diff --git a/screening/dist/etc/service.properties b/screening/dist/etc/service.properties
index a64567081031cbb50e3926d38459f423d0a766b4..517568d4d8fc3c60bda41893ce991b4d3319a453 100644
--- a/screening/dist/etc/service.properties
+++ b/screening/dist/etc/service.properties
@@ -229,8 +229,12 @@ merged-channels-images.storage-processor.generate-thumbnails = false
 # Thumbnails size in pixels
 # merged-channels-images.storage-processor.thumbnail-max-width = 300
 # merged-channels-images.storage-processor.thumbnail-max-height = 200
-# Names of the channels in which images have been acquired.
-merged-channels-images.storage-processor.channel-names = gfp, dapi
+# DEPRECATED: use 'channel-codes' and 'channel-labels' instead
+#merged-channels-images.storage-processor.channel-names = gfp, dapi
+# Codes of the channels in which images have been acquired. Allowed characters: [A-Z0-9_]. Number and order of entries must be consistent with 'channel-labels'.
+merged-channels-images.storage-processor.channel-codes = GFP, DAPI
+# Labels of the channels in which images have been acquired. Number and order of entries must be consistent with 'channel-codes'.
+merged-channels-images.storage-processor.channel-labels = Gfp, Dapi
 # Format: [width]>x[height], e.g. 3x4. Specifies the grid into which a microscope divided the well to acquire images.
 merged-channels-images.storage-processor.well_geometry = 3x3
 # implementation of the IHCSImageFileExtractor interface which maps images to the location on the plate and particular channel
@@ -267,7 +271,8 @@ split-channels-images.type-extractor.is-measured = true
 
 split-channels-images.storage-processor = ch.systemsx.cisd.openbis.dss.etl.PlateStorageProcessor
 split-channels-images.storage-processor.generate-thumbnails = false
-split-channels-images.storage-processor.channel-names = gfp, dapi
+split-channels-images.storage-processor.channel-codes = GFP, DAPI
+split-channels-images.storage-processor.channel-labels = Gfp, Dapi
 split-channels-images.storage-processor.well_geometry = 3x3
 split-channels-images.storage-processor.file-extractor = ch.systemsx.cisd.openbis.dss.etl.HCSImageFileExtractor
 split-channels-images.storage-processor.data-source = imaging-db
diff --git a/screening/etc/service.properties b/screening/etc/service.properties
index 31c0a913abb6169d322979c35d0b3667db69b74e..61a51e72f6d2b5f12998ab1ee6e3f9ba90214442 100644
--- a/screening/etc/service.properties
+++ b/screening/etc/service.properties
@@ -197,8 +197,12 @@ merged-channels-images.storage-processor.generate-thumbnails = false
 # Thumbnails size in pixels
 # merged-channels-images.storage-processor.thumbnail-max-width = 300
 # merged-channels-images.storage-processor.thumbnail-max-height = 200
-# Names of the channels in which images have been acquired.
-merged-channels-images.storage-processor.channel-names = gfp, dapi
+# DEPRECATED: use 'channel-codes' and 'channel-labels' instead
+#merged-channels-images.storage-processor.channel-names = gfp, dapi
+# Codes of the channels in which images have been acquired. Allowed characters: [A-Z0-9_]. Number and order of entries must be consistent with 'channel-labels'.
+merged-channels-images.storage-processor.channel-codes = GFP, DAPI
+# Labels of the channels in which images have been acquired. Number and order of entries must be consistent with 'channel-codes'.
+merged-channels-images.storage-processor.channel-labels = Gfp, Dapi
 # Format: [width]>x[height], e.g. 3x4. Specifies the grid into which a microscope divided the well to acquire images.
 merged-channels-images.storage-processor.well_geometry = 3x3
 # implementation of the IHCSImageFileExtractor interface which maps images to the location on the plate and particular channel
@@ -235,7 +239,8 @@ split-channels-images.type-extractor.is-measured = true
 
 split-channels-images.storage-processor = ch.systemsx.cisd.openbis.dss.etl.PlateStorageProcessor
 split-channels-images.storage-processor.generate-thumbnails = false
-split-channels-images.storage-processor.channel-names = gfp, dapi
+split-channels-images.storage-processor.channel-codes = GFP, DAPI
+split-channels-images.storage-processor.channel-labels = Gfp, Dapi
 split-channels-images.storage-processor.well_geometry = 3x3
 split-channels-images.storage-processor.file-extractor = ch.systemsx.cisd.openbis.dss.etl.HCSImageFileExtractor
 split-channels-images.storage-processor.data-source = imaging-db