diff --git a/lib/units/device/plugins/solo.js b/lib/units/device/plugins/solo.js
index d38ec108..1f5eeae4 100644
--- a/lib/units/device/plugins/solo.js
+++ b/lib/units/device/plugins/solo.js
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+var crypto = require('crypto')
+
 var syrup = require('stf-syrup')
 
 var logger = require('../../../util/logger')
@@ -11,7 +13,16 @@ module.exports = syrup.serial()
   .dependency(require('./identity'))
   .define(function(options, sub, push, router, identity) {
     var log = logger.createLogger('device:plugins:solo')
-    var channel = wireutil.makePrivateChannel()
+
+    // The channel should keep the same value between restarts, so that
+    // having the client side up to date all the time is not horribly painful.
+    function makeChannelId() {
+      var hash = crypto.createHash('sha1')
+      hash.update(options.serial)
+      return hash.digest('base64')
+    }
+
+    var channel = makeChannelId()
 
     log.info('Subscribing to permanent channel "%s"', channel)
     sub.subscribe(channel)