diff --git a/src/MIDI.h b/src/MIDI.h
index fb8c0b4..5575e32 100644
--- a/src/MIDI.h
+++ b/src/MIDI.h
@@ -130,6 +130,7 @@ public:
 
 public:
     static inline MidiType getTypeFromStatusByte(byte inStatus);
+    static inline Channel getChannelFromStatusByte(byte inStatus);
 	static inline bool isChannelMessage(MidiType inType);
 
 private:
diff --git a/src/MIDI.hpp b/src/MIDI.hpp
index 3b375bf..641f706 100644
--- a/src/MIDI.hpp
+++ b/src/MIDI.hpp
@@ -550,9 +550,9 @@ bool MidiInterface<SerialPort>::parse()
 
             if (mPendingMessageIndex >= (mPendingMessageExpectedLenght - 1))
             {
-                mMessage.type = getTypeFromStatusByte(mPendingMessage[0]);
-                mMessage.channel = (mPendingMessage[0] & 0x0f) + 1;
-                mMessage.data1 = mPendingMessage[1];
+                mMessage.type    = getTypeFromStatusByte(mPendingMessage[0]);
+                mMessage.channel = getChannelFromStatusByte(mPendingMessage[0]);
+                mMessage.data1   = mPendingMessage[1];
 
                 // Save data2 only if applicable
                 if (mPendingMessageExpectedLenght == 3)
@@ -725,7 +725,7 @@ bool MidiInterface<SerialPort>::parse()
             mMessage.type = getTypeFromStatusByte(mPendingMessage[0]);
 
             if (isChannelMessage(mMessage.type))
-                mMessage.channel = (mPendingMessage[0] & 0x0f) + 1;
+                mMessage.channel = getChannelFromStatusByte(mPendingMessage[0]);
             else
                 mMessage.channel = 0;
 
@@ -948,6 +948,14 @@ MidiType MidiInterface<SerialPort>::getTypeFromStatusByte(byte inStatus)
     return (MidiType)inStatus;
 }
 
+/*! \brief Returns channel in the range 1-16
+ */
+template<class SerialPort>
+inline Channel MidiInterface<SerialPort>::getChannelFromStatusByte(byte inStatus)
+{
+    return (inStatus & 0x0f) + 1;
+}
+
 template<class SerialPort>
 bool MidiInterface<SerialPort>::isChannelMessage(MidiType inType)
 {