "John"}, data={"message": "Hello"})
 
-        response = json.loads(result["service_response"][0].content)
+        response = json.loads(result["service_response"][0].text)
         assert response == "Hello, John"
 
     @patch("haystack.components.connectors.openapi_service.OpenAPI")
@@ -259,7 +259,7 @@ def test_run_with_complex_types(self, openapi_mock, test_files_path):
             }
         )
 
-        response = json.loads(result["service_response"][0].content)
+        response = json.loads(result["service_response"][0].text)
         assert response == {"result": "accepted"}
 
     @patch("haystack.components.connectors.openapi_service.OpenAPI")
diff --git a/test/components/generators/chat/test_azure.py b/test/components/generators/chat/test_azure.py
index fdafec682d..c104d0e725 100644
--- a/test/components/generators/chat/test_azure.py
+++ b/test/components/generators/chat/test_azure.py
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@ def test_live_run(self):
         results = component.run(chat_messages)
         assert len(results["replies"]) == 1
         message: ChatMessage = results["replies"][0]
-        assert "Paris" in message.content
+        assert "Paris" in message.text
         assert "gpt-4o-mini" in message.meta["model"]
         assert message.meta["finish_reason"] == "stop"
 
diff --git a/test/components/generators/chat/test_hugging_face_local.py b/test/components/generators/chat/test_hugging_face_local.py
index 3f4dbdd06a..433917ec23 100644
--- a/test/components/generators/chat/test_hugging_face_local.py
+++ b/test/components/generators/chat/test_hugging_face_local.py
@@ -192,7 +192,7 @@ def test_run(self, model_info_mock, mock_pipeline_tokenizer, chat_messages):
         assert isinstance(results["replies"][0], ChatMessage)
         chat_message = results["replies"][0]
         assert chat_message.is_from(ChatRole.ASSISTANT)
-        assert chat_message.content == "Berlin is cool"
+        assert chat_message.text == "Berlin is cool"
 
     def test_run_with_custom_generation_parameters(self, model_info_mock, mock_pipeline_tokenizer, chat_messages):
         generator = HuggingFaceLocalChatGenerator(model="meta-llama/Llama-2-13b-chat-hf")
@@ -216,4 +216,4 @@ def test_run_with_custom_generation_parameters(self, model_info_mock, mock_pipel
         assert isinstance(results["replies"][0], ChatMessage)
         chat_message = results["replies"][0]
         assert chat_message.is_from(ChatRole.ASSISTANT)
-        assert chat_message.content == "Berlin is cool"
+        assert chat_message.text == "Berlin is cool"
diff --git a/test/components/generators/chat/test_openai.py b/test/components/generators/chat/test_openai.py
index 9c6fe1db5d..0461ba3cde 100644
--- a/test/components/generators/chat/test_openai.py
+++ b/test/components/generators/chat/test_openai.py
@@ -218,7 +218,7 @@ def streaming_callback(chunk: StreamingChunk) -> None:
         assert isinstance(response["replies"], list)
         assert len(response["replies"]) == 1
         assert [isinstance(reply, ChatMessage) for reply in response["replies"]]
-        assert "Hello" in response["replies"][0].content  # see mock_chat_completion_chunk
+        assert "Hello" in response["replies"][0].text  # see mock_chat_completion_chunk
 
     @patch("haystack.components.generators.chat.openai.datetime")
     def test_run_with_streaming_callback_in_run_method(self, mock_datetime, chat_messages, mock_chat_completion_chunk):
@@ -240,7 +240,7 @@ def streaming_callback(chunk: StreamingChunk) -> None:
         assert isinstance(response["replies"], list)
         assert len(response["replies"]) == 1
         assert [isinstance(reply, ChatMessage) for reply in response["replies"]]
-        assert "Hello" in response["replies"][0].content  # see mock_chat_completion_chunk
+        assert "Hello" in response["replies"][0].text  # see mock_chat_completion_chunk
 
         assert hasattr(response["replies"][0], "meta")
         assert isinstance(response["replies"][0].meta, dict)
@@ -287,7 +287,7 @@ def test_live_run(self):
         results = component.run(chat_messages)
         assert len(results["replies"]) == 1
         message: ChatMessage = results["replies"][0]
-        assert "Paris" in message.content
+        assert "Paris" in message.text
         assert "gpt-4o-mini" in message.meta["model"]
         assert message.meta["finish_reason"] == "stop"
 
