diff --git a/nsqd/channel.go b/nsqd/channel.go
index 3c106ddb7..a9919a836 100644
--- a/nsqd/channel.go
+++ b/nsqd/channel.go
@@ -214,6 +214,8 @@ func (c *Channel) Empty() error {
 
 	for {
 		select {
+		case <-c.zoneLocalMsgChan:
+		case <-c.regionLocalMsgChan:
 		case <-c.memoryMsgChan:
 		default:
 			goto finish
@@ -227,13 +229,23 @@ finish:
 // flush persists all the messages in internal memory buffers to the backend
 // it does not drain inflight/deferred because it is only called in Close()
 func (c *Channel) flush() error {
-	if len(c.memoryMsgChan) > 0 || len(c.inFlightMessages) > 0 || len(c.deferredMessages) > 0 {
+	if len(c.zoneLocalMsgChan) > 0 || len(c.regionLocalMsgChan) > 0 || len(c.memoryMsgChan) > 0 || len(c.inFlightMessages) > 0 || len(c.deferredMessages) > 0 {
 		c.nsqd.logf(LOG_INFO, "CHANNEL(%s): flushing %d memory %d in-flight %d deferred messages to backend",
-			c.name, len(c.memoryMsgChan), len(c.inFlightMessages), len(c.deferredMessages))
+			c.name, len(c.memoryMsgChan)+len(c.zoneLocalMsgChan)+len(c.regionLocalMsgChan), len(c.inFlightMessages), len(c.deferredMessages))
 	}
 
 	for {
 		select {
+		case msg := <-c.zoneLocalMsgChan:
+			err := writeMessageToBackend(msg, c.backend)
+			if err != nil {
+				c.nsqd.logf(LOG_ERROR, "failed to write message to backend - %s", err)
+			}
+		case msg := <-c.regionLocalMsgChan:
+			err := writeMessageToBackend(msg, c.backend)
+			if err != nil {
+				c.nsqd.logf(LOG_ERROR, "failed to write message to backend - %s", err)
+			}
 		case msg := <-c.memoryMsgChan:
 			err := writeMessageToBackend(msg, c.backend)
 			if err != nil {
@@ -268,7 +280,7 @@ finish:
 }
 
 func (c *Channel) Depth() int64 {
-	return int64(len(c.memoryMsgChan)) + c.backend.Depth()
+	return int64(len(c.memoryMsgChan)) + int64(len(c.zoneLocalMsgChan)) + int64(len(c.regionLocalMsgChan)) + c.backend.Depth()
 }
 
 func (c *Channel) Pause() error {