diff --git a/bin/pt-archiver b/bin/pt-archiver
index 7706a6f2..80570d94 100755
--- a/bin/pt-archiver
+++ b/bin/pt-archiver
@@ -3916,13 +3916,20 @@ sub get_slave_status {
               if (!$self->{channel}) {
                   die 'This server returned more than one row for SHOW SLAVE STATUS but "channel" was not specified on the command line';
               }
+              my $slave_use_channels;
               for my $row (@$sss_rows) {
                   $row = { map { lc($_) => $row->{$_} } keys %$row }; # lowercase the keys
+                  if ($row->{channel_name}) {
+                      $slave_use_channels = 1;
+                  }
                   if ($row->{channel_name} eq $self->{channel}) {
                       $ss = $row;
                       last;
                   }
               }
+              if (!$ss && $slave_use_channels) {
+                 die 'This server is using replication channels but "channel" was not specified on the command line';
+              }
           } else {
               if ($sss_rows->[0]->{channel_name} && $sss_rows->[0]->{channel_name} ne $self->{channel}) {
                   die 'This server is using replication channels but "channel" was not specified on the command line';
@@ -3935,6 +3942,9 @@ sub get_slave_status {
              $ss = { map { lc($_) => $ss->{$_} } keys %$ss }; # lowercase the keys
              return $ss;
           }
+          if (!$ss && $self->{channel}) {
+              die "Specified channel name is invalid";
+          }
       }
 
       PTDEBUG && _d('This server returns nothing for SHOW SLAVE STATUS');
diff --git a/bin/pt-heartbeat b/bin/pt-heartbeat
index f3c78632..62a66242 100755
--- a/bin/pt-heartbeat
+++ b/bin/pt-heartbeat
@@ -465,13 +465,20 @@ sub get_slave_status {
               if (!$self->{channel}) {
                   die 'This server returned more than one row for SHOW SLAVE STATUS but "channel" was not specified on the command line';
               }
+              my $slave_use_channels;
               for my $row (@$sss_rows) {
                   $row = { map { lc($_) => $row->{$_} } keys %$row }; # lowercase the keys
+                  if ($row->{channel_name}) {
+                      $slave_use_channels = 1;
+                  }
                   if ($row->{channel_name} eq $self->{channel}) {
                       $ss = $row;
                       last;
                   }
               }
+              if (!$ss && $slave_use_channels) {
+                 die 'This server is using replication channels but "channel" was not specified on the command line';
+              }
           } else {
               if ($sss_rows->[0]->{channel_name} && $sss_rows->[0]->{channel_name} ne $self->{channel}) {
                   die 'This server is using replication channels but "channel" was not specified on the command line';
@@ -484,6 +491,9 @@ sub get_slave_status {
              $ss = { map { lc($_) => $ss->{$_} } keys %$ss }; # lowercase the keys
              return $ss;
           }
+          if (!$ss && $self->{channel}) {
+              die "Specified channel name is invalid";
+          }
       }
 
       PTDEBUG && _d('This server returns nothing for SHOW SLAVE STATUS');
diff --git a/bin/pt-kill b/bin/pt-kill
index 17e81823..9f589f2b 100755
--- a/bin/pt-kill
+++ b/bin/pt-kill
@@ -4197,13 +4197,20 @@ sub get_slave_status {
               if (!$self->{channel}) {
                   die 'This server returned more than one row for SHOW SLAVE STATUS but "channel" was not specified on the command line';
               }
+              my $slave_use_channels;
               for my $row (@$sss_rows) {
                   $row = { map { lc($_) => $row->{$_} } keys %$row }; # lowercase the keys
+                  if ($row->{channel_name}) {
+                      $slave_use_channels = 1;
+                  }
                   if ($row->{channel_name} eq $self->{channel}) {
                       $ss = $row;
                       last;
                   }
               }
+              if (!$ss && $slave_use_channels) {
+                 die 'This server is using replication channels but "channel" was not specified on the command line';
+              }
           } else {
               if ($sss_rows->[0]->{channel_name} && $sss_rows->[0]->{channel_name} ne $self->{channel}) {
                   die 'This server is using replication channels but "channel" was not specified on the command line';
@@ -4216,6 +4223,9 @@ sub get_slave_status {
              $ss = { map { lc($_) => $ss->{$_} } keys %$ss }; # lowercase the keys
              return $ss;
           }
+          if (!$ss && $self->{channel}) {
+              die "Specified channel name is invalid";
+          }
       }
 
