diff --git a/jax/_src/config.py b/jax/_src/config.py
index 93b211d53c5d..63129697ea10 100644
--- a/jax/_src/config.py
+++ b/jax/_src/config.py
@@ -2294,3 +2294,9 @@ def _default_pmap_no_rank_reduction(new_val):
         ' ragged_dot_general_p.'
     ),
 )
+
+jax_collectives_common_channel_id = bool_flag(
+    name='jax_collectives_common_channel_id',
+    default=True,
+    help="Should collectives use a common channel ID? Temporary feature flag.",
+)
diff --git a/jax/_src/interpreters/mlir.py b/jax/_src/interpreters/mlir.py
index f3dd5b503ed2..90f879372e01 100644
--- a/jax/_src/interpreters/mlir.py
+++ b/jax/_src/interpreters/mlir.py
@@ -1182,6 +1182,12 @@ def check_jaxpr_constants(closed_jaxpr: core.ClosedJaxpr):
   except Exception as exc:
     warnings.warn(message + f" Exception raised while generating report: {exc}")
 
+# TODO(phawkins): it is my firm belief that:
+# a) channel IDs have only a vestigal function when applied to collectives, and
+# b) their identity does not matter. The presence or absence of a channel
+#    changes whether XLA considers collectives to be inter-replica or
+#    inter-partition, but beyond that we believe they have little effect.
+COLLECTIVE_CHANNEL_ID = 1
 
 def lower_jaxpr_to_module(
     module_name: str,
@@ -1274,8 +1280,8 @@ def lower_jaxpr_to_module(
   if unlowerable_effects:
     raise ValueError(f'Cannot lower jaxpr with effects: {jaxpr.effects}')
 
-  # HLO channels need to start at 1
-  channel_iter = itertools.count(1)
+  # HLO channels need to start at 1. We reserve 1 for collectives.
+  channel_iter = itertools.count(COLLECTIVE_CHANNEL_ID + 1)
   # Create a keepalives list that will be mutated during the lowering.
   keepalives: list[Any] = []
   host_callbacks: list[Any] = []
diff --git a/jax/_src/lax/parallel.py b/jax/_src/lax/parallel.py
index 357a93f0d2f8..2ea3deb6c3e9 100644
--- a/jax/_src/lax/parallel.py
+++ b/jax/_src/lax/parallel.py
@@ -987,6 +987,13 @@ def _check_axis_names(axes, api_name):
           f"Found an unbound axis name: {name}. To fix this, please call"
           f" {api_name} under `jax.shard_map`.")
 
+# TODO(phawkins): remove this function and flag if this doesn't break anyone.
+def _get_channel(ctx):
+  if config.jax_collectives_common_channel_id.value:
+    return mlir.COLLECTIVE_CHANNEL_ID
+  else:
+    return ctx.module_context.new_channel_id()
+
 def _allreduce_lowering(prim, pos_fn, ctx, *args, axes, axis_index_groups):
   if axis_index_groups is not None and ("tpu" in ctx.module_context.platforms):
     len_0 = len(axis_index_groups[0])
@@ -1017,10 +1024,9 @@ def _positional_reduce(aval, arg):
 
