diff --git a/server.go b/server.go
index 50eb632..56dec27 100644
--- a/server.go
+++ b/server.go
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ type Server struct {
 	IdleTimeout time.Duration // connection timeout when no activity, none if empty
 	MaxTimeout  time.Duration // absolute connection timeout, none if empty
 
-	channelHandlers map[string]channelHandler
+	channelHandlers map[string]ChannelHandler // fallback channel handlers
 	requestHandlers map[string]RequestHandler
 
 	listenerWg sync.WaitGroup
@@ -51,8 +51,7 @@ type RequestHandler interface {
 	HandleRequest(ctx Context, srv *Server, req *gossh.Request) (ok bool, payload []byte)
 }
 
-// internal for now
-type channelHandler func(srv *Server, conn *gossh.ServerConn, newChan gossh.NewChannel, ctx Context)
+type ChannelHandler func(srv *Server, conn *gossh.ServerConn, newChan gossh.NewChannel, ctx Context)
 
 func (srv *Server) ensureHostSigner() error {
 	if len(srv.HostSigners) == 0 {
@@ -68,13 +67,17 @@ func (srv *Server) ensureHostSigner() error {
 func (srv *Server) ensureHandlers() {
 	srv.mu.Lock()
 	defer srv.mu.Unlock()
-	srv.requestHandlers = map[string]RequestHandler{
-		"tcpip-forward":        forwardedTCPHandler{},
-		"cancel-tcpip-forward": forwardedTCPHandler{},
+	if srv.requestHandlers == nil {
+		srv.requestHandlers = map[string]RequestHandler{
+			"tcpip-forward":        forwardedTCPHandler{},
+			"cancel-tcpip-forward": forwardedTCPHandler{},
+		}
 	}
-	srv.channelHandlers = map[string]channelHandler{
-		"session":      sessionHandler,
-		"direct-tcpip": directTcpipHandler,
+	if srv.channelHandlers == nil {
+		srv.channelHandlers = map[string]ChannelHandler{
+			"session":      sessionHandler,
+			"direct-tcpip": directTcpipHandler,
+		}
 	}
 }
 
@@ -186,12 +189,6 @@ func (srv *Server) Serve(l net.Listener) error {
 	if srv.Handler == nil {
 		srv.Handler = DefaultHandler
 	}
-	if srv.channelHandlers == nil {
-		srv.channelHandlers = map[string]channelHandler{
-			"session":      sessionHandler,
-			"direct-tcpip": directTcpipHandler,
-		}
-	}
 	var tempDelay time.Duration
 
 	srv.trackListener(l, true)
@@ -222,6 +219,18 @@ func (srv *Server) Serve(l net.Listener) error {
 	}
 }
 
+func (srv *Server) SetChannelHandler(kind string, handler ChannelHandler) {
+	srv.ensureHandlers()
+	srv.mu.Lock()
+	defer srv.mu.Unlock()
+	srv.channelHandlers[kind] = handler
+}
+
+func (srv *Server) ChannelHandler(kind string) ChannelHandler {
+	srv.ensureHandlers()
+	return srv.channelHandlers[kind]
+}
+
 func (srv *Server) handleConn(newConn net.Conn) {
 	if srv.ConnCallback != nil {
 		cbConn := srv.ConnCallback(newConn)
@@ -256,7 +265,12 @@ func (srv *Server) handleConn(newConn net.Conn) {
 	go srv.handleRequests(ctx, reqs)
 	for ch := range chans {
 		handler, found := srv.channelHandlers[ch.ChannelType()]
-		if !found {
+		if !found || handler == nil {
+			if defaultHandler, found := srv.channelHandlers["default"]; found {
+				handler = defaultHandler
+			}
+		}
+		if handler == nil {
 			ch.Reject(gossh.UnknownChannelType, "unsupported channel type")
 			continue
 		}
diff --git a/session_test.go b/session_test.go
index 06c7724..82e0d2e 100644
--- a/session_test.go
+++ b/session_test.go
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ func (srv *Server) serveOnce(l net.Listener) error {
 	if e != nil {
 		return e
 	}
-	srv.channelHandlers = map[string]channelHandler{
+	srv.channelHandlers = map[string]ChannelHandler{
 		"session":      sessionHandler,
 		"direct-tcpip": directTcpipHandler,
 	}