diff --git a/src/chat/chat_headless_control.c b/src/chat/chat_headless_control.c
index 2d2b0317..f3c134df 100644
--- a/src/chat/chat_headless_control.c
+++ b/src/chat/chat_headless_control.c
@@ -592,8 +592,10 @@ static void hc_handle_connect(struct headless_client* cli, int id, const char* j
 static void hc_handle_create_channel(struct headless_client* cli, int id, const char* json) {
     char name[256];
     if (json_get_str(json, "name", name, sizeof(name)) < 0) { send_response(cli, id, NULL, "missing 'name' param"); return; }
-    chat_core_create_channel_auto(cli->hc->inst, name);
-    send_response(cli, id, "{\"created\":true}", NULL);
+    uint64_t channel = chat_core_create_channel_auto(cli->hc->inst, name);
+    if (!channel) { send_response(cli, id, NULL, "channel creation failed (see log)"); return; }
+    char result[96]; snprintf(result, sizeof(result), "{\"created\":true,\"channel_id\":\"%llu\"}", (unsigned long long)channel);
+    send_response(cli, id, result, NULL);
 }
 
 static void hc_handle_invite_to(struct headless_client* cli, int id, const char* json) {