diff --git a/lib/ably/realtime/channels.rb b/lib/ably/realtime/channels.rb
index e7cf788d..ead0114d 100644
--- a/lib/ably/realtime/channels.rb
+++ b/lib/ably/realtime/channels.rb
@@ -34,17 +34,37 @@ def fetch(*args)
         super
       end
 
-      # Detaches the {Ably::Realtime::Channel Realtime Channel} and releases all associated resources.
+      # Releases the {Ably::Realtime::Channel Realtime Channel} with the given name and all associated resources.
       #
       # Releasing a Realtime Channel is not typically necessary as a channel, once detached, consumes no resources other than
       # the memory footprint of the {Ably::Realtime::Channel Realtime Channel object}. Release channels to free up resources if required
       #
+      # A realtime channel should only be released when it is in the +INITIALIZED+, +DETACHED+, or +FAILED+ state;
+      # releasing a realtime channel in any other state is deprecated and will raise an error in the next major version.
+      #
+      # @spec RTS4b, RTS4c, RTS4d
+      #
+      # @param channel [String] The name of the channel
+      #
       # @return [void]
       #
       def release(channel)
-        get(channel).detach do
+        return unless @channels.has_key?(channel)
+
+        released_channel = get(channel)
+        if released_channel.initialized? || released_channel.detached? || released_channel.failed?
           @channels.delete(channel)
-        end if @channels.has_key?(channel)
+          return
+        end
+
+        logger.warn do
+          "Channels#release: Calling release on a channel in the #{released_channel.state.to_sym} state is deprecated, " \
+            "and will raise an error in the next major version. " \
+            "Call Channel#detach and wait for it to complete before calling Channels#release"
+        end
+        released_channel.detach do
+          @channels.delete(channel)
+        end
       end
 
       # Sets channel serial to each channel from given serials hashmap
diff --git a/spec/unit/realtime/channels_spec.rb b/spec/unit/realtime/channels_spec.rb
index a415a714..78d0c429 100644
--- a/spec/unit/realtime/channels_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/unit/realtime/channels_spec.rb
@@ -98,11 +98,37 @@
   end
 
   context 'destroying channels' do
-    it '#release detaches and then releases the channel resources' do
-      released_channel = subject.get(channel_name, options)
-      expect(released_channel).to receive(:detach).and_yield
-      subject.release(channel_name)
-      expect(subject.get(channel_name, options).object_id).to_not eql(released_channel.object_id)
+    let(:released_channel) { subject.get(channel_name, options) }
+
+    def stub_state(state)
+      allow(released_channel).to receive(:state).and_return(Ably::Realtime::Channel::STATE(state))
+    end
+
+    it '#release does nothing if the channel does not exist (RTS4c)' do
+      expect { subject.release(channel_name) }.to_not raise_error
+      expect(subject.length).to eql(0)
+    end
+
+    [:initialized, :detached, :failed].each do |state|
+      it "#release releases a channel in the #{state} state without detaching or logging a warning (RTS4d)" do
+        stub_state state
+        expect(released_channel).to_not receive(:detach)
+        expect(client.logger).to_not receive(:warn)
+        subject.release(channel_name)
+        expect(subject.fetch(channel_name) { nil }).to be_nil
+      end
+    end
+
+    [:attaching, :attached, :detaching, :suspended].each do |state|
+      it "#release logs a deprecation warning, then detaches and releases a channel in the #{state} state (RTS4b)" do
+        stub_state state
+        expect(client.logger).to receive(:warn) do |&block|
+          expect(block.call).to match(/release on a channel in the #{state} state is deprecated/)
+        end
+        expect(released_channel).to receive(:detach).and_yield
+        subject.release(channel_name)
+        expect(subject.get(channel_name, options).object_id).to_not eql(released_channel.object_id)
+      end
     end
   end