@@ -322,7 +322,7 @@ def __call__(self, chunk: StreamingChunk) -> None:
 
         assert len(results["replies"]) == 1
         message: ChatMessage = results["replies"][0]
-        assert "Paris" in message.content
+        assert "Paris" in message.text
 
         assert "gpt-4o-mini" in message.meta["model"]
         assert message.meta["finish_reason"] == "stop"
@@ -353,7 +353,7 @@ def __call__(self, chunk: StreamingChunk) -> None:
 
         assert len(results["replies"]) == 1
         message: ChatMessage = results["replies"][0]
-        assert "Paris" in message.content
+        assert "Paris" in message.text
 
         assert "gpt-4o-mini" in message.meta["model"]
         assert message.meta["finish_reason"] == "stop"
diff --git a/test/components/validators/test_json_schema.py b/test/components/validators/test_json_schema.py
index 39e9c78587..a407d7c103 100644
--- a/test/components/validators/test_json_schema.py
+++ b/test/components/validators/test_json_schema.py
@@ -184,7 +184,7 @@ def run(self):
         result = pipe.run(data={"schema_validator": {"json_schema": json_schema_github_compare}})
         assert "validated" in result["schema_validator"]
         assert len(result["schema_validator"]["validated"]) == 1
-        assert result["schema_validator"]["validated"][0].content == genuine_fc_message
+        assert result["schema_validator"]["validated"][0].text == genuine_fc_message
 
     def test_schema_validator_in_pipeline_validation_error(self, json_schema_github_compare):
         @component
@@ -202,4 +202,4 @@ def run(self):
         result = pipe.run(data={"schema_validator": {"json_schema": json_schema_github_compare}})
         assert "validation_error" in result["schema_validator"]
         assert len(result["schema_validator"]["validation_error"]) == 1
-        assert "Error details" in result["schema_validator"]["validation_error"][0].content
+        assert "Error details" in result["schema_validator"]["validation_error"][0].text
diff --git a/test/core/pipeline/features/test_run.py b/test/core/pipeline/features/test_run.py
index 6a82cf4dbd..d7001a0187 100644
--- a/test/core/pipeline/features/test_run.py
+++ b/test/core/pipeline/features/test_run.py
@@ -603,7 +603,7 @@ def run(self, prompt_source: List[ChatMessage]):
     class MessageMerger:
         @component.output_types(merged_message=str)
         def run(self, messages: List[ChatMessage], metadata: dict = None):
-            return {"merged_message": "\n".join(t.content for t in messages)}
+            return {"merged_message": "\n".join(t.text or "" for t in messages)}
 
     @component
     class FakeGenerator:
diff --git a/test/dataclasses/test_chat_message.py b/test/dataclasses/test_chat_message.py
index cffd4c94da..30ad51630e 100644
--- a/test/dataclasses/test_chat_message.py
+++ b/test/dataclasses/test_chat_message.py
@@ -114,9 +114,8 @@ def test_from_dict():
 
 
 def test_from_dict_with_meta():
-    assert ChatMessage.from_dict(
-        data={"content": "text", "role": "assistant", "name": None, "meta": {"something": "something"}}
-    ) == ChatMessage.from_assistant("text", meta={"something": "something"})
+    data = {"content": "text", "role": "assistant", "name": None, "meta": {"something": "something"}}
+    assert ChatMessage.from_dict(data) == ChatMessage.from_assistant("text", meta={"something": "something"})
 
 
 def test_content_deprecation_warning(recwarn):