diff --git a/src/channel.c b/src/channel.c
index 169db9c..fe94dd4 100644
--- a/src/channel.c
+++ b/src/channel.c
@@ -1696,12 +1696,11 @@
  * Returns NULL in case of error or timeout.
  */
     char_u *
-channel_read_block(channel_T *channel, int part)
+channel_read_block(channel_T *channel, int part, int timeout)
 {
     char_u	*buf;
     char_u	*msg;
     ch_mode_T	mode = channel->ch_part[part].ch_mode;
-    int		timeout = channel->ch_part[part].ch_timeout;
     sock_T	fd = channel->ch_part[part].ch_fd;
     char_u	*nl;
 
@@ -1753,16 +1752,23 @@
 /*
  * Read one JSON message with ID "id" from "channel"/"part" and store the
  * result in "rettv".
+ * When "id" is -1 accept any message;
  * Blocks until the message is received or the timeout is reached.
  */
     int
-channel_read_json_block(channel_T *channel, int part, int id, typval_T **rettv)
+channel_read_json_block(
+	channel_T *channel,
+	int part,
+	int timeout,
+	int id,
+	typval_T **rettv)
 {
     int		more;
     sock_T	fd;
 
     ch_log(channel, "Reading JSON");
-    channel->ch_part[part].ch_block_id = id;
+    if (id != -1)
+	channel->ch_part[part].ch_block_id = id;
     for (;;)
     {
 	more = channel_parse_json(channel, part);
@@ -1781,10 +1787,9 @@
 	    if (channel_parse_messages())
 		continue;
 
-	    /* Wait for up to the channel timeout. */
+	    /* Wait for up to the timeout. */
 	    fd = channel->ch_part[part].ch_fd;
-	    if (fd == INVALID_FD || channel_wait(channel, fd,
-				   channel->ch_part[part].ch_timeout) == FAIL)
+	    if (fd == INVALID_FD || channel_wait(channel, fd, timeout) == FAIL)
 		break;
 	    channel_read(channel, part, "channel_read_json_block");
 	}
@@ -2161,4 +2166,13 @@
     return channel->ch_part[part].ch_mode;
 }
 
+/*
+ * Return the timeout of "channel"/"part"
+ */
+    int
+channel_get_timeout(channel_T *channel, int part)
+{
+    return channel->ch_part[part].ch_timeout;
+}
+
 #endif /* FEAT_CHANNEL */
diff --git a/src/eval.c b/src/eval.c
index 2a0f92a..0c723ec 100644
--- a/src/eval.c
+++ b/src/eval.c
@@ -507,6 +507,7 @@
 static void f_ch_log(typval_T *argvars, typval_T *rettv);
 static void f_ch_logfile(typval_T *argvars, typval_T *rettv);
 static void f_ch_open(typval_T *argvars, typval_T *rettv);
+static void f_ch_read(typval_T *argvars, typval_T *rettv);
 static void f_ch_readraw(typval_T *argvars, typval_T *rettv);
 static void f_ch_sendexpr(typval_T *argvars, typval_T *rettv);
 static void f_ch_sendraw(typval_T *argvars, typval_T *rettv);
@@ -8129,6 +8130,7 @@
     {"ch_log",		1, 2, f_ch_log},
     {"ch_logfile",	1, 2, f_ch_logfile},
     {"ch_open",		1, 2, f_ch_open},
+    {"ch_read",		1, 2, f_ch_read},
     {"ch_readraw",	1, 2, f_ch_readraw},
     {"ch_sendexpr",	2, 3, f_ch_sendexpr},
     {"ch_sendraw",	2, 3, f_ch_sendraw},
@@ -9881,7 +9883,7 @@
 get_job_options(typval_T *tv, jobopt_T *opt, int supported)
 {
     typval_T	*item;
-    char_u	*mode;
+    char_u	*val;
     dict_T	*dict;
     int		todo;
     hashitem_T	*hi;
@@ -9909,18 +9911,18 @@
 		if (!(supported & JO_MODE))
 		    break;
 		opt->jo_set |= JO_MODE;
-		mode = get_tv_string(item);
-		if (STRCMP(mode, "nl") == 0)
+		val = get_tv_string(item);
+		if (STRCMP(val, "nl") == 0)
 		    opt->jo_mode = MODE_NL;
-		else if (STRCMP(mode, "raw") == 0)
+		else if (STRCMP(val, "raw") == 0)
 		    opt->jo_mode = MODE_RAW;
-		else if (STRCMP(mode, "js") == 0)
+		else if (STRCMP(val, "js") == 0)
 		    opt->jo_mode = MODE_JS;
-		else if (STRCMP(mode, "json") == 0)
+		else if (STRCMP(val, "json") == 0)
 		    opt->jo_mode = MODE_JSON;
 		else
 		{
-		    EMSG2(_(e_invarg2), mode);
+		    EMSG2(_(e_invarg2), val);
 		    return FAIL;
 		}
 	    }
@@ -9950,6 +9952,27 @@
 		opt->jo_set |= JO_TIMEOUT;
 		opt->jo_timeout = get_tv_number(item);
 	    }
+	    else if (STRCMP(hi->hi_key, "part") == 0)
+	    {
+		if (!(supported & JO_PART))
+		    break;
+		opt->jo_set |= JO_PART;
+		val = get_tv_string(item);
+		if (STRCMP(val, "err") == 0)
+		    opt->jo_part = PART_ERR;
+		else
+		{
+		    EMSG2(_(e_invarg2), val);
+		    return FAIL;
+		}
+	    }
+	    else if (STRCMP(hi->hi_key, "id") == 0)
+	    {
+		if (!(supported & JO_ID))
+		    break;
+		opt->jo_set |= JO_ID;
+		opt->jo_id = get_tv_number(item);
+	    }
 	    else
 		break;
 	    --todo;
@@ -10107,30 +10130,77 @@
 }
 
