diff --git a/src/LEGO.AsyncAPI/Models/AsyncApiDocument.cs b/src/LEGO.AsyncAPI/Models/AsyncApiDocument.cs
index 5be55202..b6488883 100644
--- a/src/LEGO.AsyncAPI/Models/AsyncApiDocument.cs
+++ b/src/LEGO.AsyncAPI/Models/AsyncApiDocument.cs
@@ -6,8 +6,8 @@ namespace LEGO.AsyncAPI.Models
     using System.Collections.Generic;
     using LEGO.AsyncAPI.Exceptions;
     using LEGO.AsyncAPI.Models.Interfaces;
-    using LEGO.AsyncAPI.Writers;
     using LEGO.AsyncAPI.Services;
+    using LEGO.AsyncAPI.Writers;
 
     /// <summary>
     /// This is the root document object for the API specification. It combines resource listing and API declaration together into one document.
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ public class AsyncApiDocument : IAsyncApiExtensible, IAsyncApiSerializable
         /// <summary>
         /// REQUIRED. The available channels and messages for the API.
         /// </summary>
-        public IDictionary<string, AsyncApiChannel> Channels { get; set; } = new Dictionary<string, AsyncApiChannel>();
+        public IDictionary<string, AsyncApiChannel> Channels { get; set; }
 
         /// <summary>
         /// an element to hold various schemas for the specification.
diff --git a/src/LEGO.AsyncAPI/Validation/Rules/AsyncApiDocumentRules.cs b/src/LEGO.AsyncAPI/Validation/Rules/AsyncApiDocumentRules.cs
index 27076369..264c1611 100644
--- a/src/LEGO.AsyncAPI/Validation/Rules/AsyncApiDocumentRules.cs
+++ b/src/LEGO.AsyncAPI/Validation/Rules/AsyncApiDocumentRules.cs
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ public static class AsyncApiDocumentRules
                     context.Exit();
 
                     context.Enter("channels");
-                    if (document.Channels == null || !document.Channels.Keys.Any())
+                    if (document.Channels == null)
                     {
                         context.CreateError(
                             nameof(DocumentRequiredFields),
diff --git a/test/LEGO.AsyncAPI.Tests/AsyncApiDocumentBuilder.cs b/test/LEGO.AsyncAPI.Tests/AsyncApiDocumentBuilder.cs
index 3f2ee429..886fb7bf 100644
--- a/test/LEGO.AsyncAPI.Tests/AsyncApiDocumentBuilder.cs
+++ b/test/LEGO.AsyncAPI.Tests/AsyncApiDocumentBuilder.cs
@@ -2,9 +2,10 @@
 
 namespace LEGO.AsyncAPI.Tests
 {
+    using System;
+    using System.Collections.Generic;
     using LEGO.AsyncAPI.Models;
     using LEGO.AsyncAPI.Models.Interfaces;
-    using System;
 
     internal class AsyncApiDocumentBuilder
     {
@@ -42,6 +43,10 @@ public AsyncApiDocumentBuilder WithDefaultContentType(string contentType = "appl
 
         public AsyncApiDocumentBuilder WithChannel(string key, AsyncApiChannel channel)
         {
+            if (this.document.Channels == null)
+            {
+                this.document.Channels = new Dictionary<string, AsyncApiChannel>();
+            }
             this.document.Channels.Add(key, channel);
             return this;
         }
diff --git a/test/LEGO.AsyncAPI.Tests/AsyncApiDocumentV2Tests.cs b/test/LEGO.AsyncAPI.Tests/AsyncApiDocumentV2Tests.cs
index 6e1a9c70..13ae85e5 100644
--- a/test/LEGO.AsyncAPI.Tests/AsyncApiDocumentV2Tests.cs
+++ b/test/LEGO.AsyncAPI.Tests/AsyncApiDocumentV2Tests.cs
@@ -1202,6 +1202,10 @@ public void Serialize_WithBindingReferences_SerializesDeserializes()
                     },
                 },
             };
+            if (doc.Channels == null)
+            {
+                doc.Channels = new Dictionary<string, AsyncApiChannel>();
+            }
             doc.Channels.Add(
                 "testChannel",
                 new AsyncApiChannel
@@ -1260,6 +1264,10 @@ public void Serializev2_WithBindings_Serializes()
                 Protocol = "pulsar+ssl",
                 Url = "example.com",
             });
+            if (doc.Channels == null)
+            {
+                doc.Channels = new Dictionary<string, AsyncApiChannel>();
+            }
             doc.Channels.Add(
                 "testChannel",
                 new AsyncApiChannel