diff --git a/README.rst b/README.rst
index d020aa71a..00801b030 100644
--- a/README.rst
+++ b/README.rst
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ Optional Integrations
 * Integration with Sentry_ for error logging
 * Integration with NewRelic_ for performance monitoring
 * Integration with Opbeat_ for performance monitoring
+* Experimental Channels_ support
 
 .. _alpha: http://blog.getbootstrap.com/2015/08/19/bootstrap-4-alpha/
 .. _Hitch: https://github.com/hitchtest/hitchtest
@@ -64,7 +65,7 @@ Optional Integrations
 .. _NewRelic: https://newrelic.com
 .. _docker-compose: https://www.github.com/docker/compose
 .. _Opbeat: https://opbeat.com/
-
+.. _Channels: https://github.com/andrewgodwin/channels
 
 Constraints
 -----------
diff --git a/cookiecutter.json b/cookiecutter.json
index 925a75507..8bcd59cf2 100644
--- a/cookiecutter.json
+++ b/cookiecutter.json
@@ -16,5 +16,6 @@
     "use_newrelic": "n",
     "use_opbeat": "n",
     "windows": "n",
-    "use_python2": "n"
+    "use_python2": "n",
+    "use_channels": "n"
 }
diff --git a/docs/channels.rst b/docs/channels.rst
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..6c52ab779
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/channels.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+Channels
+========
+
+Cookiecutter-django comes with (experimental) channels support. A basic skeleton of a Django
+project with channels is generated automatically for you if you choose to `use_channels` during
+project setup.
+
+.. note:: If you are using docker, a websocket server and the worker processes are started
+automatically for you. Just replace 127.0.0.1 with the IP of your docker-machine you are running.
+
+There's a basic app called `channelsapp` created automatically for you. It uses the routes from
+`conf/routes.py`. The app is based on the `channels getting started guide
+<https://channels.readthedocs.org/en/latest/getting-started.html>`_.
+
+To see if your websocket server is started, go to http://127.0.0.1:9000/. You should see a greeting
+message from autobahn.
+
+Now, to get started, just open a browser and put the following into the JavaScript console
+to test your new code::
+
+    socket = new WebSocket("ws://127.0.0.1:9000");
+    socket.onmessage = function(e) {
+        alert(e.data);
+    }
+    socket.send("hello world");
+
+
+You should see an alert come back immediately saying "hello world" - your
+message has round-tripped through the server and come back to trigger the alert.
diff --git a/docs/index.rst b/docs/index.rst
index 8cfc45e85..60cc1d33b 100644
--- a/docs/index.rst
+++ b/docs/index.rst
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ Contents:
    settings
    linters
    live-reloading-and-sass-compilation
+   channels
    deployment-on-heroku
    deployment-with-docker
    faq
diff --git a/hooks/post_gen_project.py b/hooks/post_gen_project.py
index 9570e9f46..03f97885f 100644
--- a/hooks/post_gen_project.py
+++ b/hooks/post_gen_project.py
@@ -100,6 +100,12 @@ def remove_task_app(project_directory):
     )
     shutil.rmtree(task_app_location)
 
+
+def remove_channels_files(project_directory):
+    """Removes channels files if it isn't going to be used"""
+    for path in ["config/routing.py", '{{ cookiecutter.repo_name }}/channelsapp']:
+        shutil.rmtree(path)
+
 # IN PROGRESS
 # def copy_doc_files(project_directory):
 #     cookiecutters_dir = DEFAULT_CONFIG['cookiecutters_dir']
@@ -125,5 +131,9 @@ make_secret_key(PROJECT_DIRECTORY)
 if '{{ cookiecutter.use_celery }}'.lower() == 'n':
     remove_task_app(PROJECT_DIRECTORY)
 
+# 2. Removes the taskapp if celery isn't going to be used
+if '{{ cookiecutter.use_channels }}'.lower() == 'n':
+    remove_channels_files(PROJECT_DIRECTORY)
+
 # 3. Copy files from /docs/ to {{ cookiecutter.repo_name }}/docs/
 # copy_doc_files(PROJECT_DIRECTORY)
diff --git a/{{cookiecutter.repo_name}}/config/routing.py b/{{cookiecutter.repo_name}}/config/routing.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..178b826a0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/{{cookiecutter.repo_name}}/config/routing.py
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+"""
+This is an example for a channels routing config using the getting started guide at
+https://channels.readthedocs.org/en/latest/getting-started.html
+"""
+channel_routing = {
+    "websocket.connect": "{{cookiecutter.repo_name}}.channelsapp.consumers.ws_add",
+    "websocket.keepalive": "{{cookiecutter.repo_name}}.channelsapp.consumers.ws_add",
+    "websocket.receive": "{{cookiecutter.repo_name}}.channelsapp.consumers.ws_message",
+    "websocket.disconnect": "{{cookiecutter.repo_name}}.channelsapp.consumers.ws_disconnect",
+}
diff --git a/{{cookiecutter.repo_name}}/config/settings/common.py b/{{cookiecutter.repo_name}}/config/settings/common.py
index 0a5deebef..1c3741853 100644
--- a/{{cookiecutter.repo_name}}/config/settings/common.py
+++ b/{{cookiecutter.repo_name}}/config/settings/common.py
@@ -231,6 +231,17 @@ INSTALLED_APPS += ('kombu.transport.django',)
 BROKER_URL = env("CELERY_BROKER_URL", default='django://')
 ########## END CELERY
 {% endif %}
+{% if cookiecutter.use_channels == 'y' -%}
+########## CHANNELS
+INSTALLED_APPS += ('channels',)
+CHANNEL_BACKENDS = {
+    "default": {
+        "BACKEND": "channels.backends.database.DatabaseChannelBackend",
+        "ROUTING": "config.routing.channel_routing",
+    },
+}
+########## END CHANNELS
+{% endif %}
 
