diff --git a/src/channel.c b/src/channel.c
index a806c56..cad5a1b 100644
--- a/src/channel.c
+++ b/src/channel.c
@@ -1217,8 +1217,6 @@
 #endif
 
     channel->ch_close_cb = NULL;
-    vim_free(channel->ch_callback);
-    channel->ch_callback = NULL;
     channel_clear(channel);
 }
 
@@ -1298,6 +1296,9 @@
 	free_tv(json_head->jq_next->jq_value);
 	remove_json_node(json_head, json_head->jq_next);
     }
+
+    vim_free(channel->ch_callback);
+    channel->ch_callback = NULL;
 }
 
 #if defined(EXITFREE) || defined(PROTO)
@@ -1802,15 +1803,28 @@
     int
 channel_parse_messages(void)
 {
-    channel_T *channel;
-    int	    ret = FALSE;
+    channel_T	*channel = first_channel;
+    int		ret = FALSE;
+    int		r;
 
-    for (channel = first_channel; channel != NULL; channel = channel->ch_next)
-	while (may_invoke_callback(channel) == OK)
+    while (channel != NULL)
+    {
+	/* Increase the refcount, in case the handler causes the channel to be
+	 * unreferenced or closed. */
+	++channel->ch_refcount;
+	r = may_invoke_callback(channel);
+	if (channel_unref(channel))
+	    /* channel was freed, start over */
+	    channel = first_channel;
+
+	if (r == OK)
 	{
-	    channel = first_channel;  /* start over */
+	    channel = first_channel;  /* something was done, start over */
 	    ret = TRUE;
 	}
+	else
+	    channel = channel->ch_next;
+    }
     return ret;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/eval.c b/src/eval.c
index a36f3dd..53d41d1 100644
--- a/src/eval.c
+++ b/src/eval.c
@@ -7730,12 +7730,21 @@
     return OK;
 }
 
-#ifdef FEAT_CHANNEL
-    static void
+#if defined(FEAT_CHANNEL) || defined(PROTO)
+/*
+ * Decrement the reference count on "channel" and free it when it goes down to
+ * zero.
+ * Returns TRUE when the channel was freed.
+ */
+    int
 channel_unref(channel_T *channel)
 {
     if (channel != NULL && --channel->ch_refcount <= 0)
+    {
 	channel_free(channel);
+	return TRUE;
+    }
+    return FALSE;
 }
 #endif
 
diff --git a/src/proto/eval.pro b/src/proto/eval.pro
index d1f5c3c..e63205e 100644
--- a/src/proto/eval.pro
+++ b/src/proto/eval.pro
@@ -79,6 +79,7 @@
 dictitem_T *dict_find(dict_T *d, char_u *key, int len);
 char_u *get_dict_string(dict_T *d, char_u *key, int save);
 long get_dict_number(dict_T *d, char_u *key);
+int channel_unref(channel_T *channel);
 int string2float(char_u *text, float_T *value);
 char_u *get_function_name(expand_T *xp, int idx);
 char_u *get_expr_name(expand_T *xp, int idx);
diff --git a/src/testdir/test_channel.vim b/src/testdir/test_channel.vim
index 0e87899..5b78121 100644
--- a/src/testdir/test_channel.vim
+++ b/src/testdir/test_channel.vim
@@ -295,3 +295,21 @@
     call job_stop(job)
   endtry
 endfunc
+
+let s:unletResponse = ''
+func s:UnletHandler(handle, msg)
+  let s:unletResponse = a:msg
+  unlet s:channelfd
+endfunc
+
+" Test that "unlet handle" in a handler doesn't crash Vim.
+func s:unlet_handle(port)
+  let s:channelfd = ch_open('localhost:' . a:port, s:chopt)
+  call ch_sendexpr(s:channelfd, "test", function('s:UnletHandler'))
+  sleep 10m
+  call assert_equal('what?', s:unletResponse)
+endfunc
+
+func Test_unlet_handle()
+  call s:run_server('s:unlet_handle')
+endfunc
diff --git a/src/version.c b/src/version.c
index f8d838b..f5da6fc 100644
--- a/src/version.c
+++ b/src/version.c
@@ -748,6 +748,8 @@
 static int included_patches[] =
 {   /* Add new patch number below this line */
 /**/
+    1322,
+/**/
     1321,
 /**/
     1320,