diff --git a/irc/channel.go b/irc/channel.go
index 583e87d81..2b3302d94 100644
--- a/irc/channel.go
+++ b/irc/channel.go
@@ -210,8 +210,6 @@ func (channel *Channel) MarkDirty(dirtyBits uint) {
 // ChannelManager's lock (that way, no one can join and make the channel dirty again
 // between this method exiting and the actual deletion).
 func (channel *Channel) IsClean() bool {
-	config := channel.server.Config()
-
 	if !channel.writerSemaphore.TryAcquire() {
 		// a database write (which may fail) is in progress, the channel cannot be cleaned up
 		return false
@@ -223,13 +221,8 @@ func (channel *Channel) IsClean() bool {
 	if len(channel.members) != 0 {
 		return false
 	}
-	if channel.registeredFounder == "" {
-		return true
-	}
-	// a registered channel must be fully written to the DB,
-	// and not set to ephemeral history (#704)
-	return channel.dirtyBits == 0 &&
-		channelHistoryStatus(config, true, channel.settings.History) != HistoryEphemeral
+	// see #1507 and #704 among others; registered channels should never be removed
+	return channel.registeredFounder == ""
 }
 
 func (channel *Channel) wakeWriter() {
@@ -793,7 +786,7 @@ func (channel *Channel) Join(client *Client, key string, isSajoin bool, rb *Resp
 		return joinErr, ""
 	}
 
-	client.server.logger.Debug("join", fmt.Sprintf("%s joined channel %s", details.nick, chname))
+	client.server.logger.Debug("channels", fmt.Sprintf("%s joined channel %s", details.nick, chname))
 
 	givenMode := func() (givenMode modes.Mode) {
 		channel.joinPartMutex.Lock()
@@ -1033,7 +1026,7 @@ func (channel *Channel) Part(client *Client, message string, rb *ResponseBuffer)
 		}, details.account)
 	}
 
-	client.server.logger.Debug("part", fmt.Sprintf("%s left channel %s", details.nick, chname))
+	client.server.logger.Debug("channels", fmt.Sprintf("%s left channel %s", details.nick, chname))
 }
 
 // Resume is called after a successful global resume to:
diff --git a/irc/channelmanager.go b/irc/channelmanager.go
index 43b925055..5fd73714e 100644
--- a/irc/channelmanager.go
+++ b/irc/channelmanager.go
@@ -49,23 +49,46 @@ func (cm *ChannelManager) loadRegisteredChannels(config *Config) {
 		return
 	}
 
+	var newChannels []*Channel
+	var collisions []string
+	defer func() {
+		for _, ch := range newChannels {
+			ch.EnsureLoaded()
+			cm.server.logger.Debug("channels", "initialized registered channel", ch.Name())
+		}
+		for _, collision := range collisions {
+			cm.server.logger.Warning("channels", "registered channel collides with existing channel", collision)
+		}
+	}()
+
 	rawNames := cm.server.channelRegistry.AllChannels()
-	registeredChannels := make(utils.StringSet, len(rawNames))
-	registeredSkeletons := make(utils.StringSet, len(rawNames))
+
+	cm.Lock()
+	defer cm.Unlock()
+
+	cm.registeredChannels = make(utils.StringSet, len(rawNames))
+	cm.registeredSkeletons = make(utils.StringSet, len(rawNames))
 	for _, name := range rawNames {
 		cfname, err := CasefoldChannel(name)
 		if err == nil {
-			registeredChannels.Add(cfname)
+			cm.registeredChannels.Add(cfname)
 		}
 		skeleton, err := Skeleton(name)
 		if err == nil {
-			registeredSkeletons.Add(skeleton)
+			cm.registeredSkeletons.Add(skeleton)
+		}
+
+		if _, ok := cm.chans[cfname]; !ok {
+			ch := NewChannel(cm.server, name, cfname, true)
+			cm.chans[cfname] = &channelManagerEntry{
+				channel:      ch,
+				pendingJoins: 0,
+			}
+			newChannels = append(newChannels, ch)
+		} else {
+			collisions = append(collisions, name)
 		}
 	}
-	cm.Lock()
-	defer cm.Unlock()
-	cm.registeredChannels = registeredChannels
-	cm.registeredSkeletons = registeredSkeletons
 }
 
 // Get returns an existing channel with name equivalent to `name`, or nil
diff --git a/irc/handlers.go b/irc/handlers.go
index b71e336a7..2c3bcf741 100644
--- a/irc/handlers.go
+++ b/irc/handlers.go
@@ -1614,9 +1614,8 @@ func listHandler(server *Server, client *Client, msg ircmsg.IrcMessage, rb *Resp
 
 	nick := client.Nick()
 	rplList := func(channel *Channel) {
-		if members, name, topic := channel.listData(); members != 0 {
-			rb.Add(nil, client.server.name, RPL_LIST, nick, name, strconv.Itoa(members), topic)
-		}
+		members, name, topic := channel.listData()
+		rb.Add(nil, client.server.name, RPL_LIST, nick, name, strconv.Itoa(members), topic)
 	}
 
 	clientIsOp := client.HasMode(modes.Operator)