 /*
- * "ch_readraw()" function
+ * Common for ch_read() and ch_readraw().
  */
     static void
-f_ch_readraw(typval_T *argvars, typval_T *rettv)
+common_channel_read(typval_T *argvars, typval_T *rettv, int raw)
 {
     channel_T	*channel;
     int		part;
+    jobopt_T	opt;
+    int		mode;
+    int		timeout;
+    int		id = -1;
+    typval_T	*listtv = NULL;
 
     /* return an empty string by default */
     rettv->v_type = VAR_STRING;
     rettv->vval.v_string = NULL;
 
-    /* TODO: use timeout from the options */
-    /* TODO: read from stderr */
+    opt.jo_set = 0;
+    if (get_job_options(&argvars[1], &opt, JO_TIMEOUT + JO_PART + JO_ID)
+								      == FAIL)
+	return;
 
     channel = get_channel_arg(&argvars[0]);
     if (channel != NULL)
     {
-	part = channel_part_read(channel);
-	rettv->vval.v_string = channel_read_block(channel, part);
+	if (opt.jo_set & JO_PART)
+	    part = opt.jo_part;
+	else
+	    part = channel_part_read(channel);
+	mode = channel_get_mode(channel, part);
+	timeout = channel_get_timeout(channel, part);
+	if (opt.jo_set & JO_TIMEOUT)
+	    timeout = opt.jo_timeout;
+
+	if (raw || mode == MODE_RAW || mode == MODE_NL)
+	    rettv->vval.v_string = channel_read_block(channel, part, timeout);
+	else
+	{
+	    if (opt.jo_set & JO_ID)
+		id = opt.jo_id;
+	    channel_read_json_block(channel, part, timeout, id, &listtv);
+	    if (listtv != NULL)
+		*rettv = *listtv;
+	    else
+	    {
+		rettv->v_type = VAR_SPECIAL;
+		rettv->vval.v_number = VVAL_NONE;
+	    }
+	}
     }
 }
 
 /*
+ * "ch_read()" function
+ */
+    static void
+f_ch_read(typval_T *argvars, typval_T *rettv)
+{
+    common_channel_read(argvars, rettv, FALSE);
+}
+
+/*
+ * "ch_readraw()" function
+ */
+    static void
+f_ch_readraw(typval_T *argvars, typval_T *rettv)
+{
+    common_channel_read(argvars, rettv, TRUE);
+}
+
+/*
  * common for "sendexpr()" and "sendraw()"
  * Returns the channel if the caller should read the response.
  * Sets "part_read" to the the read fd.
@@ -10177,6 +10247,7 @@
     ch_mode_T	ch_mode;
     int		part_send;
     int		part_read;
+    int		timeout;
 
     /* return an empty string by default */
     rettv->v_type = VAR_STRING;
@@ -10204,7 +10275,10 @@
     vim_free(text);
     if (channel != NULL)
     {
-	if (channel_read_json_block(channel, part_read, id, &listtv) == OK)
+	/* TODO: timeout from options */
+	timeout = channel_get_timeout(channel, part_read);
+	if (channel_read_json_block(channel, part_read, timeout, id, &listtv)
+									== OK)
 	{
 	    list_T *list = listtv->vval.v_list;
 
@@ -10227,6 +10301,7 @@
     char_u	*text;
     channel_T	*channel;
     int		part_read;
+    int		timeout;
 
