diff --git a/pmb/chroot/init.py b/pmb/chroot/init.py
index bc6c0351..42133781 100644
--- a/pmb/chroot/init.py
+++ b/pmb/chroot/init.py
@@ -114,10 +114,17 @@ def init(chroot: Chroot, usr_merge=UsrMerge.AUTO):
 
     config = get_context().config
 
+    # If the channel is wrong and the user has auto_zap_misconfigured_chroots
+    # enabled, zap the chroot and reinitialize it
+    if chroot.exists():
+        zap = pmb.config.workdir.chroot_check_channel(chroot)
+        if zap:
+            pmb.chroot.del_chroot(chroot.path, confirm=False)
+            pmb.config.workdir.clean()
+
     pmb.chroot.mount(chroot)
     mark_in_chroot(chroot)
     if chroot.exists():
-        pmb.config.workdir.chroot_check_channel(chroot)
         copy_resolv_conf(chroot)
         pmb.chroot.apk.update_repository_list(chroot)
         warn_if_chroot_is_outdated(chroot)
diff --git a/pmb/config/__init__.py b/pmb/config/__init__.py
index 76d2329d..d170ea5f 100644
--- a/pmb/config/__init__.py
+++ b/pmb/config/__init__.py
@@ -72,11 +72,10 @@ def sudo(cmd: Sequence[PathString]) -> Sequence[PathString]:
         return cmd
 
 
-defaults = {
+defaults: Dict[str, PathString] = {
     "cipher": "aes-xts-plain64",
     "config": Path((os.environ.get('XDG_CONFIG_HOME') or
                os.path.expanduser("~/.config")) + "/pmbootstrap.cfg"),
-    "fork_alpine": False,
     # A higher value is typically desired, but this can lead to VERY long open
     # times on slower devices due to host systems being MUCH faster than the
     # target device (see issue #429).
diff --git a/pmb/config/workdir.py b/pmb/config/workdir.py
index 66702f81..0c1525ef 100644
--- a/pmb/config/workdir.py
+++ b/pmb/config/workdir.py
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ import pmb.config.pmaports
 from pmb.core import Chroot
 from pmb.core.context import get_context
 from pmb.core.pkgrepo import pkgrepo_default_path
+from pmb.helpers import logging
 
 
 def chroot_save_init(suffix: Chroot):
@@ -69,9 +70,15 @@ def chroots_outdated(chroot: Optional[Chroot]=None):
     return False
 
 
-def chroot_check_channel(chroot: Chroot):
-    path = get_context().config.work / "workdir.cfg"
-    msg_again = "Run 'pmbootstrap zap' to delete your chroots and try again."
+def chroot_check_channel(chroot: Chroot) -> bool:
+    """Check the chroot channel against the current channel. Returns
+    True if the chroot should be zapped (both that it needs zapping and
+    the user has auto_zap_misconfigured_chroots enabled), False otherwise."""
+    config = get_context().config
+    path = config.work / "workdir.cfg"
+    msg_again = "Run 'pmbootstrap zap' to delete your chroots and try again." \
+        " To do this automatically, run 'pmbootstrap config" \
+        " auto_zap_misconfigured_chroots yes'."
     msg_unknown = ("Could not figure out on which release channel the"
                    f" '{chroot}' chroot is.")
     if not os.path.exists(path):
@@ -85,10 +92,23 @@ def chroot_check_channel(chroot: Chroot):
 
     channel = pmb.config.pmaports.read_config()["channel"]
     channel_cfg = cfg[key][str(chroot)]
+    msg = f"Chroot '{chroot}' is for the '{channel_cfg}' channel," \
+          f" but you are on the '{channel}' channel."
+
     if channel != channel_cfg:
-        raise RuntimeError(f"Chroot '{chroot}' was created for the"
-                           f" '{channel_cfg}' channel, but you are on the"
-                           f" '{channel}' channel now. {msg_again}")
+        if config.auto_zap_misconfigured_chroots.enabled():
+            if config.auto_zap_misconfigured_chroots.noisy():
+                logging.info(msg)
+                logging.info("Automatically zapping since"
+                             " auto_zap_misconfigured_chroots is enabled.")
+                logging.info("NOTE: You can silence this message with 'pmbootstrap"
+                             " config auto_zap_misconfigured_chroots silently'")
+            else:
+                logging.debug(f"{msg} Zapping chroot.")
+            return True
+        raise RuntimeError(f"{msg} {msg_again}")
+
+    return False
 
 
 def clean():
diff --git a/pmb/core/config.py b/pmb/core/config.py
index 4c3aeb7d..8982918e 100644
--- a/pmb/core/config.py
+++ b/pmb/core/config.py
@@ -26,6 +26,18 @@ class SystemdConfig(enum.Enum):
         return [e.value for e in SystemdConfig]
 
 
+class AutoZapConfig(enum.StrEnum):
+    NO = "no"
+    YES = "yes"
+    SILENTLY = "silently"
+
+    def enabled(self) -> bool:
+        return self != AutoZapConfig.NO
+
+    def noisy(self) -> bool:
+        return self == AutoZapConfig.YES
+
+
 class Config():
     aports: List[Path] = [Path(os.path.expanduser("~") +
                         "/.local/var/pmbootstrap/cache_git/pmaports")]
@@ -57,6 +69,8 @@ class Config():
     ui_extras: bool = False
     user: str = "user"
     work: Path = Path(os.path.expanduser("~") + "/.local/var/pmbootstrap")
+    # automatically zap chroots that are for the wrong channel
+    auto_zap_misconfigured_chroots: AutoZapConfig = AutoZapConfig.NO
 
     providers: Dict[str, str] = { }