diff --git a/ext-tuner/basic/README.md b/ext-tuner/basic/README.md
index acc6d55452..08e171045f 100644
--- a/ext-tuner/basic/README.md
+++ b/ext-tuner/basic/README.md
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ ncclResult_t pluginGetCollInfo(void* context, ncclFunc_t collType, size_t nBytes
 - **Purpose**: Modify cost tables for collective operations
 - **Current Implementation**:
   - Sets RING+SIMPLE algorithm to cost 0.0 (highest preference)
-  - Sets channel count to 1
+  - Sets channel count to 0
 - **Parameters**:
   - `context`: Plugin context from init
   - `collType`: Type of collective operation
diff --git a/ext-tuner/basic/plugin.c b/ext-tuner/basic/plugin.c
index a17fd009e3..08244be1d4 100644
--- a/ext-tuner/basic/plugin.c
+++ b/ext-tuner/basic/plugin.c
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ __hidden ncclResult_t pluginGetCollInfo(void* context, ncclFunc_t collType, size
   if (table[NCCL_ALGO_RING][NCCL_PROTO_SIMPLE] != NCCL_ALGO_PROTO_IGNORE) {
     table[NCCL_ALGO_RING][NCCL_PROTO_SIMPLE] = 0.0;
   }
-  *nChannels = 1;
+  *nChannels = 0;
   return ncclSuccess;
 }
 
diff --git a/ext-tuner/example/plugin.c b/ext-tuner/example/plugin.c
index 84fb0c941e..c4af3c6b20 100644
--- a/ext-tuner/example/plugin.c
+++ b/ext-tuner/example/plugin.c
@@ -330,8 +330,8 @@ __hidden ncclResult_t pluginGetCollInfo(void* context, ncclFunc_t collType, size
   TunerContext* ctx = (TunerContext*)context;
   if (!ctx) return ncclInternalError;
 
-  // Default channels
-  *nChannels = 1;
+  // Set default channels to 0 to ensure RCCL uses its default channel selection logic in case no match is found or wildcard is used in config.
+  *nChannels = 0;
 
   if (ctx->logFunction) {
     ctx->logFunction(NCCL_LOG_TRACE, NCCL_TUNING, __FILE__, __LINE__,
diff --git a/src/enqueue.cc b/src/enqueue.cc
index 6c26d7d65e..b2f3ba4f7b 100644
--- a/src/enqueue.cc
+++ b/src/enqueue.cc
@@ -2055,6 +2055,9 @@ static ncclResult_t topoGetAlgoInfo(
   info->protocol = protocol;
   float time = minTime;
 
+  // Tuner plugin sets cost to 0.0 if it finds a match
+  bool isTunerMatchFound = (comm->tuner != NULL && minTime == 0.0);
+
   // Yes, we are first assigning and then testing if protocol is sane, but that's OK in this case.
   // coverity[check_after_sink]
   if (info->algorithm == NCCL_ALGO_UNDEF || info->protocol == NCCL_PROTO_UNDEF) {
@@ -2071,7 +2074,10 @@ static ncclResult_t topoGetAlgoInfo(
     WARN("Error : no algorithm/protocol available for function %s with datatype %s.%s%s", ncclFuncToString(info->func), ncclDatatypeToString(info->datatype), ncclAlgoEnvStr, ncclProtoEnvStr);
     return (algoEnv || protoEnv) ? ncclInvalidUsage : ncclInternalError;
   }
-  rcclUpdateCollectiveProtocol(comm, nBytes, info);
+  // Honor Tuner config if available
+  if (!isTunerMatchFound) {
+    rcclUpdateCollectiveProtocol(comm, nBytes, info);
+  }
   rcclSetPipelining(comm, nBytes, info);
   if (simInfo) simInfo->estimatedTime = time;
   TRACE(NCCL_COLL, "%ld Bytes -> Algo %d proto %d time %f", nBytes, info->algorithm, info->protocol, time);