diff --git a/src/channel.c b/src/channel.c
index d77a4b7..f65b31f 100644
--- a/src/channel.c
+++ b/src/channel.c
@@ -459,6 +459,9 @@
     static void
 channel_gui_register_one(channel_T *channel, int part)
 {
+    if (!CH_HAS_GUI)
+	return;
+
 # ifdef FEAT_GUI_X11
     /* Tell notifier we are interested in being called
      * when there is input on the editor connection socket. */
@@ -499,12 +502,9 @@
 # endif
 }
 
-    void
+    static void
 channel_gui_register(channel_T *channel)
 {
-    if (!CH_HAS_GUI)
-	return;
-
     if (channel->CH_SOCK_FD != INVALID_FD)
 	channel_gui_register_one(channel, PART_SOCK);
 # ifdef CHANNEL_PIPES
@@ -529,6 +529,30 @@
 }
 
     static void
+channel_gui_unregister_one(channel_T *channel, int part)
+{
+# ifdef FEAT_GUI_X11
+    if (channel->ch_part[part].ch_inputHandler != (XtInputId)NULL)
+    {
+	XtRemoveInput(channel->ch_part[part].ch_inputHandler);
+	channel->ch_part[part].ch_inputHandler = (XtInputId)NULL;
+    }
+# else
+#  ifdef FEAT_GUI_GTK
+    if (channel->ch_part[part].ch_inputHandler != 0)
+    {
+#   if GTK_CHECK_VERSION(3,0,0)
+	g_source_remove(channel->ch_part[part].ch_inputHandler);
+#   else
+	gdk_input_remove(channel->ch_part[part].ch_inputHandler);
+#   endif
+	channel->ch_part[part].ch_inputHandler = 0;
+    }
+#  endif
+# endif
+}
+
+    static void
 channel_gui_unregister(channel_T *channel)
 {
     int	    part;
@@ -539,25 +563,7 @@
     part = PART_SOCK;
 #endif
     {
-# ifdef FEAT_GUI_X11
-	if (channel->ch_part[part].ch_inputHandler != (XtInputId)NULL)
-	{
-	    XtRemoveInput(channel->ch_part[part].ch_inputHandler);
-	    channel->ch_part[part].ch_inputHandler = (XtInputId)NULL;
-	}
-# else
-#  ifdef FEAT_GUI_GTK
-	if (channel->ch_part[part].ch_inputHandler != 0)
-	{
-#   if GTK_CHECK_VERSION(3,0,0)
-	    g_source_remove(channel->ch_part[part].ch_inputHandler);
-#   else
-	    gdk_input_remove(channel->ch_part[part].ch_inputHandler);
-#   endif
-	    channel->ch_part[part].ch_inputHandler = 0;
-	}
-#  endif
-# endif
+	channel_gui_unregister_one(channel, part);
     }
 }
 
@@ -830,19 +836,53 @@
     channel->ch_nb_close_cb = nb_close_cb;
 
 #ifdef FEAT_GUI
-    channel_gui_register(channel);
+    channel_gui_register_one(channel, PART_SOCK);
 #endif
 
     return channel;
 }
 
 #if defined(CHANNEL_PIPES) || defined(PROTO)
+    static void
+may_close_part(sock_T *fd)
+{
+    if (*fd != INVALID_FD)
+    {
+	fd_close(*fd);
+	*fd = INVALID_FD;
+    }
+}
+
     void
 channel_set_pipes(channel_T *channel, sock_T in, sock_T out, sock_T err)
 {
-    channel->CH_IN_FD = in;
-    channel->CH_OUT_FD = out;
-    channel->CH_ERR_FD = err;
+    if (in != INVALID_FD)
+    {
+	may_close_part(&channel->CH_IN_FD);
+	channel->CH_IN_FD = in;
+    }
+    if (out != INVALID_FD)
+    {
+# if defined(FEAT_GUI)
+	channel_gui_unregister_one(channel, PART_OUT);
+# endif
+	may_close_part(&channel->CH_OUT_FD);
+	channel->CH_OUT_FD = out;
+# if defined(FEAT_GUI)
+	channel_gui_register_one(channel, PART_OUT);
+# endif
+    }
+    if (err != INVALID_FD)
+    {
+# if defined(FEAT_GUI)
+	channel_gui_unregister_one(channel, PART_ERR);
+# endif
+	may_close_part(&channel->CH_ERR_FD);
+	channel->CH_ERR_FD = err;
+# if defined(FEAT_GUI)
+	channel_gui_register_one(channel, PART_ERR);
+# endif
+    }
 }
 #endif
 
