diff --git a/server/init_topic.go b/server/init_topic.go
index 75977a14..fd2ad8e8 100644
--- a/server/init_topic.go
+++ b/server/init_topic.go
@@ -189,8 +189,8 @@ func initTopicFnd(t *Topic, sreg *sessionJoin) error {
 	}
 
 	// Make sure no one can join the topic.
-	t.accessAuth = getDefaultAccess(t.cat, true)
-	t.accessAnon = getDefaultAccess(t.cat, false)
+	t.accessAuth = getDefaultAccess(t.cat, true, false)
+	t.accessAnon = getDefaultAccess(t.cat, false, false)
 
 	if err = t.loadSubscribers(); err != nil {
 		return err
@@ -487,14 +487,8 @@ func initTopicNewGrp(t *Topic, sreg *sessionJoin, isChan bool) error {
 	// Generic topics have parameters stored in the topic object
 	t.owner = types.ParseUserId(sreg.pkt.AsUser)
 
-	if isChan {
-		// The channel is not accessible by default.
-		t.accessAuth = types.ModeNone
-		t.accessAnon = types.ModeNone
-	} else {
-		t.accessAuth = getDefaultAccess(t.cat, true)
-		t.accessAnon = getDefaultAccess(t.cat, false)
-	}
+	t.accessAuth = getDefaultAccess(t.cat, true, isChan)
+	t.accessAnon = getDefaultAccess(t.cat, false, isChan)
 
 	// Owner/creator gets full access to the topic. Owner may change the default modeWant through 'set'.
 	userData := perUserData{
diff --git a/server/store/types/types.go b/server/store/types/types.go
index 69b31f74..ad36722b 100644
--- a/server/store/types/types.go
+++ b/server/store/types/types.go
@@ -526,8 +526,10 @@ const (
 	ModeCReadOnly = ModeJoin | ModeRead
 	// Access to 'sys' topic by a root user ("JRWPD", 79, 0x4F)
 	ModeCSys = ModeJoin | ModeRead | ModeWrite | ModePres | ModeDelete
-	// Public access mode to a channel (JRP, 11, 0xB).
-	ModeCChn = ModeJoin | ModeRead | ModePres
+	// Channel publisher: person authorized to publish content; no J: by invitation only ("RWPD", 78, 0x4E)
+	ModeCChnWriter = ModeRead | ModeWrite | ModePres | ModeShare
+	// Reader's access mode to a channel (JRP, 11, 0xB).
+	ModeCChnReader = ModeJoin | ModeRead | ModePres
 
 	// Admin: user who can modify access mode ("OA", dec: 144, hex: 0x90)
 	ModeCAdmin = ModeOwner | ModeApprove
diff --git a/server/topic.go b/server/topic.go
index 40e08bf9..f0b2a392 100644
--- a/server/topic.go
+++ b/server/topic.go
@@ -1207,20 +1207,20 @@ func (t *Topic) thisUserSub(h *Hub, sess *Session, pkt *ClientComMessage, asUid
 			}
 
 			// Given mode is immutable.
-			oldGiven = types.ModeCChn
-			userData.modeGiven = types.ModeCChn
+			oldGiven = types.ModeCChnReader
+			userData.modeGiven = types.ModeCChnReader
 
 			if sub != nil {
 				// Subscription exists, read old access mode.
 				oldWant = sub.ModeWant
 			} else {
 				// Subscription not found, use default.
-				oldWant = types.ModeCChn
+				oldWant = types.ModeCChnReader
 			}
 
 			if modeWant != types.ModeUnset {
 				// New access mode is explicitly assigned.
-				userData.modeWant = (modeWant & types.ModeCChn) | types.ModeRead | types.ModeJoin
+				userData.modeWant = (modeWant & types.ModeCChnReader) | types.ModeRead | types.ModeJoin
 			} else {
 				// Default: unchanged.
 				userData.modeWant = oldWant
@@ -1551,6 +1551,8 @@ func (t *Topic) anotherUserSub(h *Hub, sess *Session, asUid, target types.Uid,
 			// Request to use default access mode for the new subscriptions.
 			// Assuming LevelAuth. Approver should use non-default access if that is not suitable.
 			modeGiven = t.accessFor(auth.LevelAuth)
+			// Enable new subscription even if default is no joiner.
+			modeGiven |= types.ModeJoin
 		}
 
