diff --git a/api/requirements/base.txt b/api/requirements/base.txt
index b05be4bff99ae5587ec78125ce410339853f41a5..c2fc95a6f3371772e9371bda64a5fdd941cb9f05 100644
--- a/api/requirements/base.txt
+++ b/api/requirements/base.txt
@@ -49,7 +49,8 @@ django-dynamic-preferences>=1.7,<1.8
 raven>=6.5,<7
 python-magic==0.4.15
 ffmpeg-python==0.1.10
-channels>=2.1,<2.2
+# XXX: until https://github.com/django/channels/issues/1240 is fixed
+channels==2.1.6
 channels_redis>=2.3,<2.4
 daphne>=2.2,<2.3
 
diff --git a/changes/changelog.d/697.bugfix b/changes/changelog.d/697.bugfix
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..66fe1ee9ac682d40f0670fe06ebdd31f9e763174
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changes/changelog.d/697.bugfix
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Downgraded channels dependency to 2.1.6 to fix denied uploads (#697)