@@ -1912,21 +1952,9 @@
 	channel->CH_SOCK_FD = INVALID_FD;
     }
 #if defined(CHANNEL_PIPES)
-    if (channel->CH_IN_FD != INVALID_FD)
-    {
-	fd_close(channel->CH_IN_FD);
-	channel->CH_IN_FD = INVALID_FD;
-    }
-    if (channel->CH_OUT_FD != INVALID_FD)
-    {
-	fd_close(channel->CH_OUT_FD);
-	channel->CH_OUT_FD = INVALID_FD;
-    }
-    if (channel->CH_ERR_FD != INVALID_FD)
-    {
-	fd_close(channel->CH_ERR_FD);
-	channel->CH_ERR_FD = INVALID_FD;
-    }
+    may_close_part(&channel->CH_IN_FD);
+    may_close_part(&channel->CH_OUT_FD);
+    may_close_part(&channel->CH_ERR_FD);
 #endif
 
     if (invoke_close_cb && channel->ch_close_cb != NULL)
diff --git a/src/eval.c b/src/eval.c
index 9f56126..f3ebaa5 100644
--- a/src/eval.c
+++ b/src/eval.c
@@ -10164,6 +10164,18 @@
 		    return FAIL;
 		}
 	    }
+	    else if (STRCMP(hi->hi_key, "channel") == 0)
+	    {
+		if (!(supported & JO_OUT_IO))
+		    break;
+		opt->jo_set |= JO_CHANNEL;
+		if (item->v_type != VAR_CHANNEL)
+		{
+		    EMSG2(_(e_invarg2), "channel");
+		    return FAIL;
+		}
+		opt->jo_channel = item->vval.v_channel;
+	    }
 	    else if (STRCMP(hi->hi_key, "callback") == 0)
 	    {
 		if (!(supported & JO_CALLBACK))
diff --git a/src/os_unix.c b/src/os_unix.c
index 7eb4e71..8a61166 100644
--- a/src/os_unix.c
+++ b/src/os_unix.c
@@ -5111,7 +5111,14 @@
 
     if (!use_null_for_in || !use_null_for_out || !use_null_for_err)
     {
-	channel = add_channel();
+	if (options->jo_set & JO_CHANNEL)
+	{
+	    channel = options->jo_channel;
+	    if (channel != NULL)
+		++channel->ch_refcount;
+	}
+	else
+	    channel = add_channel();
 	if (channel == NULL)
 	    goto failed;
     }
@@ -5211,7 +5218,7 @@
     job->jv_pid = pid;
     job->jv_status = JOB_STARTED;
 # ifdef FEAT_CHANNEL
-    job->jv_channel = channel;
+    job->jv_channel = channel;  /* ch_refcount was set above */
 # endif
 
 # ifdef FEAT_CHANNEL
@@ -5232,9 +5239,6 @@
 		      use_out_for_err || use_file_for_err || use_null_for_err
 						    ? INVALID_FD : fd_err[0]);
 	channel_set_job(channel, job, options);
-#  ifdef FEAT_GUI
-	channel_gui_register(channel);
-#  endif
     }
 # endif
 
@@ -5243,8 +5247,7 @@
 
 failed: ;
 # ifdef FEAT_CHANNEL
-    if (channel != NULL)
-	channel_free(channel);
+    channel_unref(channel);
     if (fd_in[0] >= 0)
 	close(fd_in[0]);
     if (fd_in[1] >= 0)
diff --git a/src/os_win32.c b/src/os_win32.c
index c4dc349..49fd0f7 100644
--- a/src/os_win32.c
+++ b/src/os_win32.c
@@ -5138,7 +5138,14 @@
 