     /* return an empty string by default */
     rettv->v_type = VAR_STRING;
@@ -10235,7 +10310,11 @@
     text = get_tv_string_buf(&argvars[1], buf);
     channel = send_common(argvars, text, 0, "sendraw", &part_read);
     if (channel != NULL)
-	rettv->vval.v_string = channel_read_block(channel, part_read);
+    {
+	/* TODO: timeout from options */
+	timeout = channel_get_timeout(channel, part_read);
+	rettv->vval.v_string = channel_read_block(channel, part_read, timeout);
+    }
 }
 
 /*
diff --git a/src/proto/channel.pro b/src/proto/channel.pro
index 610a135..fa06f4f 100644
--- a/src/proto/channel.pro
+++ b/src/proto/channel.pro
@@ -23,9 +23,9 @@
 void channel_free_all(void);
 int channel_get_id(void);
 void channel_read(channel_T *channel, int part, char *func);
-char_u *channel_read_block(channel_T *channel, int part);
-int channel_read_json_block(channel_T *channel, int part, int id, typval_T **rettv);
-channel_T *channel_fd2channel(sock_T fd, int *part);
+char_u *channel_read_block(channel_T *channel, int part, int timeout);
+int channel_read_json_block(channel_T *channel, int part, int timeout, int id, typval_T **rettv);
+channel_T *channel_fd2channel(sock_T fd, int *partp);
 void channel_handle_events(void);
 int channel_send(channel_T *channel, int part, char_u *buf, char *fun);
 int channel_poll_setup(int nfd_in, void *fds_in);
@@ -37,4 +37,5 @@
 int channel_part_send(channel_T *channel);
 int channel_part_read(channel_T *channel);
 ch_mode_T channel_get_mode(channel_T *channel, int part);
+int channel_get_timeout(channel_T *channel, int part);
 /* vim: set ft=c : */
diff --git a/src/structs.h b/src/structs.h
index e93313e..814b3f7 100644
--- a/src/structs.h
+++ b/src/structs.h
@@ -1377,6 +1377,8 @@
 #define JO_CALLBACK	2	/* channel callback */
 #define JO_WAITTIME	4	/* only for ch_open() */
 #define JO_TIMEOUT	8	/* all timeouts */
+#define JO_PART		16	/* "part" */
+#define JO_ID		32	/* "id" */
 #define JO_ALL		0xffffff
 
 /*
@@ -1390,6 +1392,8 @@
     char_u	*jo_callback;	/* not allocated! */
     int		jo_waittime;
     int		jo_timeout;
+    int		jo_part;
+    int		jo_id;
 } jobopt_T;
 
 
diff --git a/src/testdir/test_channel.vim b/src/testdir/test_channel.vim
index 2ed3abf..cfe3250 100644
--- a/src/testdir/test_channel.vim
+++ b/src/testdir/test_channel.vim
@@ -184,6 +184,21 @@
 
   call assert_equal('ok', ch_sendexpr(handle, 'empty-request'))
 
+  " Reading while there is nothing available.
+  call assert_equal(v:none, ch_read(handle, {'timeout': 0}))
+  let start = reltime()
+  call assert_equal(v:none, ch_read(handle, {'timeout': 333}))
+  let elapsed = reltime(start)
+  call assert_true(reltimefloat(elapsed) > 0.3)
+  call assert_true(reltimefloat(elapsed) < 0.6)
+
+  " Send without waiting for a response, then wait for a response.
+  call ch_sendexpr(handle, 'wait a bit',  {'callback': 0})
+  let resp = ch_read(handle)
+  call assert_equal(type([]), type(resp))
+  call assert_equal(type(11), type(resp[0]))
+  call assert_equal('waited', resp[1])
+
   " make the server quit, can't check if this works, should not hang.
   call ch_sendexpr(handle, '!quit!', {'callback': 0})
 endfunc
@@ -292,8 +307,7 @@
     " Oops, port does exists.
     call ch_close(handle)
   else
-    " Failed connection doesn't wait the full time on Unix.
-    " TODO: why is MS-Windows different?
+    " Failed connection should wait about 500 msec.
     let elapsed = reltime(start)
     call assert_true(reltimefloat(elapsed) < 1.0)
   endif
diff --git a/src/version.c b/src/version.c
index b39ac60..f82e874 100644
--- a/src/version.c
+++ b/src/version.c
@@ -748,6 +748,8 @@
 static int included_patches[] =
 {   /* Add new patch number below this line */
 /**/
+    1372,
+/**/
     1371,
 /**/
     1370,