diff --git a/seed/seedwriter/writer.go b/seed/seedwriter/writer.go
index fc5a7151eae..69e0bba0681 100644
--- a/seed/seedwriter/writer.go
+++ b/seed/seedwriter/writer.go
@@ -427,9 +427,26 @@ func (w *Writer) SetOptionsSnaps(optSnaps []*OptionsSnap) error {
 			if err != nil {
 				return fmt.Errorf("cannot use option channel for snap %q: %v", whichSnap, err)
 			}
-			if err := w.policy.checkSnapChannel(ch, whichSnap); err != nil {
+
+			// Check whether the channel defined in the model assertion
+			// is same as the option snap(--snap=SNAP_NAME=CHANNEL)
+			modSnaps, err := w.modSnaps()
+			if err != nil {
 				return err
 			}
+			for _, modSnap := range modSnaps {
+				if sn.Name != modSnap.Name {
+					continue
+				}
+
+				if modSnap.Presence == "optional" && sn.Channel == modSnap.DefaultChannel {
+					continue
+				} else {
+					if err := w.policy.checkSnapChannel(ch, whichSnap); err != nil {
+						return err
+					}
+				}
+			}
 		}
 		if local {
 			if w.localSnaps == nil {
diff --git a/seed/seedwriter/writer_test.go b/seed/seedwriter/writer_test.go
index 78fb2c0f9ce..9bc0fe48928 100644
--- a/seed/seedwriter/writer_test.go
+++ b/seed/seedwriter/writer_test.go
@@ -3316,6 +3316,102 @@ func (s *writerSuite) TestSnapsToDownloadCore20OptionalSnaps(c *C) {
 	c.Check(snaps[5].SnapName(), Equals, "optional20-b")
 }
 
+func (s *writerSuite) TestSnapsToDownloadCore20OptionalSnapsWithSameChannel(c *C) {
+	model := s.Brands.Model("my-brand", "my-model", map[string]interface{}{
+		"display-name": "my model",
+		"architecture": "amd64",
+		"base":         "core20",
+		"snaps": []interface{}{
+			map[string]interface{}{
+				"name":            "pc-kernel",
+				"id":              s.AssertedSnapID("pc-kernel"),
+				"type":            "kernel",
+				"default-channel": "20",
+			},
+			map[string]interface{}{
+				"name":            "pc",
+				"id":              s.AssertedSnapID("pc"),
+				"type":            "gadget",
+				"default-channel": "20",
+			},
+			map[string]interface{}{
+				"name":            "optional20-a",
+				"id":              s.AssertedSnapID("optional20-a"),
+				"presence":        "optional",
+				"default-channel": "20",
+			},
+		},
+	})
+
+	// validity
+	c.Assert(model.Grade(), Equals, asserts.ModelSigned)
+
+	s.makeSnap(c, "snapd", "")
+	s.makeSnap(c, "core20", "")
+	s.makeSnap(c, "pc-kernel=20", "")
+	s.makeSnap(c, "pc=20", "")
+	s.makeSnap(c, "optional20-a", "developerid")
+
+	s.opts.Label = "20191122"
+	w, err := seedwriter.New(model, s.opts)
+	c.Assert(err, IsNil)
+
+	err = w.SetOptionsSnaps([]*seedwriter.OptionsSnap{{Name: "optional20-a", Channel: "20"}})
+	c.Assert(err, IsNil)
+
+	err = w.Start(s.db, s.rf)
+	c.Assert(err, IsNil)
+
+	snaps, err := w.SnapsToDownload()
+	c.Assert(err, IsNil)
+	c.Check(snaps, HasLen, 5)
+	c.Check(snaps[4].SnapName(), Equals, "optional20-a")
+}
+
+func (s *writerSuite) TestSnapsToDownloadCore20OptionalSnapsWithDifferentChannel(c *C) {
+	model := s.Brands.Model("my-brand", "my-model", map[string]interface{}{
+		"display-name": "my model",
+		"architecture": "amd64",
+		"base":         "core20",
+		"snaps": []interface{}{
+			map[string]interface{}{
+				"name":            "pc-kernel",
+				"id":              s.AssertedSnapID("pc-kernel"),
+				"type":            "kernel",
+				"default-channel": "20",
+			},
+			map[string]interface{}{
+				"name":            "pc",
+				"id":              s.AssertedSnapID("pc"),
+				"type":            "gadget",
+				"default-channel": "20",
+			},
+			map[string]interface{}{
+				"name":            "optional20-a",
+				"id":              s.AssertedSnapID("optional20-a"),
+				"presence":        "optional",
+				"default-channel": "20",
+			},
+		},
+	})
+
+	// validity
+	c.Assert(model.Grade(), Equals, asserts.ModelSigned)
+
+	s.makeSnap(c, "snapd", "")
+	s.makeSnap(c, "core20", "")
+	s.makeSnap(c, "pc-kernel=20", "")
+	s.makeSnap(c, "pc=20", "")
+	s.makeSnap(c, "optional20-a", "developerid")
+
+	s.opts.Label = "20191122"
+	w, err := seedwriter.New(model, s.opts)
+	c.Assert(err, IsNil)
+
+	err = w.SetOptionsSnaps([]*seedwriter.OptionsSnap{{Name: "optional20-a", Channel: "22"}})
+	c.Check(err, ErrorMatches, `cannot override channels, add devmode snaps, local snaps, or extra snaps with a model of grade higher than dangerous`)
+}
+
 func (s *writerSuite) TestSeedSnapsWriteMetaCore20ExtraSnaps(c *C) {
 	model := s.Brands.Model("my-brand", "my-model", map[string]interface{}{
 		"display-name": "my model",