 # Location of root django.contrib.admin URL, use {% raw %}{% url 'admin:index' %}{% endraw %}
 ADMIN_URL = r'^admin/'
diff --git a/{{cookiecutter.repo_name}}/config/settings/production.py b/{{cookiecutter.repo_name}}/config/settings/production.py
index 09b7ba378..8ac0ad01d 100644
--- a/{{cookiecutter.repo_name}}/config/settings/production.py
+++ b/{{cookiecutter.repo_name}}/config/settings/production.py
@@ -286,5 +286,12 @@ LOGGING = {
 {% endif %}
 # Custom Admin URL, use {% raw %}{% url 'admin:index' %}{% endraw %}
 ADMIN_URL = env('DJANGO_ADMIN_URL')
+{% if cookiecutter.use_channels == 'y' -%}
+########## CHANNELS
+# the redis channel is broken on channels==0.8. Use the default DB backend in prod for now
+# CHANNEL_BACKENDS["default"]["BACKEND"] = "channels.backends.redis_py.RedisChannelBackend"
+# CHANNEL_BACKENDS["default"]["HOSTS"] = [("redis-channel", 6379)],
+########## END CHANNELS
+{% endif %}
 
 # Your production stuff: Below this line define 3rd party library settings
diff --git a/{{cookiecutter.repo_name}}/dev.yml b/{{cookiecutter.repo_name}}/dev.yml
index d018f7cd2..0e3b579a9 100644
--- a/{{cookiecutter.repo_name}}/dev.yml
+++ b/{{cookiecutter.repo_name}}/dev.yml
@@ -8,10 +8,29 @@ postgres:
 django:
   dockerfile: Dockerfile-dev
   build: .
+  {% if cookiecutter.use_channels == 'y' -%}
+  # we need to use runserver when using channels because runserver starts a worker process
+  # automatically when channels is installed
+  command: python /app/manage.py runserver 0.0.0.0:8000
+  {% else %}
   command: python /app/manage.py runserver_plus 0.0.0.0:8000
+  {% endif %}
   volumes:
     - .:/app
   ports:
     - "8000:8000"
   links:
     - postgres
+
+{% if cookiecutter.use_channels == 'y' -%}
+channelserver:
+  dockerfile: Dockerfile-dev
+  build: .
+  command: python /app/manage.py runwsserver
+  volumes:
+    - .:/app
+  ports:
+    - "9000:9000"
+  links:
+    - postgres
+{% endif %}
diff --git a/{{cookiecutter.repo_name}}/docker-compose.yml b/{{cookiecutter.repo_name}}/docker-compose.yml
index dc6810372..572d8c658 100644
--- a/{{cookiecutter.repo_name}}/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/{{cookiecutter.repo_name}}/docker-compose.yml
@@ -41,3 +41,25 @@ celerybeat:
     - redis
   command: celery -A {{cookiecutter.repo_name}}.taskapp beat -l INFO
 {% endif %}
+
+{% if cookiecutter.use_channels == 'y' -%}
+channelworker:
+  build: .
+  user: django
+  env_file: .env
+  command: python /app/manage.py runworker
+  links:
+    - postgres
+    - redis
+
+channelserver:
+  build: .
+  user: django
+  env_file: .env
+  command: python /app/manage.py runwsserver
+  ports:
+    - "0.0.0.0:9000:9000"
+  links:
+    - postgres
+    - redis
+{% endif %}
diff --git a/{{cookiecutter.repo_name}}/requirements/base.txt b/{{cookiecutter.repo_name}}/requirements/base.txt
index 6d3c39719..d491b384e 100644
--- a/{{cookiecutter.repo_name}}/requirements/base.txt
+++ b/{{cookiecutter.repo_name}}/requirements/base.txt
@@ -46,5 +46,9 @@ redis>=2.10.0
 {% if cookiecutter.use_celery == "y" %}
 celery==3.1.19
 {% endif %}
+{% if cookiecutter.use_channels == 'y' -%}
+channels==0.8
+autobahn[twisted]
+{% endif %}
 
 # Your custom requirements go here