   def all_reduce(aval, x):
     if is_spmd:
-      channel = ctx.module_context.new_channel()
       other_args = dict(
           channel_handle=hlo.ChannelHandle.get(
-              channel, mlir.DEVICE_TO_DEVICE_TYPE),
+              _get_channel(ctx), mlir.DEVICE_TO_DEVICE_TYPE),
           use_global_device_ids=ir.BoolAttr.get(True))
     else:
       other_args = {}
@@ -1117,9 +1123,11 @@ def _pcollectives_lowering_common(ctx, *, axis_name, perm, op_name):
       and axis_context.manual_axes
   )
   if is_manual:
-    channel = ctx.module_context.new_channel()
     other_args = dict(
-        channel_handle=hlo.ChannelHandle.get(channel, mlir.DEVICE_TO_DEVICE_TYPE))
+        channel_handle=hlo.ChannelHandle.get(
+            _get_channel(ctx), mlir.DEVICE_TO_DEVICE_TYPE
+        )
+    )
   else:
     other_args = {}
   return full_perm, other_args
@@ -1305,11 +1313,11 @@ def source_to_front(group):
       (SPMDAxisContext, ShardingContext),
   )
   if is_spmd:
-    # We want to emit the collective-broadcast with global device IDs and a unique
+    # We want to emit the collective-broadcast with global device IDs and a
     # channel ID, as otherwise it interprets the devices as replicas instead
     # of partitions - and XLA is configured with only a single replica.
-    channel = ctx.module_context.new_channel()
-    channel_handle = hlo.ChannelHandle.get(channel, mlir.DEVICE_TO_DEVICE_TYPE)
+    channel_handle = hlo.ChannelHandle.get(_get_channel(ctx),
+                                           mlir.DEVICE_TO_DEVICE_TYPE)
     other_args = dict(channel_handle=channel_handle)
   else:
     other_args = {}
@@ -1358,11 +1366,11 @@ def _all_to_all_lowering(
       (SPMDAxisContext, ShardingContext),
   )
   if is_spmd:
-    # We want to emit the all-gather with global device IDs and a unique
+    # We want to emit the all-gather with global device IDs and a
     # channel ID, as otherwise it interprets the devices as replicas instead
     # of partitions - and XLA is configured with only a single replica.
-    channel = ctx.module_context.new_channel()
-    channel_handle = hlo.ChannelHandle.get(channel, mlir.DEVICE_TO_DEVICE_TYPE)
+    channel_handle = hlo.ChannelHandle.get(_get_channel(ctx),
+                                           mlir.DEVICE_TO_DEVICE_TYPE)
     other_args = dict(channel_handle=channel_handle)
   else:
     other_args = {}
@@ -1519,7 +1527,7 @@ def _ragged_all_to_all_lowering(
       ctx.module_context.axis_context, (SPMDAxisContext, ShardingContext))
   if is_spmd:
     ragged_all_to_all_attrs['channel_id'] = ir.IntegerAttr.get(
-        ir.IntegerType.get_signless(64), ctx.module_context.new_channel()
+        ir.IntegerType.get_signless(64), _get_channel(ctx)
     )
 
   return hlo.CustomCallOp(
@@ -1746,13 +1754,12 @@ def _all_gather_lowering(ctx, x, *, all_gather_dimension, axis_name,
   replica_groups = _replica_groups(ctx.module_context.axis_env, axis_name,
                                     axis_index_groups)
   if is_spmd:
-    # We want to emit the all-gather with global device IDs and a unique
+    # We want to emit the all-gather with global device IDs and a
     # channel ID, as otherwise it interprets the devices as replicas instead
     # of partitions - and XLA is configured with only a single replica.
-    channel = ctx.module_context.new_channel()
     other_args = dict(
         channel_handle=hlo.ChannelHandle.get(
-            channel, mlir.DEVICE_TO_DEVICE_TYPE),
+            _get_channel(ctx), mlir.DEVICE_TO_DEVICE_TYPE),
         use_global_device_ids=ir.BoolAttr.get(True))
   else:
     other_args = {}
@@ -1969,13 +1976,12 @@ def _reduce_scatter_lowering(
       (SPMDAxisContext, ShardingContext),
   )
   if is_spmd:
-    # We want to emit the all-gather with global device IDs and a unique
+    # We want to emit the all-gather with global device IDs and a
     # channel ID, as otherwise it interprets the devices as replicas instead
     # of partitions - and XLA is configured with only a single replica.
-    channel = ctx.module_context.new_channel()
     other_args = dict(
         channel_handle=hlo.ChannelHandle.get(
-            channel, mlir.DEVICE_TO_DEVICE_TYPE),
+            _get_channel(ctx), mlir.DEVICE_TO_DEVICE_TYPE),
         use_global_device_ids=ir.BoolAttr.get(True))
   else:
     other_args = {}