diff --git a/definitions/objects/channel.def b/definitions/objects/channel.def
index e6819bc..6f96109 100644
--- a/definitions/objects/channel.def
+++ b/definitions/objects/channel.def
@@ -16,5 +16,6 @@ object channel : object {
 
     method receive [cap:receive] {
         param data buffer [out]
+        param flags uint64
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/kernel/objects/channel.cpp b/src/kernel/objects/channel.cpp
index 9111910..fa54572 100644
--- a/src/kernel/objects/channel.cpp
+++ b/src/kernel/objects/channel.cpp
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 #include "assert.h"
 #include "memory.h"
 #include "objects/channel.h"
+#include "objects/thread.h"
 #include "objects/vm_area.h"
 
 extern obj::vm_area_guarded g_kernel_buffers;
@@ -12,10 +13,11 @@ namespace obj {
 constexpr size_t buffer_bytes = mem::kernel_buffer_pages * mem::frame_size;
 
 channel::channel() :
-    m_len(0),
-    m_data(g_kernel_buffers.get_section()),
-    m_buffer(reinterpret_cast<uint8_t*>(m_data), buffer_bytes),
-    kobject(kobject::type::channel)
+    m_len       {0},
+    m_data      {g_kernel_buffers.get_section()},
+    m_closed    {false},
+    m_buffer {reinterpret_cast<uint8_t*>(m_data), buffer_bytes},
+    kobject {kobject::type::channel}
 {
 }
 
@@ -33,24 +35,23 @@ channel::enqueue(const util::buffer &data)
 
     size_t len = data.count;
     void *buffer = nullptr;
-    size_t avail = m_buffer.reserve(len, &buffer);
-
-    len = len > avail ? avail : len;
+    len = m_buffer.reserve(len, &buffer);
 
     memcpy(buffer, data.pointer, len);
     m_buffer.commit(len);
 
-    if (len)
-        m_can_recv = true;
+    if (len) {
+        thread *t = m_queue.pop_next();
 
-    if (m_buffer.free_space() == 0)
-        m_can_send = false;
+        lock.release();
+        if (t) t->wake();
+    }
 
     return len;
 }
 
 size_t
-channel::dequeue(util::buffer buffer)
+channel::dequeue(util::buffer buffer, bool block)
 {
     util::scoped_lock lock {m_close_lock};
 
@@ -58,17 +59,21 @@ channel::dequeue(util::buffer buffer)
 
     void *data = nullptr;
     size_t avail = m_buffer.get_block(&data);
+    if (!avail && block) {
+        thread &cur = thread::current();
+        m_queue.add_thread(&cur);
+
+        lock.release();
+        cur.block();
+        lock.reacquire();
+        avail = m_buffer.get_block(&data);
+    }
+
     size_t len = buffer.count > avail ? avail : buffer.count;
 
-    memcpy(data, buffer.pointer, len);
+    memcpy(buffer.pointer, data, len);
     m_buffer.consume(len);
 
-    if (len)
-        m_can_send = true;
-
-    if (m_buffer.size() == 0)
-        m_can_recv = false;
-
     return len;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/kernel/objects/channel.h b/src/kernel/objects/channel.h
index 8d286f7..d4af43b 100644
--- a/src/kernel/objects/channel.h
+++ b/src/kernel/objects/channel.h
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 #include <util/spinlock.h>
 
 #include "objects/kobject.h"
+#include "wait_queue.h"
 
 namespace obj {
 
@@ -24,12 +25,6 @@ public:
 
     static constexpr kobject::type type = kobject::type::channel;
 
-    /// Check if the channel has space for a message to be sent
-    inline bool can_send() const { return m_can_send; }
-
-    /// Check if the channel has a message wiating already
-    inline bool can_receive() const { return m_can_recv; }
-
     /// Put a message into the channel
     /// \arg data Buffer of data to write
     /// \returns  The number of bytes successfully written
@@ -37,8 +32,9 @@ public:
 
     /// Get a message from the channel, copied into a provided buffer
     /// \arg buffer  The buffer to copy data into
+    /// \arg block   If true, block the calling thread until there is data
     /// \returns     The number of bytes copied into the provided buffer
-    size_t dequeue(util::buffer buffer);
+    size_t dequeue(util::buffer buffer, bool block = false);
 
     /// Mark this channel as closed, all future calls to enqueue or
     /// dequeue messages will fail with j6_status_closed.
@@ -51,10 +47,9 @@ private:
     size_t m_len;
     uintptr_t m_data;
     bool m_closed;
-    bool m_can_send;
-    bool m_can_recv;
     util::bip_buffer m_buffer;
     util::spinlock m_close_lock;
+    wait_queue m_queue;
 };
 
 } // namespace obj
diff --git a/src/kernel/syscalls/channel.cpp b/src/kernel/syscalls/channel.cpp
index e1c075a..34dd985 100644
--- a/src/kernel/syscalls/channel.cpp
+++ b/src/kernel/syscalls/channel.cpp
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 #include <j6/errors.h>
+#include <j6/flags.h>
 #include <j6/types.h>
 #include <util/counted.h>
 
@@ -29,13 +30,15 @@ channel_send(channel *self, void *data, size_t *data_len)
 }
 
 j6_status_t
-channel_receive(channel *self, void *data, size_t *data_len)
+channel_receive(channel *self, void *data, size_t *data_len, uint64_t flags)
 {
     if (self->closed())
         return j6_status_closed;
 
     util::buffer buffer {data, *data_len};
-    *data_len = self->dequeue(buffer);
+
+    const bool block = flags & j6_channel_block;
+    *data_len = self->dequeue(buffer, block);
 
     return j6_status_ok;
 }
diff --git a/src/libraries/j6/j6/flags.h b/src/libraries/j6/j6/flags.h
index d1ff8d2..d5242f4 100644
--- a/src/libraries/j6/j6/flags.h
+++ b/src/libraries/j6/j6/flags.h
@@ -9,6 +9,10 @@ enum j6_vm_flags {
     j6_vm_flag_MAX
 };
 
+enum j6_channel_flags {
+    j6_channel_block = 0x01,
+};
+
 enum j6_mailbox_flags {
     j6_mailbox_block = 0x01,
 };