     if (!use_null_for_in || !use_null_for_out || !use_null_for_err)
     {
-	channel = add_channel();
+	if (options->jo_set & JO_CHANNEL)
+	{
+	    channel = options->jo_channel;
+	    if (channel != NULL)
+		++channel->ch_refcount;
+	}
+	else
+	    channel = add_channel();
 	if (channel == NULL)
 	    goto failed;
     }
@@ -5188,9 +5195,6 @@
 		      use_out_for_err || use_file_for_err || use_null_for_err
 					    ? INVALID_FD : (sock_T)efd[0]);
 	channel_set_job(channel, job, options);
-#  ifdef FEAT_GUI
-	channel_gui_register(channel);
-#  endif
     }
 # endif
     return;
@@ -5203,7 +5207,7 @@
     CloseHandle(ifd[1]);
     CloseHandle(ofd[1]);
     CloseHandle(efd[1]);
-    channel_free(channel);
+    channel_unref(channel);
 # else
     ;  /* make compiler happy */
 # endif
diff --git a/src/proto/channel.pro b/src/proto/channel.pro
index 18dceb5..bb7bab3 100644
--- a/src/proto/channel.pro
+++ b/src/proto/channel.pro
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@
 channel_T *add_channel(void);
 int channel_may_free(channel_T *channel);
 void channel_free(channel_T *channel);
-void channel_gui_register(channel_T *channel);
 void channel_gui_register_all(void);
 channel_T *channel_open(char *hostname, int port_in, int waittime, void (*nb_close_cb)(void));
 void channel_set_pipes(channel_T *channel, sock_T in, sock_T out, sock_T err);
diff --git a/src/structs.h b/src/structs.h
index 373405c..9ccc09a 100644
--- a/src/structs.h
+++ b/src/structs.h
@@ -1412,6 +1412,7 @@
 #define JO_OUT_BUF	    0x1000000	/* "out-buf" */
 #define JO_ERR_BUF	    0x2000000	/* "err-buf" (JO_OUT_BUF << 1) */
 #define JO_IN_BUF	    0x4000000	/* "in-buf" (JO_OUT_BUF << 2) */
+#define JO_CHANNEL	    0x8000000	/* "channel" */
 #define JO_ALL		    0xfffffff
 
 #define JO_MODE_ALL	(JO_MODE + JO_IN_MODE + JO_OUT_MODE + JO_ERR_MODE)
@@ -1443,6 +1444,7 @@
     char_u	jo_io_name_buf[4][NUMBUFLEN];
     char_u	*jo_io_name[4];	/* not allocated! */
     int		jo_io_buf[4];
+    channel_T	*jo_channel;
 
     linenr_T	jo_in_top;
     linenr_T	jo_in_bot;
diff --git a/src/testdir/test_channel.vim b/src/testdir/test_channel.vim
index 909afea..5f2b97f 100644
--- a/src/testdir/test_channel.vim
+++ b/src/testdir/test_channel.vim
@@ -917,6 +917,33 @@
   call job_stop(job)
 endfunc
 
+func Test_reuse_channel()
+  if !has('job')
+    return
+  endif
+  call ch_log('Test_reuse_channel()')
+
+  let job = job_start(s:python . " test_channel_pipe.py")
+  call assert_equal("run", job_status(job))
+  let handle = job_getchannel(job)
+  try
+    call ch_sendraw(handle, "echo something\n")
+    call assert_equal("something", ch_readraw(handle))
+  finally
+    call job_stop(job)
+  endtry
+
+  let job = job_start(s:python . " test_channel_pipe.py", {'channel': handle})
+  call assert_equal("run", job_status(job))
+  let handle = job_getchannel(job)
+  try
+    call ch_sendraw(handle, "echo again\n")
+    call assert_equal("again", ch_readraw(handle))
+  finally
+    call job_stop(job)
+  endtry
+endfunc
+
 """"""""""
 
 let s:unletResponse = ''
diff --git a/src/version.c b/src/version.c
index d138eb8..4f6c51d 100644
--- a/src/version.c
+++ b/src/version.c
@@ -744,6 +744,8 @@
 static int included_patches[] =
 {   /* Add new patch number below this line */
 /**/
+    1536,
+/**/
     1535,
 /**/
     1534,