 		// Get user's default access mode to be used as modeWant
@@ -2136,7 +2138,7 @@ func (t *Topic) replyGetSub(sess *Session, asUid types.Uid, authLevel auth.Level
 						mts.Acs.Want = sub.ModeWant.String()
 						mts.Acs.Given = sub.ModeGiven.String()
 					} else if isChannel(sub.Topic) {
-						mts.Acs.Mode = types.ModeCChn.String()
+						mts.Acs.Mode = types.ModeCChnReader.String()
 					} else if defacs := sub.GetDefaultAccess(); defacs != nil {
 						switch authLevel {
 						case auth.LevelAnon:
@@ -2805,7 +2807,7 @@ func (t *Topic) replyLeaveUnsub(h *Hub, sess *Session, pkt *ClientComMessage, as
 		}
 		oldWant, oldGiven = pud.modeWant, pud.modeGiven
 	} else {
-		oldWant, oldGiven = types.ModeCChn, types.ModeCChn
+		oldWant, oldGiven = types.ModeCChnReader, types.ModeCChnReader
 		// Unsubscribe user's devices from the channel (FCM topic).
 		t.channelSubUnsub(asUid, false)
 	}
@@ -3218,7 +3220,7 @@ func (t *Topic) fndRemovePublic(sess *Session) {
 }
 
 func (t *Topic) accessFor(authLvl auth.Level) types.AccessMode {
-	return selectAccessMode(authLvl, t.accessAnon, t.accessAuth, getDefaultAccess(t.cat, true))
+	return selectAccessMode(authLvl, t.accessAnon, t.accessAuth, getDefaultAccess(t.cat, true, false))
 }
 
 // subsCount returns the number of topic subsribers
diff --git a/server/user.go b/server/user.go
index 2551ff5f..6abad9ec 100644
--- a/server/user.go
+++ b/server/user.go
@@ -85,8 +85,10 @@ func replyCreateUser(s *Session, msg *ClientComMessage, rec *auth.Rec) {
 	}
 
 	// Assign default access values in case the acc creator has not provided them
-	user.Access.Auth = getDefaultAccess(types.TopicCatP2P, true) | getDefaultAccess(types.TopicCatGrp, true)
-	user.Access.Anon = getDefaultAccess(types.TopicCatP2P, false) | getDefaultAccess(types.TopicCatGrp, false)
+	user.Access.Auth = getDefaultAccess(types.TopicCatP2P, true, false) |
+		getDefaultAccess(types.TopicCatGrp, true, false)
+	user.Access.Anon = getDefaultAccess(types.TopicCatP2P, false, false) |
+		getDefaultAccess(types.TopicCatGrp, false, false)
 
 	// Assign actual access values, public and private.
 	if msg.Acc.Desc != nil {
diff --git a/server/utils.go b/server/utils.go
index 71c1cb6d..d407760d 100644
--- a/server/utils.go
+++ b/server/utils.go
@@ -296,7 +296,7 @@ func selectAccessMode(authLvl auth.Level, anonMode, authMode, rootMode types.Acc
 }
 
 // Get default modeWant for the given topic category
-func getDefaultAccess(cat types.TopicCat, authUser bool) types.AccessMode {
+func getDefaultAccess(cat types.TopicCat, authUser, isChan bool) types.AccessMode {
 	if !authUser {
 		return types.ModeNone
 	}
@@ -307,6 +307,9 @@ func getDefaultAccess(cat types.TopicCat, authUser bool) types.AccessMode {
 	case types.TopicCatFnd:
 		return types.ModeNone
 	case types.TopicCatGrp:
+		if isChan {
+			return types.ModeCChnWriter
+		}
 		return types.ModeCPublic
 	case types.TopicCatMe:
 		return types.ModeCSelf
diff --git a/tinode-db/chan-128.jpg b/tinode-db/chan-128.jpg
index db0523f9..49e7beec 100644
Binary files a/tinode-db/chan-128.jpg and b/tinode-db/chan-128.jpg differ
diff --git a/tinode-db/data.json b/tinode-db/data.json
index 298d4de0..62d6d5db 100644
--- a/tinode-db/data.json
+++ b/tinode-db/data.json
@@ -156,7 +156,7 @@
    "channel": true,
    "tags": ["coffee","channel"],
    "public": {"fn": "Coffee Channel", "photo": "chan-128.jpg", "type": "jpg"},
-   "access": {"auth": "N", "anon": "N"}
+   "access": {"auth": "RWPD", "anon": "N"}
   }
  ],
  "p2psubs": [
diff --git a/tinode-db/gendb.go b/tinode-db/gendb.go
index 539492e8..9c2f66a0 100644
--- a/tinode-db/gendb.go
+++ b/tinode-db/gendb.go
@@ -237,8 +237,8 @@ func genDb(data *Data) {
 	for _, ss := range data.Groupsubs {
 		var want, given types.AccessMode
 		if ss.AsChan {
-			want = types.ModeCChn
-			given = types.ModeCChn
+			want = types.ModeCChnReader
+			given = types.ModeCChnReader
 		} else {
 			want = types.ModeCPublic
 			given = types.ModeCPublic