diff --git a/conda-store-server/conda_store_server/api.py b/conda-store-server/conda_store_server/api.py
index 7b3c8437c..1f1f616aa 100644
--- a/conda-store-server/conda_store_server/api.py
+++ b/conda-store-server/conda_store_server/api.py
@@ -268,6 +268,12 @@ def list_conda_channels(db):
     return db.query(orm.CondaChannel).filter(*filters)
 
 
+def create_conda_channel(db, channel_name: str):
+    channel = orm.CondaChannel(name=channel_name, last_update=None)
+    db.add(channel)
+    return channel
+
+
 def get_conda_channel(db, channel_name: str):
     return (
         db.query(orm.CondaChannel).filter(orm.CondaChannel.name == channel_name).first()
diff --git a/conda-store-server/conda_store_server/app.py b/conda-store-server/conda_store_server/app.py
index 90541c526..25c49dc6d 100644
--- a/conda-store-server/conda_store_server/app.py
+++ b/conda-store-server/conda_store_server/app.py
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ class CondaStore(LoggingConfigurable):
             "conda-forge",
             "https://repo.anaconda.com/pkgs/main",
         ],
-        help="Allowed conda channels to be used in conda environments",
+        help="Allowed conda channels to be used in conda environments. If set to empty list all channels are accepted. Defaults to main and conda-forge",
         config=True,
     )
 
diff --git a/conda-store-server/conda_store_server/build.py b/conda-store-server/conda_store_server/build.py
index 1403e63a9..246eddf5c 100644
--- a/conda-store-server/conda_store_server/build.py
+++ b/conda-store-server/conda_store_server/build.py
@@ -40,12 +40,16 @@ def set_build_completed(conda_store, build, logs, packages):
             # ignore pypi package for now
             continue
 
-        channel_id = api.get_conda_channel(conda_store.db, channel)
-        if channel_id is None:
-            raise ValueError(
-                f"channel url={channel} not recognized in conda-store channel database"
-            )
-        package["channel_id"] = channel_id.id
+        channel_orm = api.get_conda_channel(conda_store.db, channel)
+        if channel_orm is None:
+            if len(conda_store.conda_allowed_channels) == 0:
+                channel_orm = api.create_conda_channel(conda_store.db, channel)
+                conda_store.db.commit()
+            else:
+                raise ValueError(
+                    f"channel url={channel} not recognized in conda-store channel database"
+                )
+        package["channel_id"] = channel_orm.id
 
         _package = (
             conda_store.db.query(orm.CondaPackage)
@@ -203,12 +207,16 @@ def solve_conda_environment(conda_store, solve):
                 # ignore pypi package for now
                 continue
 
-            channel_id = api.get_conda_channel(conda_store.db, channel)
-            if channel_id is None:
-                raise ValueError(
-                    f"channel url={channel} not recognized in conda-store channel database"
-                )
-            package["channel_id"] = channel_id.id
+            channel_orm = api.get_conda_channel(conda_store.db, channel)
+            if channel_orm is None:
+                if len(conda_store.conda_allowed_channels) == 0:
+                    channel_orm = api.create_conda_channel(conda_store.db, channel)
+                    conda_store.db.commit()
+                else:
+                    raise ValueError(
+                        f"channel url={channel} not recognized in conda-store channel database"
+                    )
+            package["channel_id"] = channel_orm.id
 
             _package = (
                 conda_store.db.query(orm.CondaPackage)
diff --git a/conda-store-server/conda_store_server/environment.py b/conda-store-server/conda_store_server/environment.py
index b0bf2b96c..bd25f522b 100644
--- a/conda-store-server/conda_store_server/environment.py
+++ b/conda-store-server/conda_store_server/environment.py
@@ -54,7 +54,9 @@ def validate_environment_channels(
         conda.normalize_channel_name(conda_channel_alias, _) for _ in allowed_channels
     )
 
-    if not (normalized_conda_channels <= normalized_conda_allowed_channels):
+    if len(allowed_channels) and not (
+        normalized_conda_channels <= normalized_conda_allowed_channels
+    ):
         raise ValueError(
             f"Conda channels {normalized_conda_channels - normalized_conda_allowed_channels} not allowed in specification"
         )
diff --git a/docs/administration.md b/docs/administration.md
index 2afb840db..d9f8cca82 100644
--- a/docs/administration.md
+++ b/docs/administration.md
@@ -117,8 +117,9 @@ are by default added if channels within the specification is empty.
 
 `CondaStore.conda_allowed_channels` is a list of Conda channels that
 are allowed. This also tells conda-store which channels to prefetch
-the channel `repodata` and `channeldata` from. The default is `main` and
-`conda-forge`.
+the channel `repodata` and `channeldata` from. The default is `main`
+and `conda-forge`. If `conda_allowed_channels` is an empty list all
+Channels are accepted by users.
 
 `CondaStore.conda_default_packages` is a list of Conda packages that
 are included by default if none are specified within the specification