diff --git a/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/publishing/ChannelHelper.java b/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/publishing/ChannelHelper.java
index 5e7784666d..f88d6d1bd9 100644
--- a/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/publishing/ChannelHelper.java
+++ b/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/publishing/ChannelHelper.java
@@ -95,6 +95,10 @@ public class ChannelHelper
 
     public Channel buildChannelObject(NodeRef nodeRef, ChannelService channelService)
     {
+        if(nodeRef == null || nodeService.exists(nodeRef)==false)
+        {
+            return null;
+        }
         Map<QName, Serializable> props = nodeService.getProperties(nodeRef);
         String channelTypeId = (String) props.get(PublishingModel.PROP_CHANNEL_TYPE_ID);
         ChannelType channelType = channelService.getChannelType(channelTypeId);
diff --git a/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/publishing/ChannelServiceImpl.java b/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/publishing/ChannelServiceImpl.java
index 4fb44d0fa6..995434a9d9 100644
--- a/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/publishing/ChannelServiceImpl.java
+++ b/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/publishing/ChannelServiceImpl.java
@@ -19,7 +19,8 @@
 
 package org.alfresco.repo.publishing;
 
-import static org.alfresco.repo.publishing.PublishingModel.*;
+import static org.alfresco.repo.publishing.PublishingModel.PROP_CHANNEL_TYPE_ID;
+import static org.alfresco.repo.publishing.PublishingModel.TYPE_DELIVERY_CHANNEL;
 
 import java.io.Serializable;
 import java.util.ArrayList;
@@ -139,29 +140,34 @@ public class ChannelServiceImpl implements ChannelService
     public Channel createChannel(String siteId, String channelTypeId, String name, Map<QName, Serializable> properties)
     {
         NodeRef channelContainer = getChannelContainer(siteId);
-        ChannelType channelType = channelTypes.get(channelTypeId);
-        Channel channel = null;
-        if (channelType != null)
+        if(channelContainer==null)
         {
-            HashMap<QName, Serializable> actualProps = new HashMap<QName, Serializable>();
-            if (properties != null)
-            {
-                actualProps.putAll(properties);
-            }
-            actualProps.put(ContentModel.PROP_NAME, name);
-            actualProps.put(PROP_CHANNEL_TYPE_ID, channelType.getId());
-            NodeRef channelNode = channelHelper.createChannelNode(channelContainer, channelType, name, actualProps);
-            channel = channelHelper.buildChannelObject(channelNode, this);
+            channelContainer = createChannelContainer(siteId);
+        }
+        ChannelType channelType = channelTypes.get(channelTypeId);
+        if(channelType == null)
+        {
+            String message = "Channel Type: " + channelTypeId + " does not exist!";
+            throw new IllegalArgumentException(message);
+        }
+        HashMap<QName, Serializable> actualProps = new HashMap<QName, Serializable>();
+        if (properties != null)
+        {
+            actualProps.putAll(properties);
+        }
+        actualProps.put(ContentModel.PROP_NAME, name);
+        actualProps.put(PROP_CHANNEL_TYPE_ID, channelType.getId());
+        NodeRef channelNode = channelHelper.createChannelNode(channelContainer, channelType, name, actualProps);
+        Channel channel = channelHelper.buildChannelObject(channelNode, this);
 
-            // Now create the corresponding channel nodes in each of the
-            // configured environments
-            // FIXME: BJR: 20110506: Should we provide a means for supplying
-            // separate properties for each environment?
-            Map<String, NodeRef> environments = environmentHelper.getEnvironments(siteId);
-            for (NodeRef environment : environments.values())
-            {
-                channelHelper.addChannelToEnvironment(environment, channel, actualProps);
-            }
+        // Now create the corresponding channel nodes in each of the
+        // configured environments
+        // FIXME: BJR: 20110506: Should we provide a means for supplying
+        // separate properties for each environment?
+        Map<String, NodeRef> environments = environmentHelper.getEnvironments(siteId);
+        for (NodeRef environment : environments.values())
+        {
+            channelHelper.addChannelToEnvironment(environment, channel, actualProps);
         }
         return channel;
     }
@@ -171,10 +177,7 @@ public class ChannelServiceImpl implements ChannelService
      */
     public void deleteChannel(String siteId, String channelName)
     {
-        Map<String, NodeRef> environments = environmentHelper.getEnvironments(siteId);
-        Set<NodeRef> containers = new HashSet<NodeRef>();
-        containers.add(getChannelContainer(siteId));
-        containers.addAll(environments.values());
+        Set<NodeRef> containers = getAllChannelContainers(siteId);
         for (NodeRef channelContainer : containers)
         {
             NodeRef channel = nodeService.getChildByName(channelContainer, ContentModel.ASSOC_CONTAINS, channelName);
@@ -193,6 +196,10 @@ public class ChannelServiceImpl implements ChannelService
         ParameterCheck.mandatory("siteId", siteId);
 
         NodeRef channelContainer = getChannelContainer(siteId);
+        if(channelContainer == null)
+        {
+            return Collections.emptyList();
+        }
         Collection<QName> channelNodeTypes = dictionaryService.getSubTypes(TYPE_DELIVERY_CHANNEL, true);
         HashSet<QName> childNodeTypeQNames = new HashSet<QName>(channelNodeTypes);
         List<ChildAssociationRef> channelAssocs = nodeService.getChildAssocs(channelContainer, childNodeTypeQNames);
@@ -232,27 +239,34 @@ public class ChannelServiceImpl implements ChannelService
         return null;
     }
     
