diff --git a/api/src/main/java/io/grpc/ManagedChannelProvider.java b/api/src/main/java/io/grpc/ManagedChannelProvider.java
index f57340d9ba9..42941dfc809 100644
--- a/api/src/main/java/io/grpc/ManagedChannelProvider.java
+++ b/api/src/main/java/io/grpc/ManagedChannelProvider.java
@@ -17,6 +17,8 @@
 package io.grpc;
 
 import com.google.common.base.Preconditions;
+import java.net.SocketAddress;
+import java.util.Collection;
 
 /**
  * Provider of managed channels for transport agnostic consumption.
@@ -79,6 +81,11 @@ protected NewChannelBuilderResult newChannelBuilder(String target, ChannelCreden
     return NewChannelBuilderResult.error("ChannelCredentials are unsupported");
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Returns the {@link SocketAddress} types this ManagedChannelProvider supports.
+   */
+  protected abstract Collection<Class<? extends SocketAddress>> getSupportedSocketAddressTypes();
+
   public static final class NewChannelBuilderResult {
     private final ManagedChannelBuilder<?> channelBuilder;
     private final String error;
diff --git a/api/src/main/java/io/grpc/ManagedChannelRegistry.java b/api/src/main/java/io/grpc/ManagedChannelRegistry.java
index 8eb1cce14ac..677856ed8d8 100644
--- a/api/src/main/java/io/grpc/ManagedChannelRegistry.java
+++ b/api/src/main/java/io/grpc/ManagedChannelRegistry.java
@@ -18,7 +18,12 @@
 
 import com.google.common.annotations.VisibleForTesting;
 import com.google.common.base.Preconditions;
+import java.net.SocketAddress;
+import java.net.URI;
+import java.net.URISyntaxException;
 import java.util.ArrayList;
+import java.util.Arrays;
+import java.util.Collection;
 import java.util.Collections;
 import java.util.Comparator;
 import java.util.LinkedHashSet;
@@ -144,6 +149,28 @@ static List<Class<?>> getHardCodedClasses() {
   }
 
   ManagedChannelBuilder<?> newChannelBuilder(String target, ChannelCredentials creds) {
+    return newChannelBuilder(NameResolverRegistry.getDefaultRegistry(), target, creds);
+  }
+
+  @VisibleForTesting
+  ManagedChannelBuilder<?> newChannelBuilder(NameResolverRegistry nameResolverRegistry,
+      String target, ChannelCredentials creds) {
+    NameResolverProvider nameResolverProvider = null;
+    try {
+      URI uri = new URI(target);
+      nameResolverProvider = nameResolverRegistry.providers().get(uri.getScheme());
+    } catch (URISyntaxException ignore) {
+      // bad URI found, just ignore and continue
+    }
+    if (nameResolverProvider == null) {
+      nameResolverProvider = nameResolverRegistry.providers().get(
+          nameResolverRegistry.asFactory().getDefaultScheme());
+    }
+    Collection<Class<? extends SocketAddress>> nameResolverSocketAddressTypes
+        = (nameResolverProvider != null)
+        ? nameResolverProvider.getProducedSocketAddressTypes() :
+        Collections.emptySet();
+
     List<ManagedChannelProvider> providers = providers();
     if (providers.isEmpty()) {
       throw new ProviderNotFoundException("No functional channel service provider found. "
@@ -152,6 +179,15 @@ ManagedChannelBuilder<?> newChannelBuilder(String target, ChannelCredentials cre
     }
     StringBuilder error = new StringBuilder();
     for (ManagedChannelProvider provider : providers()) {
+      Collection<Class<? extends SocketAddress>> channelProviderSocketAddressTypes
+          = provider.getSupportedSocketAddressTypes();
+      if (!channelProviderSocketAddressTypes.containsAll(nameResolverSocketAddressTypes)) {
+        error.append("; ");
+        error.append(provider.getClass().getName());
+        error.append(": does not support 1 or more of ");
+        error.append(Arrays.toString(nameResolverSocketAddressTypes.toArray()));
+        continue;
+      }
       ManagedChannelProvider.NewChannelBuilderResult result
           = provider.newChannelBuilder(target, creds);
       if (result.getChannelBuilder() != null) {
diff --git a/api/src/main/java/io/grpc/NameResolverProvider.java b/api/src/main/java/io/grpc/NameResolverProvider.java
index 2c337cd5052..e7cddfc36d0 100644
--- a/api/src/main/java/io/grpc/NameResolverProvider.java
+++ b/api/src/main/java/io/grpc/NameResolverProvider.java
@@ -17,6 +17,10 @@
 package io.grpc;
 
 import io.grpc.NameResolver.Factory;
+import java.net.InetSocketAddress;
+import java.net.SocketAddress;
+import java.util.Collection;
+import java.util.Collections;
 
