diff --git a/base/channels.jl b/base/channels.jl
index 66c73c9e3310e..0298ca6ade049 100644
--- a/base/channels.jl
+++ b/base/channels.jl
@@ -437,9 +437,9 @@ immediately, does not block.
 For unbuffered channels returns `true` if there are tasks waiting
 on a [`put!`](@ref).
 """
-isready(c::Channel) = length(c) > 0
-isempty(c::Channel) = length(c) == 0
-function length(c::Channel)
+isready(c::Channel) = n_avail(c) > 0
+isempty(c::Channel) = n_avail(c) == 0
+function n_avail(c::Channel)
     # Lock-free equivalent to `length(c.data) + length(c.cond_put.waitq)`
     @atomic :monotonic c.length
 end
@@ -473,7 +473,7 @@ function show(io::IO, ::MIME"text/plain", c::Channel)
         if !isopen(c)
             print(io, " (closed)")
         else
-            n = length(c)
+            n = n_avail(c)
             if n == 0
                 print(io, " (empty)")
             else
diff --git a/test/channels.jl b/test/channels.jl
index a7447cd01e4c7..e9f67bbfa350d 100644
--- a/test/channels.jl
+++ b/test/channels.jl
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 using Random
 using Base: Experimental
+using Base: n_avail
 
 @testset "single-threaded Condition usage" begin
     a = Condition()
@@ -579,38 +580,38 @@ let c = Channel(3)
     @test repr(MIME("text/plain"), c) == "Channel{Any}(3) (closed)"
 end
 
-# PR #41833 - length(c)
-@testset "length(::Channel)" begin
-    # Buffered: length() = buffer length + number of waiting tasks
+# PR #41833
+@testset "n_avail(::Channel)" begin
+    # Buffered: n_avail() = buffer length + number of waiting tasks
     let c = Channel(2)
-        @test length(c) == 0;   put!(c, 0)
-        @test length(c) == 1;   put!(c, 0)
-        @test length(c) == 2;   yield(@task put!(c, 0))
-        @test length(c) == 3;   yield(@task put!(c, 0))
-        @test length(c) == 4
-        # Test length(c) after interrupting a task waiting on the channel
+        @test n_avail(c) == 0;   put!(c, 0)
+        @test n_avail(c) == 1;   put!(c, 0)
+        @test n_avail(c) == 2;   yield(@task put!(c, 0))
+        @test n_avail(c) == 3;   yield(@task put!(c, 0))
+        @test n_avail(c) == 4
+        # Test n_avail(c) after interrupting a task waiting on the channel
                                 t = @task put!(c, 0)
                                 yield(t)
-        @test length(c) == 5
+        @test n_avail(c) == 5
                                 @async Base.throwto(t, ErrorException("Exit put!"))
                                 try wait(t) catch end
-        @test length(c) == 4
+        @test n_avail(c) == 4
                                 close(c); yield()
-        @test length(c) == 2    # Already-buffered items remain
+        @test n_avail(c) == 2    # Already-buffered items remain
     end
-    # Unbuffered: length() = number of waiting tasks
+    # Unbuffered: n_avail() = number of waiting tasks
     let c = Channel()
-        @test length(c) == 0;   yield(@task put!(c, 0))
-        @test length(c) == 1;   yield(@task put!(c, 0))
-        @test length(c) == 2
-        # Test length(c) after interrupting a task waiting on the channel
+        @test n_avail(c) == 0;   yield(@task put!(c, 0))
+        @test n_avail(c) == 1;   yield(@task put!(c, 0))
+        @test n_avail(c) == 2
+        # Test n_avail(c) after interrupting a task waiting on the channel
                                 t = @task put!(c, 0)
                                 yield(t)
-        @test length(c) == 3
+        @test n_avail(c) == 3
                                 @async Base.throwto(t, ErrorException("Exit put!"))
                                 try wait(t) catch end
-        @test length(c) == 2
+        @test n_avail(c) == 2
                                 close(c); yield()
-        @test length(c) == 0
+        @test n_avail(c) == 0
     end
 end