diff --git a/locale/circuitpython.pot b/locale/circuitpython.pot
index 15d859bf49f..153a283d067 100644
--- a/locale/circuitpython.pot
+++ b/locale/circuitpython.pot
@@ -4286,10 +4286,6 @@ msgstr ""
 msgid "%q must be a subclass of %q"
 msgstr ""
 
-#: shared-bindings/wifi/Monitor.c
-msgid "%q out of bounds"
-msgstr ""
-
 #: shared-bindings/wifi/Radio.c
 msgid "Invalid hex password"
 msgstr ""
diff --git a/ports/espressif/common-hal/wifi/Monitor.c b/ports/espressif/common-hal/wifi/Monitor.c
index 635ba7a5a67..f6d0e6e4d8f 100644
--- a/ports/espressif/common-hal/wifi/Monitor.c
+++ b/ports/espressif/common-hal/wifi/Monitor.c
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 #include "py/mpstate.h"
 #include "py/runtime.h"
 
+#include "bindings/espidf/__init__.h"
 #include "shared-bindings/wifi/Monitor.h"
 #include "shared-bindings/wifi/Packet.h"
 
@@ -57,9 +58,26 @@ static void wifi_monitor_cb(void *recv_buf, wifi_promiscuous_pkt_type_t type) {
     }
 }
 
+// Tune the radio and return the channel it is on afterwards. Raises
+// ValueError for a channel this radio cannot use. Any other failure, for
+// example while the station is associated, leaves the radio where it was.
+static uint8_t set_channel(uint8_t channel) {
+    esp_err_t result = esp_wifi_set_channel(channel, WIFI_SECOND_CHAN_NONE);
+    if (result == ESP_ERR_INVALID_ARG) {
+        mp_arg_error_invalid(MP_QSTR_channel);
+    } else if (result != ESP_OK) {
+        wifi_second_chan_t second;
+        CHECK_ESP_RESULT(esp_wifi_get_channel(&channel, &second));
+    }
+    return channel;
+}
+
 void common_hal_wifi_monitor_construct(wifi_monitor_obj_t *self, uint8_t channel, size_t queue) {
     mp_rom_error_text_t monitor_mode_init_error = MP_ERROR_TEXT("monitor init failed");
 
+    // Before anything needs undoing on failure.
+    channel = set_channel(channel);
+
     self->queue = xQueueCreate(queue, sizeof(monitor_packet_t));
     if (!self->queue) {
         mp_raise_RuntimeError(monitor_mode_init_error);
@@ -74,7 +92,6 @@ void common_hal_wifi_monitor_construct(wifi_monitor_obj_t *self, uint8_t channel
     if (esp_wifi_set_promiscuous(true) != ESP_OK) {
         mp_raise_RuntimeError(monitor_mode_init_error);
     }
-    esp_wifi_set_channel(channel, WIFI_SECOND_CHAN_NONE);
 
     self->channel = channel;
     self->queue_length = queue;
@@ -105,8 +122,7 @@ void common_hal_wifi_monitor_deinit(wifi_monitor_obj_t *self) {
 }
 
 void common_hal_wifi_monitor_set_channel(wifi_monitor_obj_t *self, uint8_t channel) {
-    self->channel = channel;
-    esp_wifi_set_channel(channel, WIFI_SECOND_CHAN_NONE);
+    self->channel = set_channel(channel);
 }
 
 mp_obj_t common_hal_wifi_monitor_get_channel(wifi_monitor_obj_t *self) {
diff --git a/shared-bindings/wifi/Monitor.c b/shared-bindings/wifi/Monitor.c
index fb09c4b4f77..9350a160a07 100644
--- a/shared-bindings/wifi/Monitor.c
+++ b/shared-bindings/wifi/Monitor.c
@@ -19,7 +19,11 @@
 //|     def __init__(self, channel: Optional[int] = 1, queue: Optional[int] = 128) -> None:
 //|         """Initialize `wifi.Monitor` singleton.
 //|
-//|         :param int channel: The WiFi channel to scan.
+//|         :param int channel: The WiFi channel to scan. On dual-band radios,
+//|             5 GHz channels (36 and above) may also be given. A channel the
+//|             radio does not support raises `ValueError`. While the station is
+//|             connected the radio stays on the station's channel, and
+//|             `channel` reports that channel.
 //|         :param int queue: The queue size for buffering the packet.
 //|
 //|         """
@@ -35,7 +39,9 @@ static mp_obj_t wifi_monitor_make_new(const mp_obj_type_t *type, size_t n_args,
     mp_arg_val_t args[MP_ARRAY_SIZE(allowed_args)];
     mp_arg_parse_all_kw_array(n_args, n_kw, all_args, MP_ARRAY_SIZE(allowed_args), allowed_args, args);
 
-    mp_int_t channel = mp_arg_validate_int_range(args[ARG_channel].u_int, 1, 13, MP_QSTR_channel);
+    // 165 is the highest channel in the scan pattern. Channels the radio
+    // doesn't support are rejected by the port rather than here.
+    mp_int_t channel = mp_arg_validate_int_range(args[ARG_channel].u_int, 1, 165, MP_QSTR_channel);
     mp_int_t queue = mp_arg_validate_int_min(args[ARG_queue].u_int, 0, MP_QSTR_queue);
 
     wifi_monitor_obj_t *self = MP_STATE_VM(wifi_monitor_singleton);
@@ -49,17 +55,16 @@ static mp_obj_t wifi_monitor_make_new(const mp_obj_type_t *type, size_t n_args,
 }
 
 //|     channel: int
-//|     """The WiFi channel to scan."""
+//|     """The WiFi channel to scan. A channel the radio does not support raises
+//|     `ValueError`. While the station is connected the radio stays on the
+//|     station's channel, and this reports that channel."""
 static mp_obj_t wifi_monitor_obj_get_channel(mp_obj_t self_in) {
     return common_hal_wifi_monitor_get_channel(self_in);
 }
 MP_DEFINE_CONST_FUN_OBJ_1(wifi_monitor_get_channel_obj, wifi_monitor_obj_get_channel);
 
 static mp_obj_t wifi_monitor_obj_set_channel(mp_obj_t self_in, mp_obj_t channel) {
-    mp_int_t c = mp_obj_get_int(channel);
-    if (c < 1 || c > 13) {
-        mp_raise_ValueError_varg(MP_ERROR_TEXT("%q out of bounds"), MP_QSTR_channel);
-    }
+    mp_int_t c = mp_arg_validate_int_range(mp_obj_get_int(channel), 1, 165, MP_QSTR_channel);
     common_hal_wifi_monitor_set_channel(self_in, c);
     return mp_const_none;
 }