 /**
  * Provider of name resolvers for name agnostic consumption.
@@ -62,4 +66,14 @@ public abstract class NameResolverProvider extends NameResolver.Factory {
   protected String getScheme() {
     return getDefaultScheme();
   }
+
+  /**
+   * Returns the {@link SocketAddress} types this provider's name-resolver is capable of producing.
+   * This enables selection of the appropriate {@link ManagedChannelProvider} for a channel.
+   *
+   * @return the {@link SocketAddress} types this provider's name-resolver is capable of producing.
+   */
+  protected Collection<Class<? extends SocketAddress>> getProducedSocketAddressTypes() {
+    return Collections.singleton(InetSocketAddress.class);
+  }
 }
diff --git a/api/src/test/java/io/grpc/ManagedChannelRegistryTest.java b/api/src/test/java/io/grpc/ManagedChannelRegistryTest.java
index 6f25f620576..283c1792777 100644
--- a/api/src/test/java/io/grpc/ManagedChannelRegistryTest.java
+++ b/api/src/test/java/io/grpc/ManagedChannelRegistryTest.java
@@ -19,6 +19,12 @@
 import static com.google.common.truth.Truth.assertThat;
 import static org.junit.Assert.fail;
 
+import com.google.common.collect.ImmutableSet;
+import java.net.InetSocketAddress;
+import java.net.SocketAddress;
+import java.net.URI;
+import java.util.Collection;
+import java.util.Collections;
 import org.junit.Test;
 import org.junit.runner.RunWith;
 import org.junit.runners.JUnit4;
@@ -156,6 +162,256 @@ public void newChannelBuilder_noProvider() {
     }
   }
 
