A turbomachine includes a casing having an inlet end opposite an outlet end along a longitudinal axis of the casing; a shaft assembly provided within the casing, the shaft assembly extending from the inlet end to the outlet end; a plurality of rotating impellers extending radially outward from the shaft assembly; and a communication channel defined between two adjacent impellers to permit a backflow of fluid from a diffuser channel of a downstream impeller to a return channel of an adjacent upstream impeller.