diff --git a/x/ibc/core/04-channel/types/channel.go b/x/ibc/core/04-channel/types/channel.go
index 9bddb84fa40c..8513a8123df8 100644
--- a/x/ibc/core/04-channel/types/channel.go
+++ b/x/ibc/core/04-channel/types/channel.go
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ func (ch Channel) GetVersion() string {
 
 // ValidateBasic performs a basic validation of the channel fields
 func (ch Channel) ValidateBasic() error {
-	if ch.State.String() == "" {
+	if ch.State == UNINITIALIZED {
 		return ErrInvalidChannelState
 	}
 	if !(ch.Ordering == ORDERED || ch.Ordering == UNORDERED) {
diff --git a/x/ibc/core/04-channel/types/channel_test.go b/x/ibc/core/04-channel/types/channel_test.go
index 14592d4b4cff..30fee4443b2e 100644
--- a/x/ibc/core/04-channel/types/channel_test.go
+++ b/x/ibc/core/04-channel/types/channel_test.go
@@ -8,6 +8,33 @@ import (
 	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/x/ibc/core/04-channel/types"
 )
 
+func TestChannelValidateBasic(t *testing.T) {
+	counterparty := types.Counterparty{"portidone", "channelidone"}
+	testCases := []struct {
+		name    string
+		channel types.Channel
+		expPass bool
+	}{
+		{"valid channel", types.NewChannel(types.TRYOPEN, types.ORDERED, counterparty, connHops, version), true},
+		{"invalid state", types.NewChannel(types.UNINITIALIZED, types.ORDERED, counterparty, connHops, version), false},
+		{"invalid order", types.NewChannel(types.TRYOPEN, types.NONE, counterparty, connHops, version), false},
+		{"more than 1 connection hop", types.NewChannel(types.TRYOPEN, types.ORDERED, counterparty, []string{"connection1", "connection2"}, version), false},
+		{"invalid connection hop identifier", types.NewChannel(types.TRYOPEN, types.ORDERED, counterparty, []string{"(invalid)"}, version), false},
+		{"invalid counterparty", types.NewChannel(types.TRYOPEN, types.ORDERED, types.NewCounterparty("(invalidport)", "channelidone"), connHops, version), false},
+	}
+
+	for i, tc := range testCases {
+		tc := tc
+
+		err := tc.channel.ValidateBasic()
+		if tc.expPass {
+			require.NoError(t, err, "valid test case %d failed: %s", i, tc.name)
+		} else {
+			require.Error(t, err, "invalid test case %d passed: %s", i, tc.name)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
 func TestCounterpartyValidateBasic(t *testing.T) {
 	testCases := []struct {
 		name         string