+  @Test
+  public void newChannelBuilder_usesScheme() {
+    NameResolverRegistry nameResolverRegistry = new NameResolverRegistry();
+    class SocketAddress1 extends SocketAddress {
+    }
+
+    class SocketAddress2 extends SocketAddress {
+    }
+
+    nameResolverRegistry.register(new BaseNameResolverProvider(true, 5, "sc1") {
+      @Override
+      protected Collection<Class<? extends SocketAddress>> getProducedSocketAddressTypes() {
+        return Collections.singleton(SocketAddress1.class);
+      }
+    });
+    nameResolverRegistry.register(new BaseNameResolverProvider(true, 6, "sc2") {
+      @Override
+      protected Collection<Class<? extends SocketAddress>> getProducedSocketAddressTypes() {
+        fail("Should not be called");
+        throw new AssertionError();
+      }
+    });
+
+    ManagedChannelRegistry registry = new ManagedChannelRegistry();
+    registry.register(new BaseProvider(true, 5) {
+      @Override
+      protected Collection<Class<? extends SocketAddress>> getSupportedSocketAddressTypes() {
+        return Collections.singleton(SocketAddress2.class);
+      }
+
+      @Override
+      public NewChannelBuilderResult newChannelBuilder(
+              String passedTarget, ChannelCredentials passedCreds) {
+        fail("Should not be called");
+        throw new AssertionError();
+      }
+    });
+    class MockChannelBuilder extends ForwardingChannelBuilder<MockChannelBuilder> {
+      @Override public ManagedChannelBuilder<?> delegate() {
+        throw new UnsupportedOperationException();
+      }
+    }
+
+    final ManagedChannelBuilder<?> mcb = new MockChannelBuilder();
+    registry.register(new BaseProvider(true, 4) {
+      @Override
+      protected Collection<Class<? extends SocketAddress>> getSupportedSocketAddressTypes() {
+        return Collections.singleton(SocketAddress1.class);
+      }
+
+      @Override
+      public NewChannelBuilderResult newChannelBuilder(
+              String passedTarget, ChannelCredentials passedCreds) {
+        return NewChannelBuilderResult.channelBuilder(mcb);
+      }
+    });
+    assertThat(
+        registry.newChannelBuilder(nameResolverRegistry, "sc1:" + target, creds)).isSameInstanceAs(
+        mcb);
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  public void newChannelBuilder_unsupportedSocketAddressTypes() {
+    NameResolverRegistry nameResolverRegistry = new NameResolverRegistry();
+    class SocketAddress1 extends SocketAddress {
+    }
+
+    class SocketAddress2 extends SocketAddress {
+    }
+
+    nameResolverRegistry.register(new BaseNameResolverProvider(true, 5, "sc1") {
+      @Override
+      protected Collection<Class<? extends SocketAddress>> getProducedSocketAddressTypes() {
+        return ImmutableSet.of(SocketAddress1.class, SocketAddress2.class);
+      }
+    });
+
+    ManagedChannelRegistry registry = new ManagedChannelRegistry();
+    registry.register(new BaseProvider(true, 5) {
+      @Override
+      protected Collection<Class<? extends SocketAddress>> getSupportedSocketAddressTypes() {
+        return Collections.singleton(SocketAddress2.class);
+      }
+
+      @Override
+      public NewChannelBuilderResult newChannelBuilder(
+              String passedTarget, ChannelCredentials passedCreds) {
+        fail("Should not be called");
+        throw new AssertionError();
+      }
+    });
+    class MockChannelBuilder extends ForwardingChannelBuilder<MockChannelBuilder> {
+      @Override public ManagedChannelBuilder<?> delegate() {
+        throw new UnsupportedOperationException();
+      }
+    }
+
+    registry.register(new BaseProvider(true, 4) {
+      @Override
+      protected Collection<Class<? extends SocketAddress>> getSupportedSocketAddressTypes() {
+        return Collections.singleton(SocketAddress1.class);
+      }
+
+      @Override
+      public NewChannelBuilderResult newChannelBuilder(
+              String passedTarget, ChannelCredentials passedCreds) {
+        fail("Should not be called");
+        throw new AssertionError();
+      }
+    });
+    try {
+      registry.newChannelBuilder(nameResolverRegistry, "sc1:" + target, creds);
+      fail("expected exception");
+    } catch (ManagedChannelRegistry.ProviderNotFoundException ex) {
+      assertThat(ex).hasMessageThat().contains("does not support 1 or more of");
+      assertThat(ex).hasMessageThat().contains("SocketAddress1");
+      assertThat(ex).hasMessageThat().contains("SocketAddress2");
+    }
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  public void newChannelBuilder_emptySet_asDefault() {
+    NameResolverRegistry nameResolverRegistry = new NameResolverRegistry();
+
+    ManagedChannelRegistry registry = new ManagedChannelRegistry();
+    class MockChannelBuilder extends ForwardingChannelBuilder<MockChannelBuilder> {
+      @Override public ManagedChannelBuilder<?> delegate() {
+        throw new UnsupportedOperationException();
+      }
+    }
+
+    final ManagedChannelBuilder<?> mcb = new MockChannelBuilder();
+    registry.register(new BaseProvider(true, 4) {
+      @Override
+      protected Collection<Class<? extends SocketAddress>> getSupportedSocketAddressTypes() {
+        return Collections.emptySet();
+      }
+
+      @Override
+      public NewChannelBuilderResult newChannelBuilder(
+              String passedTarget, ChannelCredentials passedCreds) {
+        return NewChannelBuilderResult.channelBuilder(mcb);
+      }
+    });
+    assertThat(
+        registry.newChannelBuilder(nameResolverRegistry, "sc1:" + target, creds)).isSameInstanceAs(
+        mcb);
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  public void newChannelBuilder_noSchemeUsesDefaultScheme() {
