A method, system and article of manufacture are disclosed for selecting a channel instance for connecting a client with a server in a multi-channel instance computer system. In this computer system, when a new channel instance is used for connecting the client with one of the servers, defined channel information is established for the channel instance. The method of this invention comprises the steps of, when a new connection request is made, locking existing channel information; and after said locking, scanning through a list of channel connections for one of the channel instances that is a candidate for said connection request. In response to finding a candidate channel instance, which is in the process of connecting, the connection request is queued against the candidate channel instance. When the candidate channel instance does not complete connecting within a defined or determined time period, a new channel instance is used for the connection request.