-    /**
-     * @param siteId
-     * @return
-     */
     private NodeRef getChannelContainer(final String siteId)
+    {
+        return siteService.getContainer(siteId, CHANNEL_CONTAINER_NAME);
+    }
+
+    private Set<NodeRef> getAllChannelContainers(String siteId)
+    {
+        Set<NodeRef> containers = new HashSet<NodeRef>();
+        Map<String, NodeRef> environments = environmentHelper.getEnvironments(siteId);
+        containers.addAll(environments.values());
+        NodeRef editorialContainer = getChannelContainer(siteId);
+        if(editorialContainer!=null)
+        {
+            containers.add(editorialContainer);
+        }
+        return containers;
+    }
+
+    private NodeRef createChannelContainer(final String siteId)
     {
         return AuthenticationUtil.runAs(new RunAsWork<NodeRef>()
         {
             public NodeRef doWork() throws Exception
             {
-                NodeRef channelContainer = siteService.getContainer(siteId, CHANNEL_CONTAINER_NAME);
-                if (channelContainer == null)
-                {
-                    // No channel container exists for this site yet. Create it.
-                    channelContainer = siteService.createContainer(siteId, CHANNEL_CONTAINER_NAME,
+                    return siteService.createContainer(siteId, CHANNEL_CONTAINER_NAME,
                             PublishingModel.TYPE_CHANNEL_CONTAINER, null);
-                }
-                return channelContainer;
             }
         }, AuthenticationUtil.getSystemUserName());
-
     }
 
     /**
@@ -263,30 +277,28 @@ public class ChannelServiceImpl implements ChannelService
         return channelTypes.get(id);
     }
 
+    /**
+     * {@inheritDoc}
+     */
     public NodeFinder getChannelDependancyNodeFinder()
     {
         return new ChannelDependancyNodeFinder(this);
     }
 
+    /**
+     * {@inheritDoc}
+     */
     public NodeFilter getChannelDependancyNodeFilter()
     {
         return new ChannelDependancyNodeFilter(this);
     }
 
-    /*
-     * (non-Javadoc)
-     * 
-     * @see
-     * org.alfresco.service.cmr.publishing.channels.ChannelService#renameChannel
-     * (java.lang.String, java.lang.String, java.lang.String)
-     */
-    @Override
+    /**
+    * {@inheritDoc}
+    */
     public void renameChannel(String siteId, String oldName, String newName)
     {
-        Map<String, NodeRef> environments = environmentHelper.getEnvironments(siteId);
-        Set<NodeRef> containers = new HashSet<NodeRef>();
-        containers.add(getChannelContainer(siteId));
-        containers.addAll(environments.values());
+        Set<NodeRef> containers = getAllChannelContainers(siteId);
         for (NodeRef channelContainer : containers)
         {
             NodeRef channel = nodeService.getChildByName(channelContainer, ContentModel.ASSOC_CONTAINS, oldName);
@@ -309,10 +321,7 @@ public class ChannelServiceImpl implements ChannelService
     @Override
     public void updateChannel(String siteId, String channelName, Map<QName, Serializable> properties)
     {
-        Map<String, NodeRef> environments = environmentHelper.getEnvironments(siteId);
-        Set<NodeRef> containers = new HashSet<NodeRef>();
-        containers.add(getChannelContainer(siteId));
-        containers.addAll(environments.values());
+        Set<NodeRef> containers = getAllChannelContainers(siteId);
         for (NodeRef channelContainer : containers)
         {
             NodeRef channel = nodeService.getChildByName(channelContainer, ContentModel.ASSOC_CONTAINS, channelName);
@@ -323,4 +332,18 @@ public class ChannelServiceImpl implements ChannelService
         }
     }
 
+    /**
+    * {@inheritDoc}
+    */
+    @Override
+    public Channel getChannel(String id)
+    {
+        if(id!=null)
+        {
+            NodeRef node = new NodeRef(id);
+            return channelHelper.buildChannelObject(node, this);
+        }
+        return null;
+    }
+
 }
diff --git a/source/java/org/alfresco/service/cmr/publishing/channels/ChannelService.java b/source/java/org/alfresco/service/cmr/publishing/channels/ChannelService.java
index d290edecee..64137262f1 100644
--- a/source/java/org/alfresco/service/cmr/publishing/channels/ChannelService.java
+++ b/source/java/org/alfresco/service/cmr/publishing/channels/ChannelService.java
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ import java.io.Serializable;
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Map;
 
+import org.alfresco.service.cmr.repository.NodeRef;
 import org.alfresco.service.namespace.QName;
 
 /**
@@ -99,4 +100,11 @@ public interface ChannelService
      * @return The specified Channel objects or <code>null</code> if the specified channel does not exist.
      */
     Channel getChannel(String siteId, String channelName);
+    
+    /**
+     * Retrieve the channel with the given id.
+     * @param id The string value of the channel {@link NodeRef}.
+     * @return The specified Channel objects or <code>null</code> if the specified channel does not exist.
+     */
+    Channel getChannel(String id);
 }