       PTDEBUG && _d('This server returns nothing for SHOW SLAVE STATUS');
diff --git a/bin/pt-online-schema-change b/bin/pt-online-schema-change
index c4799a0c..71782bf1 100755
--- a/bin/pt-online-schema-change
+++ b/bin/pt-online-schema-change
@@ -4522,6 +4522,9 @@ sub get_slave_status {
               my $slave_use_channels;
               for my $row (@$sss_rows) {
                   $row = { map { lc($_) => $row->{$_} } keys %$row }; # lowercase the keys
+                  if ($row->{channel_name}) {
+                      $slave_use_channels = 1;
+                  }
                   if ($row->{channel_name} eq $self->{channel}) {
                       $ss = $row;
                       last;
@@ -4531,7 +4534,7 @@ sub get_slave_status {
                  die 'This server is using replication channels but "channel" was not specified on the command line';
               }
           } else {
-              if ($sss_rows->[0]->{channel_name} && $sss_rows->[0]->{channel_name} ne ($self->{channel} || '')) {
+              if ($sss_rows->[0]->{channel_name} && $sss_rows->[0]->{channel_name} ne $self->{channel}) {
                   die 'This server is using replication channels but "channel" was not specified on the command line';
               } else {
                   $ss = $sss_rows->[0];
@@ -4542,11 +4545,14 @@ sub get_slave_status {
              $ss = { map { lc($_) => $ss->{$_} } keys %$ss }; # lowercase the keys
              return $ss;
           }
+          if (!$ss && $self->{channel}) {
+              die "Specified channel name is invalid";
+          }
       }
 
       PTDEBUG && _d('This server returns nothing for SHOW SLAVE STATUS');
       $self->{not_a_slave}->{$dbh}++;
-  } 
+  }
 }
 
 sub get_master_status {
diff --git a/bin/pt-query-digest b/bin/pt-query-digest
index fb9535dc..8a9d0f9e 100755
--- a/bin/pt-query-digest
+++ b/bin/pt-query-digest
@@ -10845,13 +10845,20 @@ sub get_slave_status {
               if (!$self->{channel}) {
                   die 'This server returned more than one row for SHOW SLAVE STATUS but "channel" was not specified on the command line';
               }
+              my $slave_use_channels;
               for my $row (@$sss_rows) {
                   $row = { map { lc($_) => $row->{$_} } keys %$row }; # lowercase the keys
+                  if ($row->{channel_name}) {
+                      $slave_use_channels = 1;
+                  }
                   if ($row->{channel_name} eq $self->{channel}) {
                       $ss = $row;
                       last;
                   }
               }
+              if (!$ss && $slave_use_channels) {
+                 die 'This server is using replication channels but "channel" was not specified on the command line';
+              }
           } else {
               if ($sss_rows->[0]->{channel_name} && $sss_rows->[0]->{channel_name} ne $self->{channel}) {
                   die 'This server is using replication channels but "channel" was not specified on the command line';
@@ -10864,6 +10871,9 @@ sub get_slave_status {
              $ss = { map { lc($_) => $ss->{$_} } keys %$ss }; # lowercase the keys
              return $ss;
           }
+          if (!$ss && $self->{channel}) {
+              die "Specified channel name is invalid";
+          }
       }
 
       PTDEBUG && _d('This server returns nothing for SHOW SLAVE STATUS');
diff --git a/bin/pt-slave-find b/bin/pt-slave-find
index d6c70920..19cf565c 100755
--- a/bin/pt-slave-find
+++ b/bin/pt-slave-find
@@ -2605,13 +2605,20 @@ sub get_slave_status {
               if (!$self->{channel}) {
                   die 'This server returned more than one row for SHOW SLAVE STATUS but "channel" was not specified on the command line';
               }
+              my $slave_use_channels;
               for my $row (@$sss_rows) {
                   $row = { map { lc($_) => $row->{$_} } keys %$row }; # lowercase the keys
+                  if ($row->{channel_name}) {
+                      $slave_use_channels = 1;
+                  }
                   if ($row->{channel_name} eq $self->{channel}) {
                       $ss = $row;
                       last;
                   }
               }
+              if (!$ss && $slave_use_channels) {
+                 die 'This server is using replication channels but "channel" was not specified on the command line';
+              }
           } else {
               if ($sss_rows->[0]->{channel_name} && $sss_rows->[0]->{channel_name} ne $self->{channel}) {
                   die 'This server is using replication channels but "channel" was not specified on the command line';
@@ -2624,6 +2631,9 @@ sub get_slave_status {
              $ss = { map { lc($_) => $ss->{$_} } keys %$ss }; # lowercase the keys
              return $ss;
           }
+          if (!$ss && $self->{channel}) {
+              die "Specified channel name is invalid";
+          }
       }
 
       PTDEBUG && _d('This server returns nothing for SHOW SLAVE STATUS');
diff --git a/bin/pt-slave-restart b/bin/pt-slave-restart
index 7739da7e..90f306ee 100755
--- a/bin/pt-slave-restart
+++ b/bin/pt-slave-restart
@@ -3016,13 +3016,20 @@ sub get_slave_status {
               if (!$self->{channel}) {
                   die 'This server returned more than one row for SHOW SLAVE STATUS but "channel" was not specified on the command line';
               }
+              my $slave_use_channels;
               for my $row (@$sss_rows) {
                   $row = { map { lc($_) => $row->{$_} } keys %$row }; # lowercase the keys
+                  if ($row->{channel_name}) {
+                      $slave_use_channels = 1;
+                  }
                   if ($row->{channel_name} eq $self->{channel}) {
                       $ss = $row;
                       last;
                   }
               }
+              if (!$ss && $slave_use_channels) {
+                 die 'This server is using replication channels but "channel" was not specified on the command line';
+              }
           } else {
               if ($sss_rows->[0]->{channel_name} && $sss_rows->[0]->{channel_name} ne $self->{channel}) {
                   die 'This server is using replication channels but "channel" was not specified on the command line';
@@ -3035,6 +3042,9 @@ sub get_slave_status {
              $ss = { map { lc($_) => $ss->{$_} } keys %$ss }; # lowercase the keys
              return $ss;
           }
+          if (!$ss && $self->{channel}) {
+              die "Specified channel name is invalid";
+          }
       }
 
