diff --git a/projects/rccl/src/graph/connect.cc b/projects/rccl/src/graph/connect.cc
index 3191028688..1c1d45690f 100644
--- a/projects/rccl/src/graph/connect.cc
+++ b/projects/rccl/src/graph/connect.cc
@@ -691,7 +691,9 @@ ncclResult_t ncclTopoPostset(struct ncclComm* comm, int* firstRanks, int* treePa
   if (mscclEnabled() && (comm->topo->mscclEnabled || mscclForceEnabled())) {
     int mscclNumChannelsRequired = maxNchannels;
     mscclSchedulerInit(comm, &mscclNumChannelsRequired);
-    minNchannels = std::max(minNchannels, mscclNumChannelsRequired);
+    if (comm->mscclCompatible) {
+      minNchannels = std::max(minNchannels, mscclNumChannelsRequired);
+    }
   }
 
   // Honor NCCL_MIN_NRINGS/NCCL_MAX_NRINGS.