diff --git a/base/channels.jl b/base/channels.jl
index 1cb6b5386f960..67899f97237db 100644
--- a/base/channels.jl
+++ b/base/channels.jl
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ Representation of a channel passing objects of type `T`.
 abstract type AbstractChannel{T} end
 
 """
-    Channel{T}(sz::Int)
+    Channel{T}(sz::Int=0)
 
 Constructs a `Channel` with an internal buffer that can hold a maximum of `sz` objects
 of type `T`.
@@ -19,8 +19,12 @@ And vice-versa.
 
 Other constructors:
 
+* `Channel()`: default constructor, equivalent to `Channel{Any}(0)`
 * `Channel(Inf)`: equivalent to `Channel{Any}(typemax(Int))`
 * `Channel(sz)`: equivalent to `Channel{Any}(sz)`
+
+!!! compat "Julia 1.3"
+  The default constructor `Channel()` and default `sz=0` were added in Julia 1.3.
 """
 mutable struct Channel{T} <: AbstractChannel{T}
     cond_take::Threads.Condition                 # waiting for data to become available
@@ -32,7 +36,7 @@ mutable struct Channel{T} <: AbstractChannel{T}
     data::Vector{T}
     sz_max::Int                          # maximum size of channel
 
-    function Channel{T}(sz::Integer) where T
+    function Channel{T}(sz::Integer = 0) where T
         if sz < 0
             throw(ArgumentError("Channel size must be either 0, a positive integer or Inf"))
         end
@@ -48,6 +52,7 @@ function Channel{T}(sz::Float64) where T
     return Channel{T}(sz)
 end
 Channel(sz) = Channel{Any}(sz)
+Channel() = Channel{Any}(0)
 
 # special constructors
 """
@@ -95,6 +100,25 @@ Hello
 julia> istaskdone(taskref[])
 true
 ```
+
+!!! compat "Julia 1.3"
+  The following constructors were added in Julia 1.3.
+
+Other constructors:
+* `Channel{T}(func::Function, sz=0)`
+* `Channel{T}(func::Function; csize=0, taskref=nothing)`
+
+```jldoctest
+julia> chnl = Channel{Char}(1) do ch
+           for c in "hello world"
+               put!(ch, c)
+           end
+       end
+Channel{Char}(sz_max:1,sz_curr:1)
+
+julia> String(collect(chnl))
+"hello world"
+```
 """
 function Channel(func::Function; ctype=Any, csize=0, taskref=nothing)
     chnl = Channel{ctype}(csize)
@@ -105,6 +129,12 @@ function Channel(func::Function; ctype=Any, csize=0, taskref=nothing)
     isa(taskref, Ref{Task}) && (taskref[] = task)
     return chnl
 end
+function Channel{T}(f::Function, sz=0) where T
+    return Channel(f, csize=sz, ctype=T)
+end
+function Channel{T}(f::Function; csize=0, taskref=nothing) where T
+    return Channel(f, csize=csize, ctype=T, taskref=taskref)
+end
 
 
 closed_exception() = InvalidStateException("Channel is closed.", :closed)
diff --git a/test/channels.jl b/test/channels.jl
index 2583e2f8e4e39..29a0ab52631da 100644
--- a/test/channels.jl
+++ b/test/channels.jl
@@ -13,6 +13,10 @@ using Random
 end
 
 @testset "various constructors" begin
+    c = Channel()
+    @test eltype(c) == Any
+    @test c.sz_max == 0
+
     c = Channel(1)
     @test eltype(c) == Any
     @test put!(c, 1) == 1
@@ -25,17 +29,50 @@ end
     @test eltype(c) == Int
     @test_throws MethodError put!(c, "Hello")
 
+    c = Channel{Int}()
+    @test eltype(c) == Int
+    @test c.sz_max == 0
+
     c = Channel{Int}(Inf)
     @test eltype(c) == Int
     pvals = map(i->put!(c,i), 1:10^6)
     tvals = Int[take!(c) for i in 1:10^6]
     @test pvals == tvals
 
-    @test_throws MethodError Channel()
     @test_throws ArgumentError Channel(-1)
     @test_throws InexactError Channel(1.5)
 end
 
+@testset "Task constructors" begin
+    c = Channel(ctype=Float32, csize=2) do c; map(i->put!(c,i), 1:100); end
+    @test eltype(c) == Float32
+    @test c.sz_max == 2
+    @test isopen(c)
+    @test collect(c) == 1:100
+
+    c = Channel{Int}() do c; map(i->put!(c,i), 1:100); end
+    @test eltype(c) == Int
+    @test c.sz_max == 0
+    @test collect(c) == 1:100
+
+    c = Channel() do c; put!(c, 1); put!(c, "hi") end
+    @test c.sz_max == 0
+    @test collect(c) == [1, "hi"]
+
+    c = Channel{Int}(Inf) do c; put!(c,1); end
+    @test eltype(c) == Int
+    @test c.sz_max == typemax(Int)
+
+    taskref = Ref{Task}()
+    c = Channel{Int}(csize=0, taskref=taskref) do c; put!(c, 0); end
+    @test eltype(c) == Int
+    @test c.sz_max == 0
+    @test istaskstarted(taskref[])
+    @test !istaskdone(taskref[])
+    take!(c); wait(taskref[])
+    @test istaskdone(taskref[])
+end
+
 @testset "multiple concurrent put!/take! on a channel for different sizes" begin
     function testcpt(sz)
         c = Channel{Int}(sz)