diff --git a/src/emu/chan.c b/src/emu/chan.c
index 1c1f8c7..44faf0c 100644
--- a/src/emu/chan.c
+++ b/src/emu/chan.c
@@ -204,7 +204,7 @@ chan_pop(struct chan *chan, struct value evalue)
 static void
 get_value(struct chan *chan, struct value *value)
 {
-	if (chan->type == CHAN_SINGLE) {
+	if (likely(chan->type == CHAN_SINGLE)) {
 		 *value = chan->data.value;
 	} else {
 		struct chan_stack *stack = &chan->data.stack;
@@ -215,15 +215,6 @@ get_value(struct chan *chan, struct value *value)
 	}
 }
 
-/** Reads the current value of a channel */
-int
-chan_read(struct chan *chan, struct value *value)
-{
-	get_value(chan, value);
-
-	return 0;
-}
-
 /** Remove the dirty state */
 int
 chan_flush(struct chan *chan)
diff --git a/src/emu/chan.h b/src/emu/chan.h
index 500fe60..908387f 100644
--- a/src/emu/chan.h
+++ b/src/emu/chan.h
@@ -53,11 +53,27 @@ struct chan {
 	char name[MAX_CHAN_NAME];
 };
 
+/** Reads the current value of a channel */
+USE_RET static inline int
+chan_read(struct chan *chan, struct value *value)
+{
+	if (likely(chan->type == CHAN_SINGLE)) {
+		 *value = chan->data.value;
+	} else {
+		struct chan_stack *stack = &chan->data.stack;
+		if (stack->n > 0)
+			*value = stack->values[stack->n - 1];
+		else
+			*value = value_null();
+	}
+
+	return 0;
+}
+
         void chan_init(struct chan *chan, enum chan_type type, const char *fmt, ...);
 USE_RET int chan_set(struct chan *chan, struct value value);
 USE_RET int chan_push(struct chan *chan, struct value value);
 USE_RET int chan_pop(struct chan *chan, struct value expected);
-USE_RET int chan_read(struct chan *chan, struct value *value);
 USE_RET enum chan_type chan_get_type(struct chan *chan);
 USE_RET int chan_flush(struct chan *chan);
         void chan_prop_set(struct chan *chan, enum chan_prop prop, int value);