diff --git a/frontend/public/components/cluster-settings/cluster-settings.tsx b/frontend/public/components/cluster-settings/cluster-settings.tsx
index 2d5a614e889..2c27f1f72d6 100644
--- a/frontend/public/components/cluster-settings/cluster-settings.tsx
+++ b/frontend/public/components/cluster-settings/cluster-settings.tsx
@@ -138,7 +138,9 @@ const calculatePercentage = (numerator: number, denominator: number): number =>
   Math.round((numerator / denominator) * 100);
 
 export const CurrentChannel: React.FC<CurrentChannelProps> = ({ cv, clusterVersionIsEditable }) => {
+  // TODO: use a more informative empty state label
   const label = cv.spec.channel || '-';
+  // TODO: do not show #current-channel-update-link when no channels are present in CV (e.g., a nightly build)
   return clusterVersionIsEditable ? (
     <Button
       type="button"
@@ -524,7 +526,7 @@ export const UpdatesGraph: React.FC<UpdatesGraphProps> = ({ cv }) => {
   const secondNewestVersion = availableUpdates[1]?.version;
   const currentChannel = cv.spec.channel;
   const currentPrefix = splitClusterVersionChannel(currentChannel)?.prefix;
-  const similarChannels = getSimilarClusterVersionChannels(currentPrefix);
+  const similarChannels = getSimilarClusterVersionChannels(cv, currentPrefix);
   const newerChannel = getNewerClusterVersionChannel(similarChannels, currentChannel);
 
   return (
diff --git a/frontend/public/components/modals/cluster-channel-modal.tsx b/frontend/public/components/modals/cluster-channel-modal.tsx
index 4158e6e9001..53c8abb813c 100644
--- a/frontend/public/components/modals/cluster-channel-modal.tsx
+++ b/frontend/public/components/modals/cluster-channel-modal.tsx
@@ -42,7 +42,10 @@ class ClusterChannelModal extends PromiseComponent<
 
   render() {
     const { cv } = this.props;
-    const availableChannels = getAvailableClusterChannels();
+    const availableChannels = getAvailableClusterChannels(cv).reduce((o, val) => {
+      o[val] = val;
+      return o;
+    }, {});
     return (
       <form
         onSubmit={this._submit}
diff --git a/frontend/public/components/notification-drawer.tsx b/frontend/public/components/notification-drawer.tsx
index 878581bc100..321df5ba41c 100644
--- a/frontend/public/components/notification-drawer.tsx
+++ b/frontend/public/components/notification-drawer.tsx
@@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ const getUpdateNotificationEntries = (
   const updateData: ClusterUpdate[] = getSortedUpdates(cv);
   const currentChannel = cv?.spec?.channel;
   const currentPrefix = splitClusterVersionChannel(currentChannel)?.prefix;
-  const similarChannels = getSimilarClusterVersionChannels(currentPrefix);
+  const similarChannels = getSimilarClusterVersionChannels(cv, currentPrefix);
   const newerChannel = getNewerClusterVersionChannel(similarChannels, currentChannel);
   const newerChannelVersion = splitClusterVersionChannel(newerChannel)?.version;
   const entries = [];
diff --git a/frontend/public/module/k8s/cluster-settings.ts b/frontend/public/module/k8s/cluster-settings.ts
index 3152d16f0cc..daf6714bf64 100644
--- a/frontend/public/module/k8s/cluster-settings.ts
+++ b/frontend/public/module/k8s/cluster-settings.ts
@@ -39,11 +39,11 @@ export const getSortedUpdates = (cv: ClusterVersionKind): ClusterUpdate[] => {
   }
 };
 
-export const getAvailableClusterChannels = () => ({
-  'stable-4.6': 'stable-4.6',
-  'fast-4.6': 'fast-4.6',
-  'candidate-4.6': 'candidate-4.6',
-});
+export const getAvailableClusterChannels = (cv) => {
+  // temporarily fall back to hard-coded values when `cv.status.desired.channels` are not present
+  // TODO: remove fall back values once `cv.status.desired.channels` are widespread
+  return cv?.status?.desired?.channels || ['stable-4.6', 'fast-4.6', 'candidate-4.6'];
+};
 
 export const getDesiredClusterVersion = (cv: ClusterVersionKind): string => {
   return _.get(cv, 'status.desired.version');
@@ -56,8 +56,8 @@ export const splitClusterVersionChannel = (channel: string) => {
   return parsed ? { prefix: parsed[1], version: parsed[2] } : null;
 };
 
-export const getSimilarClusterVersionChannels = (currentPrefix) => {
-  return _.keys(getAvailableClusterChannels()).filter((channel: string) => {
+export const getSimilarClusterVersionChannels = (cv, currentPrefix) => {
+  return getAvailableClusterChannels(cv).filter((channel: string) => {
     return currentPrefix && splitClusterVersionChannel(channel)?.prefix === currentPrefix;
   });
 };