The invention provides a message processing method and device. The method comprises the following steps: receiving a message with a first sign; removing the first sign in the message in a physical layer, and adding a second signal in the message, wherein the first sign is different from the second sign; and sending the message added with the second sign to an application layer. By use of the message processing method provided by the invention, the problems that the burden on a TCP/IP protocol control channel is increased and the lost special message cannot be positioned since switching equipment in the prior art sends a special management message and a normal management message in the same way are solved.