diff --git a/fs/cifs/fs_context.c b/fs/cifs/fs_context.c
index 3bcf881c3ae9..5d21cd905315 100644
--- a/fs/cifs/fs_context.c
+++ b/fs/cifs/fs_context.c
@@ -1021,6 +1021,9 @@ static int smb3_fs_context_parse_param(struct fs_context *fc,
 			goto cifs_parse_mount_err;
 		}
 		ctx->max_channels = result.uint_32;
+		/* If more than one channel requested ... they want multichan */
+		if (result.uint_32 > 1)
+			ctx->multichannel = true;
 		break;
 	case Opt_handletimeout:
 		ctx->handle_timeout = result.uint_32;
diff --git a/fs/cifs/sess.c b/fs/cifs/sess.c
index 63d517b9f2ff..a92a1fb7cb52 100644
--- a/fs/cifs/sess.c
+++ b/fs/cifs/sess.c
@@ -97,6 +97,12 @@ int cifs_try_adding_channels(struct cifs_sb_info *cifs_sb, struct cifs_ses *ses)
 		return 0;
 	}
 
+	if (!(ses->server->capabilities & SMB2_GLOBAL_CAP_MULTI_CHANNEL)) {
+		cifs_dbg(VFS, "server %s does not support multichannel\n", ses->server->hostname);
+		ses->chan_max = 1;
+		return 0;
+	}
+
 	/*
 	 * Make a copy of the iface list at the time and use that
 	 * instead so as to not hold the iface spinlock for opening
diff --git a/fs/cifs/smb2pdu.c b/fs/cifs/smb2pdu.c
index e36c2a867783..a8bf43184773 100644
--- a/fs/cifs/smb2pdu.c
+++ b/fs/cifs/smb2pdu.c
@@ -841,6 +841,8 @@ SMB2_negotiate(const unsigned int xid, struct cifs_ses *ses)
 		req->SecurityMode = 0;
 
 	req->Capabilities = cpu_to_le32(server->vals->req_capabilities);
+	if (ses->chan_max > 1)
+		req->Capabilities |= cpu_to_le32(SMB2_GLOBAL_CAP_MULTI_CHANNEL);
 
 	/* ClientGUID must be zero for SMB2.02 dialect */
 	if (server->vals->protocol_id == SMB20_PROT_ID)
@@ -1032,6 +1034,9 @@ int smb3_validate_negotiate(const unsigned int xid, struct cifs_tcon *tcon)
 
 	pneg_inbuf->Capabilities =
 			cpu_to_le32(server->vals->req_capabilities);
+	if (tcon->ses->chan_max > 1)
+		pneg_inbuf->Capabilities |= cpu_to_le32(SMB2_GLOBAL_CAP_MULTI_CHANNEL);
+
 	memcpy(pneg_inbuf->Guid, server->client_guid,
 					SMB2_CLIENT_GUID_SIZE);