diff --git a/src/main/java/org/micromanager/lightsheetmanager/gui/tabs/channels/ChannelTable.java b/src/main/java/org/micromanager/lightsheetmanager/gui/tabs/channels/ChannelTable.java
index 212663f..783ca2d 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/micromanager/lightsheetmanager/gui/tabs/channels/ChannelTable.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/micromanager/lightsheetmanager/gui/tabs/channels/ChannelTable.java
@@ -78,6 +78,10 @@ public ChannelTableData getData() {
         return tableData_;
     }
 
+    public ChannelTableModel getTableModel() {
+        return tableModel_;
+    }
+
     public JTable getTable() {
         return table_;
     }
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/micromanager/lightsheetmanager/gui/tabs/channels/ChannelTableModel.java b/src/main/java/org/micromanager/lightsheetmanager/gui/tabs/channels/ChannelTableModel.java
index 48a4276..1a2fed5 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/micromanager/lightsheetmanager/gui/tabs/channels/ChannelTableModel.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/micromanager/lightsheetmanager/gui/tabs/channels/ChannelTableModel.java
@@ -20,15 +20,28 @@ public class ChannelTableModel extends AbstractTableModel {
             "Offset"
     };
 
-    private final ChannelTableData tableData_;
+    private final ChannelTableData data_;
 
     public ChannelTableModel(final ChannelTableData tableData) {
-        tableData_ = Objects.requireNonNull(tableData);
+        data_ = Objects.requireNonNull(tableData);
+    }
+
+    public void addEmptyChannel() {
+        final int rowIndex = data_.getNumChannels();
+        data_.addEmptyChannel();
+        fireTableRowsInserted(rowIndex, rowIndex);
+    }
+
+    public void removeChannel(int rowIndex) {
+        if (rowIndex != -1) {
+           data_.removeChannel(rowIndex);
+           fireTableRowsDeleted(rowIndex, rowIndex);
+        }
     }
 
     @Override
     public int getRowCount() {
-        return tableData_.getNumChannels();
+        return data_.getNumChannels();
     }
 
     @Override
@@ -63,7 +76,7 @@ public boolean isCellEditable(int row, int col) {
 
     @Override
     public Object getValueAt(int row, int col) {
-       final ChannelSpec channelSpec = tableData_.getChannelByIndex(row);
+       final ChannelSpec channelSpec = data_.getChannelByIndex(row);
         switch (col) {
             case COLUMN_USE:
                 return channelSpec.isUsed();
@@ -78,7 +91,7 @@ public Object getValueAt(int row, int col) {
 
     @Override
     public void setValueAt(Object value, int row, int col) {
-        final ChannelSpec channelSpec = tableData_.getChannelByIndex(row);
+        final ChannelSpec channelSpec = data_.getChannelByIndex(row);
         switch (col) {
             case COLUMN_USE:
                 if (value instanceof Boolean) {
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/micromanager/lightsheetmanager/gui/tabs/channels/ChannelTablePanel.java b/src/main/java/org/micromanager/lightsheetmanager/gui/tabs/channels/ChannelTablePanel.java
index 76203b0..edb0521 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/micromanager/lightsheetmanager/gui/tabs/channels/ChannelTablePanel.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/micromanager/lightsheetmanager/gui/tabs/channels/ChannelTablePanel.java
@@ -83,27 +83,22 @@ private void createEventHandlers() {
 
         // add channel
         btnAddChannel_.registerListener(e -> {
-            table_.getData().addEmptyChannel();
-//            revalidate(); // updates JScrollBar when adding elements
-            table_.refreshData();
-//            table_.repaint();
-//            repaint();
-            //System.out.println("add channel");
-            //table_.getData().printChannelData();
+            table_.getTableModel().addEmptyChannel();
             final ChannelSpec[] channels = table_.getData().getChannels();
             model_.acquisitions().settingsBuilder().channels(channels);
             model_.acquisitions().settingsBuilder().numChannels(channels.length);
+            //System.out.println("add channel");
+            //table_.getData().printChannelData();
         });
 
         // remove channel
         btnRemoveChannel_.registerListener(e -> {
             final int row = table_.getTable().getSelectedRow();
             if (row != -1) { // is any row selected?
-                table_.getData().removeChannel(row);
+                table_.getTableModel().removeChannel(row);
                 final ChannelSpec[] channels = table_.getData().getChannels();
                 model_.acquisitions().settingsBuilder().channels(channels);
                 model_.acquisitions().settingsBuilder().numChannels(channels.length);
-                table_.refreshData();
                 //System.out.println("remove row index: " + row);
             }
         });
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/micromanager/lightsheetmanager/model/channels/ChannelTableData.java b/src/main/java/org/micromanager/lightsheetmanager/model/channels/ChannelTableData.java
index 4e1a48a..d677488 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/micromanager/lightsheetmanager/model/channels/ChannelTableData.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/micromanager/lightsheetmanager/model/channels/ChannelTableData.java
@@ -58,7 +58,9 @@ public void addChannel(final ChannelSpec channel) {
     }
 
     public void removeChannel(final int index) {
-        channels_.remove(index);
+        if (index >= 0 && index < channels_.size()) {
+            channels_.remove(index);
+        }
     }
 
     public void removeAllChannels() {