diff --git a/base/channels.jl b/base/channels.jl
index c19ba140ac397..70862b06cf843 100644
--- a/base/channels.jl
+++ b/base/channels.jl
@@ -317,11 +317,26 @@ function put!(c::Channel{T}, v) where T
     return isbuffered(c) ? put_buffered(c, v) : put_unbuffered(c, v)
 end
 
+# Atomically update channel length, *assuming* we hold the channel lock.
+macro _inc_channel_length(c, inc)
+    quote
+        c = $(esc(c))
+        # We hold the channel lock so it's safe to non-atomically read and
+        # increment c.length
+        newlen = c.length + $(esc(inc))
+        # Atomically store c.length to prevent data races with other threads
+        # reading the length outside the lock.
+        @atomic :monotonic c.length = newlen
+    end
+end
+
 function put_buffered(c::Channel, v)
     lock(c)
     did_buffer = false
     try
-        @atomic :monotonic c.length += 1
+        # Increment channel length eagerly (before push!) to count data in the
+        # buffer as well as offers from tasks which are blocked in wait().
+        @_inc_channel_length(c, 1)
         while length(c.data) == c.sz_max
             check_channel_state(c)
             wait(c.cond_put)
@@ -331,7 +346,7 @@ function put_buffered(c::Channel, v)
         # notify all, since some of the waiters may be on a "fetch" call.
         notify(c.cond_take, nothing, true, false)
     finally
-        did_buffer || @atomic :monotonic c.length -= 1
+        did_buffer || @_inc_channel_length(c, -1)
         unlock(c)
     end
     return v
@@ -340,7 +355,7 @@ end
 function put_unbuffered(c::Channel, v)
     lock(c)
     taker = try
-        @atomic :monotonic c.length += 1
+        @_inc_channel_length(c, 1)
         while isempty(c.cond_take.waitq)
             check_channel_state(c)
             notify(c.cond_wait)
@@ -349,7 +364,7 @@ function put_unbuffered(c::Channel, v)
         # unfair scheduled version of: notify(c.cond_take, v, false, false); yield()
         popfirst!(c.cond_take.waitq)
     finally
-        @atomic :monotonic c.length -= 1
+        @_inc_channel_length(c, -1)
         unlock(c)
     end
     schedule(taker, v)
@@ -396,7 +411,7 @@ function take_buffered(c::Channel)
             wait(c.cond_take)
         end
         v = popfirst!(c.data)
-        @atomic :monotonic c.length -= 1
+        @_inc_channel_length(c, -1)
         notify(c.cond_put, nothing, false, false) # notify only one, since only one slot has become available for a put!.
         return v
     finally
@@ -429,7 +444,7 @@ isready(c::Channel) = length(c) > 0
 isempty(c::Channel) = length(c) == 0
 function length(c::Channel)
     # Lock-free equivalent to `length(c.data) + length(c.cond_put.waitq)`
-    @atomic(:monotonic, c.length)
+    @atomic :monotonic c.length
 end
 
 lock(c::Channel) = lock(c.cond_take)