diff --git a/meshtastic/mesh_interface.py b/meshtastic/mesh_interface.py
index 5ce0e67..fdb6be1 100644
--- a/meshtastic/mesh_interface.py
+++ b/meshtastic/mesh_interface.py
@@ -85,6 +85,7 @@ class MeshInterface:
         self.mask: Optional[int] = None  # used in gpio read and gpio watch
         self.queueStatus: Optional[mesh_pb2.QueueStatus] = None
         self.queue: collections.OrderedDict = collections.OrderedDict()
+        self._localChannels = None
 
     def close(self):
         """Shutdown this interface"""
@@ -705,6 +706,7 @@ class MeshInterface:
         self.myInfo = None
         self.nodes = {}  # nodes keyed by ID
         self.nodesByNum = {}  # nodes keyed by nodenum
+        self._localChannels = [] # empty until we start getting channels pushed from the device (during config)
 
         startConfig = mesh_pb2.ToRadio()
         self.configId = random.randint(0, 0xFFFFFFFF)
@@ -786,7 +788,12 @@ class MeshInterface:
         Done with initial config messages, now send regular MeshPackets
         to ask for settings and channels
         """
-        self.localNode.requestChannels()
+        # This is no longer necessary because the current protocol statemachine has already proactively sent us the locally visible channels
+        # self.localNode.requestChannels()
+        self.localNode.setChannels(self._localChannels)
+
+        # the following should only be called after we have settings and channels
+        self._connected()  # Tell everyone else we are ready to go
 
     def _handleQueueStatusFromRadio(self, queueStatus) -> None:
         self.queueStatus = queueStatus
@@ -859,7 +866,8 @@ class MeshInterface:
             # stream API fromRadio.config_complete_id
             logging.debug(f"Config complete ID {self.configId}")
             self._handleConfigComplete()
-
+        elif fromRadio.HasField("channel"):
+            self._handleChannel(fromRadio.channel)
         elif fromRadio.HasField("packet"):
             self._handlePacketFromRadio(fromRadio.packet)
 
@@ -986,6 +994,10 @@ class MeshInterface:
             self.nodesByNum[nodeNum] = n
             return n
 
+    def _handleChannel(self, channel):
+        """During initial config the local node will proactively send all N (8) channels it knows"""
+        self._localChannels.append(channel)
+
     def _handlePacketFromRadio(self, meshPacket, hack=False):
         """Handle a MeshPacket that just arrived from the radio
 
diff --git a/meshtastic/node.py b/meshtastic/node.py
index 156fbba..5dfc72c 100644
--- a/meshtastic/node.py
+++ b/meshtastic/node.py
@@ -72,6 +72,11 @@ class Node:
         print(f"Module preferences: {prefs}\n")
         self.showChannels()
 
+    def setChannels(self, channels):
+        """Set the channels for this node"""
+        self.channels = channels
+        self._fixupChannels()
+
     def requestChannels(self):
         """Send regular MeshPackets to ask channels."""
         logging.debug(f"requestChannels for nodeNum:{self.nodeNum}")
@@ -654,7 +659,7 @@ class Node:
         """Fixup indexes and add disabled channels as needed"""
 
         # Add extra disabled channels as needed
-        # TODO: These 2 lines seem to not do anything.
+        # This is needed because the protobufs will have index **missing** if the channel number is zero
         for index, ch in enumerate(self.channels):
             ch.index = index  # fixup indexes
 
@@ -726,9 +731,6 @@ class Node:
 
             self.channels = self.partialChannels
             self._fixupChannels()
-
-            # FIXME, the following should only be called after we have settings and channels
-            self.iface._connected()  # Tell everyone else we are ready to go
         else:
             self._requestChannel(index + 1)