diff --git a/gossipd/broadcast.c b/gossipd/broadcast.c
index edf080168..92c75659c 100644
--- a/gossipd/broadcast.c
+++ b/gossipd/broadcast.c
@@ -40,8 +40,8 @@ void broadcast_del(struct broadcast_state *bstate,
 		assert(b == bcast);
 		bstate->count--;
 		broadcast_state_check(bstate, "broadcast_del");
-		bcast->index = 0;
 	}
+	bcast->index = 0;
 }
 
 static void add_broadcast(struct broadcast_state *bstate,
diff --git a/gossipd/gossip_store.c b/gossipd/gossip_store.c
index d67f87108..6171d9a2d 100644
--- a/gossipd/gossip_store.c
+++ b/gossipd/gossip_store.c
@@ -637,7 +637,7 @@ void gossip_store_load(struct routing_state *rstate, struct gossip_store *gs)
 			stats[3]++;
 			break;
 		case WIRE_GOSSIPD_LOCAL_ADD_CHANNEL:
-			if (!handle_local_add_channel(rstate, msg)) {
+			if (!handle_local_add_channel(rstate, msg, gs->len)) {
 				bad = "Bad local_add_channel";
 				goto truncate;
 			}
diff --git a/gossipd/gossipd.c b/gossipd/gossipd.c
index be0a9dc7a..c17bcf9ab 100644
--- a/gossipd/gossipd.c
+++ b/gossipd/gossipd.c
@@ -1673,10 +1673,7 @@ static struct io_plan *peer_msg_in(struct io_conn *conn,
 		ok = handle_get_update(peer, msg);
 		goto handled_cmd;
 	case WIRE_GOSSIPD_LOCAL_ADD_CHANNEL:
-		ok = handle_local_add_channel(peer->daemon->rstate, msg);
-		if (ok)
-			gossip_store_add(peer->daemon->rstate->broadcasts->gs,
-					 msg, NULL);
+		ok = handle_local_add_channel(peer->daemon->rstate, msg, 0);
 		goto handled_cmd;
 	case WIRE_GOSSIPD_LOCAL_CHANNEL_UPDATE:
 		ok = handle_local_channel_update(peer, msg);
diff --git a/gossipd/routing.c b/gossipd/routing.c
index f0425cb8d..269d2825b 100644
--- a/gossipd/routing.c
+++ b/gossipd/routing.c
@@ -427,6 +427,8 @@ struct chan *new_chan(struct routing_state *rstate,
 	chan->nodes[n1idx] = n1;
 	chan->nodes[!n1idx] = n2;
 	broadcastable_init(&chan->bcast);
+	/* This is how we indicate it's not public yet. */
+	chan->bcast.timestamp = 0;
 	chan->sat = satoshis;
 
 	add_chan(n2, chan);
@@ -2450,11 +2452,13 @@ void memleak_remove_routing_tables(struct htable *memtable,
 }
 #endif /* DEVELOPER */
 
-bool handle_local_add_channel(struct routing_state *rstate, const u8 *msg)
+bool handle_local_add_channel(struct routing_state *rstate,
+			      const u8 *msg, u64 index)
 {
 	struct short_channel_id scid;
 	struct node_id remote_node_id;
 	struct amount_sat sat;
+	struct chan *chan;
 
 	if (!fromwire_gossipd_local_add_channel(msg, &scid, &remote_node_id,
 						&sat)) {
@@ -2473,7 +2477,10 @@ bool handle_local_add_channel(struct routing_state *rstate, const u8 *msg)
 		     type_to_string(tmpctx, struct short_channel_id, &scid));
 
 	/* Create new (unannounced) channel */
-	new_chan(rstate, &scid, &rstate->local_id, &remote_node_id, sat);
+	chan = new_chan(rstate, &scid, &rstate->local_id, &remote_node_id, sat);
+	if (!index)
+		index = gossip_store_add(rstate->broadcasts->gs, msg, NULL);
+	chan->bcast.index = index;
 	return true;
 }
 
diff --git a/gossipd/routing.h b/gossipd/routing.h
index 802c55ae3..ba8926bd1 100644
--- a/gossipd/routing.h
+++ b/gossipd/routing.h
@@ -57,11 +57,11 @@ struct chan {
 /* Use this instead of tal_free(chan)! */
 void free_chan(struct routing_state *rstate, struct chan *chan);
 
-/* A local channel can exist which isn't announced; normal channels are only
- * created once we have both an announcement *and* an update. */
+/* A local channel can exist which isn't announced: we abuse timestamp
+ * to indicate this. */
 static inline bool is_chan_public(const struct chan *chan)
 {
-	return chan->bcast.index != 0;
+	return chan->bcast.timestamp != 0;
 }
 
 static inline bool is_halfchan_defined(const struct half_chan *hc)
@@ -386,7 +386,8 @@ bool routing_add_node_announcement(struct routing_state *rstate,
  * is the case for private channels or channels that have not yet reached
  * `announce_depth`.
  */
-bool handle_local_add_channel(struct routing_state *rstate, const u8 *msg);
+bool handle_local_add_channel(struct routing_state *rstate, const u8 *msg,
+			      u64 index);
 
 #if DEVELOPER
 void memleak_remove_routing_tables(struct htable *memtable,