       PTDEBUG && _d('This server returns nothing for SHOW SLAVE STATUS');
diff --git a/bin/pt-table-checksum b/bin/pt-table-checksum
index 25f37966..cffd5060 100755
--- a/bin/pt-table-checksum
+++ b/bin/pt-table-checksum
@@ -5469,13 +5469,20 @@ sub get_slave_status {
               if (!$self->{channel}) {
                   die 'This server returned more than one row for SHOW SLAVE STATUS but "channel" was not specified on the command line';
               }
+              my $slave_use_channels;
               for my $row (@$sss_rows) {
                   $row = { map { lc($_) => $row->{$_} } keys %$row }; # lowercase the keys
+                  if ($row->{channel_name}) {
+                      $slave_use_channels = 1;
+                  }
                   if ($row->{channel_name} eq $self->{channel}) {
                       $ss = $row;
                       last;
                   }
               }
+              if (!$ss && $slave_use_channels) {
+                 die 'This server is using replication channels but "channel" was not specified on the command line';
+              }
           } else {
               if ($sss_rows->[0]->{channel_name} && $sss_rows->[0]->{channel_name} ne $self->{channel}) {
                   die 'This server is using replication channels but "channel" was not specified on the command line';
@@ -5488,6 +5495,9 @@ sub get_slave_status {
              $ss = { map { lc($_) => $ss->{$_} } keys %$ss }; # lowercase the keys
              return $ss;
           }
+          if (!$ss && $self->{channel}) {
+              die "Specified channel name is invalid";
+          }
       }
 
       PTDEBUG && _d('This server returns nothing for SHOW SLAVE STATUS');
diff --git a/bin/pt-table-sync b/bin/pt-table-sync
index 9b22be46..2b089703 100755
--- a/bin/pt-table-sync
+++ b/bin/pt-table-sync
@@ -6999,13 +6999,20 @@ sub get_slave_status {
               if (!$self->{channel}) {
                   die 'This server returned more than one row for SHOW SLAVE STATUS but "channel" was not specified on the command line';
               }
+              my $slave_use_channels;
               for my $row (@$sss_rows) {
                   $row = { map { lc($_) => $row->{$_} } keys %$row }; # lowercase the keys
+                  if ($row->{channel_name}) {
+                      $slave_use_channels = 1;
+                  }
                   if ($row->{channel_name} eq $self->{channel}) {
                       $ss = $row;
                       last;
                   }
               }
+              if (!$ss && $slave_use_channels) {
+                 die 'This server is using replication channels but "channel" was not specified on the command line';
+              }
           } else {
               if ($sss_rows->[0]->{channel_name} && $sss_rows->[0]->{channel_name} ne $self->{channel}) {
                   die 'This server is using replication channels but "channel" was not specified on the command line';
@@ -7018,6 +7025,9 @@ sub get_slave_status {
              $ss = { map { lc($_) => $ss->{$_} } keys %$ss }; # lowercase the keys
              return $ss;
           }
+          if (!$ss && $self->{channel}) {
+              die "Specified channel name is invalid";
+          }
       }
 
       PTDEBUG && _d('This server returns nothing for SHOW SLAVE STATUS');
diff --git a/lib/DSNParser.pm b/lib/DSNParser.pm
index c6f20788..88c26906 100644
--- a/lib/DSNParser.pm
+++ b/lib/DSNParser.pm
@@ -175,16 +175,6 @@ sub parse {
       }
    }
 
-   # The Perl MySQL driver will override the values from the options file with the other
-   # values specified in the DSN. For us, if the user specified the F parameter, we only
-   # want options to be loaded from the config file.
-   # This is important because if for example, the user specifies F for the --check-slave-lag
-   # paramteter and we don't clean up the other options, the other DSN parameters will be
-   # inherited from the master and we don't want that.
-   if ($final_props{F}) {
-       %final_props = ( 'F' => $final_props{F} );
-   }
-
    return \%final_props;
 }
 
diff --git a/lib/MasterSlave.pm b/lib/MasterSlave.pm
index 0714601c..06286268 100644
--- a/lib/MasterSlave.pm
+++ b/lib/MasterSlave.pm
@@ -475,6 +475,9 @@ sub get_slave_status {
              $ss = { map { lc($_) => $ss->{$_} } keys %$ss }; # lowercase the keys
              return $ss;
           }
+          if (!$ss && $self->{channel}) {
+              die "Specified channel name is invalid";
+          }
       }
 
       PTDEBUG && _d('This server returns nothing for SHOW SLAVE STATUS');