diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 9990d11..c8e0cd0 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -7,6 +7,10 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0
 
 ## [1.8.1] - 2024-01-17
 
+### Added
+
+- Custom update channels support
+
 ### Changed
 
 - Added more detailed logs in case of watchdog failure
diff --git a/install.sh b/install.sh
index 9797b1d..7dd29f0 100644
--- a/install.sh
+++ b/install.sh
@@ -1656,10 +1656,12 @@ watchdog_check() {
 	fi
 	# fi
 
-	FAILSIZE=$(wc -l <$WATCHDOG_FAILURES_FILE)
-	if [ "$FAILSIZE" -gt 10000 ]; then
-		tail -10000 $WATCHDOG_FAILURES_FILE >"$WATCHDOG_FAILURES_FILE.tmp"
-		mv -f "$WATCHDOG_FAILURES_FILE.tmp" "$WATCHDOG_FAILURES_FILE"
+	if [[ -f $WATCHDOG_FAILURES_FILE ]]; then
+		FAILSIZE=$(wc -l <$WATCHDOG_FAILURES_FILE)
+		if [ "$FAILSIZE" -gt 10000 ]; then
+			tail -10000 $WATCHDOG_FAILURES_FILE >"$WATCHDOG_FAILURES_FILE.tmp"
+			mv -f "$WATCHDOG_FAILURES_FILE.tmp" "$WATCHDOG_FAILURES_FILE"
+		fi
 	fi
 
 	echo "$WATCHDOG_TIME" >$WATCHDOG_TIME_FILE
@@ -1685,7 +1687,7 @@ parse_commandline_args() {
 
 	load_update_channel
 
-	CMDARGS=$(getopt --quiet -o wvdp --long watchdog,version,develop,production -n 'nightscout-tool' -- "$@")
+	CMDARGS=$(getopt --quiet -o wvdpc: --long watchdog,version,develop,production,channel: -n 'nightscout-tool' -- "$@")
 
 	# shellcheck disable=SC2181
 	if [ $? != 0 ]; then
@@ -1719,6 +1721,20 @@ parse_commandline_args() {
 			echo "$UPDATE_CHANNEL" >$UPDATE_CHANNEL_FILE
 			shift
 			;;
+		-c | --channel)
+			shift # The arg is next in position args
+			UPDATE_CHANNEL_CANDIDATE=$1
+
+			[[ ! "$UPDATE_CHANNEL_CANDIDATE" =~ ^[a-z]{3,}$ ]] && {
+				echo "Incorrect channel name provided: $UPDATE_CHANNEL_CANDIDATE"
+				exit 1
+			}
+
+			warn "Switching to $UPDATE_CHANNEL_CANDIDATE update channel"
+			UPDATE_CHANNEL="$UPDATE_CHANNEL_CANDIDATE"
+			echo "$UPDATE_CHANNEL" >$UPDATE_CHANNEL_FILE
+			shift
+			;;
 		--)
 			shift
 			break
diff --git a/src/lib.sh b/src/lib.sh
index 21c9e08..4cfb024 100644
--- a/src/lib.sh
+++ b/src/lib.sh
@@ -1640,10 +1640,12 @@ watchdog_check() {
 	fi
 	# fi
 
-	FAILSIZE=$(wc -l <$WATCHDOG_FAILURES_FILE)
-	if [ "$FAILSIZE" -gt 10000 ]; then
-		tail -10000 $WATCHDOG_FAILURES_FILE >"$WATCHDOG_FAILURES_FILE.tmp"
-		mv -f "$WATCHDOG_FAILURES_FILE.tmp" "$WATCHDOG_FAILURES_FILE"
+	if [[ -f $WATCHDOG_FAILURES_FILE ]]; then
+		FAILSIZE=$(wc -l <$WATCHDOG_FAILURES_FILE)
+		if [ "$FAILSIZE" -gt 10000 ]; then
+			tail -10000 $WATCHDOG_FAILURES_FILE >"$WATCHDOG_FAILURES_FILE.tmp"
+			mv -f "$WATCHDOG_FAILURES_FILE.tmp" "$WATCHDOG_FAILURES_FILE"
+		fi
 	fi
 
 	echo "$WATCHDOG_TIME" >$WATCHDOG_TIME_FILE
@@ -1669,7 +1671,7 @@ parse_commandline_args() {
 
 	load_update_channel
 
-	CMDARGS=$(getopt --quiet -o wvdp --long watchdog,version,develop,production -n 'nightscout-tool' -- "$@")
+	CMDARGS=$(getopt --quiet -o wvdpc: --long watchdog,version,develop,production,channel: -n 'nightscout-tool' -- "$@")
 
 	# shellcheck disable=SC2181
 	if [ $? != 0 ]; then
@@ -1703,6 +1705,20 @@ parse_commandline_args() {
 			echo "$UPDATE_CHANNEL" >$UPDATE_CHANNEL_FILE
 			shift
 			;;
+		-c | --channel)
+			shift # The arg is next in position args
+			UPDATE_CHANNEL_CANDIDATE=$1
+
+			[[ ! "$UPDATE_CHANNEL_CANDIDATE" =~ ^[a-z]{3,}$ ]] && {
+				echo "Incorrect channel name provided: $UPDATE_CHANNEL_CANDIDATE"
+				exit 1
+			}
+
+			warn "Switching to $UPDATE_CHANNEL_CANDIDATE update channel"
+			UPDATE_CHANNEL="$UPDATE_CHANNEL_CANDIDATE"
+			echo "$UPDATE_CHANNEL" >$UPDATE_CHANNEL_FILE
+			shift
+			;;
 		--)
 			shift
 			break
diff --git a/updated b/updated
index dafd8f1..e5a7bb5 100644
--- a/updated
+++ b/updated
@@ -1 +1 @@
-2024-01-17T08:47:45.288Z
\ No newline at end of file
+2024-01-17T09:24:04.563Z
\ No newline at end of file