+    NameResolverRegistry nameResolverRegistry = new NameResolverRegistry();
+    class SocketAddress1 extends SocketAddress {
+    }
+
+    nameResolverRegistry.register(new BaseNameResolverProvider(true, 5, "sc1") {
+      @Override
+      protected Collection<Class<? extends SocketAddress>> getProducedSocketAddressTypes() {
+        return Collections.singleton(SocketAddress1.class);
+      }
+    });
+
+    ManagedChannelRegistry registry = new ManagedChannelRegistry();
+    class MockChannelBuilder extends ForwardingChannelBuilder<MockChannelBuilder> {
+      @Override public ManagedChannelBuilder<?> delegate() {
+        throw new UnsupportedOperationException();
+      }
+    }
+
+    final ManagedChannelBuilder<?> mcb = new MockChannelBuilder();
+    registry.register(new BaseProvider(true, 4) {
+      @Override
+      protected Collection<Class<? extends SocketAddress>> getSupportedSocketAddressTypes() {
+        return Collections.singleton(SocketAddress1.class);
+      }
+
+      @Override
+      public NewChannelBuilderResult newChannelBuilder(
+              String passedTarget, ChannelCredentials passedCreds) {
+        return NewChannelBuilderResult.channelBuilder(mcb);
+      }
+    });
+    assertThat(registry.newChannelBuilder(nameResolverRegistry, target, creds)).isSameInstanceAs(
+        mcb);
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  public void newChannelBuilder_badUri() {
+    NameResolverRegistry nameResolverRegistry = new NameResolverRegistry();
+    class SocketAddress1 extends SocketAddress {
+    }
+
+    ManagedChannelRegistry registry = new ManagedChannelRegistry();
+
+    class MockChannelBuilder extends ForwardingChannelBuilder<MockChannelBuilder> {
+      @Override public ManagedChannelBuilder<?> delegate() {
+        throw new UnsupportedOperationException();
+      }
+    }
+
+    final ManagedChannelBuilder<?> mcb = new MockChannelBuilder();
+    registry.register(new BaseProvider(true, 4) {
+      @Override
+      protected Collection<Class<? extends SocketAddress>> getSupportedSocketAddressTypes() {
+        return Collections.singleton(SocketAddress1.class);
+      }
+
+      @Override
+      public NewChannelBuilderResult newChannelBuilder(
+          String passedTarget, ChannelCredentials passedCreds) {
+        return NewChannelBuilderResult.channelBuilder(mcb);
+      }
+    });
+    assertThat(
+        registry.newChannelBuilder(nameResolverRegistry, ":testing123", creds)).isSameInstanceAs(
+        mcb);
+  }
+
+  private static class BaseNameResolverProvider extends NameResolverProvider {
+    private final boolean isAvailable;
+    private final int priority;
+    private final String defaultScheme;
+
+    public BaseNameResolverProvider(boolean isAvailable, int priority, String defaultScheme) {
+      this.isAvailable = isAvailable;
+      this.priority = priority;
+      this.defaultScheme = defaultScheme;
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public NameResolver newNameResolver(URI targetUri, NameResolver.Args args) {
+      return null;
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public String getDefaultScheme() {
+      return defaultScheme;
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    protected boolean isAvailable() {
+      return isAvailable;
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    protected int priority() {
+      return priority;
+    }
+  }
+
   private static class BaseProvider extends ManagedChannelProvider {
     private final boolean isAvailable;
     private final int priority;
@@ -184,5 +440,10 @@ protected ManagedChannelBuilder<?> builderForAddress(String name, int port) {
     protected ManagedChannelBuilder<?> builderForTarget(String target) {
       throw new UnsupportedOperationException();
     }
+
+    @Override
+    protected Collection<Class<? extends SocketAddress>> getSupportedSocketAddressTypes() {
+      return Collections.singleton(InetSocketAddress.class);
+    }
   }
 }
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/io/grpc/internal/DnsNameResolverProvider.java b/core/src/main/java/io/grpc/internal/DnsNameResolverProvider.java
index 1c9290d2fc0..8078aa0d4c9 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/io/grpc/internal/DnsNameResolverProvider.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/io/grpc/internal/DnsNameResolverProvider.java
@@ -21,7 +21,11 @@
 import io.grpc.InternalServiceProviders;
 import io.grpc.NameResolver;
 import io.grpc.NameResolverProvider;
+import java.net.InetSocketAddress;
+import java.net.SocketAddress;
 import java.net.URI;
+import java.util.Collection;
+import java.util.Collections;
 
 /**
  * A provider for {@link DnsNameResolver}.
@@ -75,4 +79,9 @@ protected boolean isAvailable() {
   public int priority() {
     return 5;
   }
+
+  @Override
+  protected Collection<Class<? extends SocketAddress>> getProducedSocketAddressTypes() {
+    return Collections.singleton(InetSocketAddress.class);
+  }
 }
diff --git a/gcp-observability/src/main/java/io/grpc/gcp/observability/LoggingChannelProvider.java b/gcp-observability/src/main/java/io/grpc/gcp/observability/LoggingChannelProvider.java
index ffbc24be69b..81c3501e1d4 100644
--- a/gcp-observability/src/main/java/io/grpc/gcp/observability/LoggingChannelProvider.java
+++ b/gcp-observability/src/main/java/io/grpc/gcp/observability/LoggingChannelProvider.java
@@ -24,6 +24,10 @@
 import io.grpc.ManagedChannelProvider;
 import io.grpc.ManagedChannelRegistry;
 import io.grpc.gcp.observability.interceptors.InternalLoggingChannelInterceptor;
+import java.net.InetSocketAddress;
+import java.net.SocketAddress;
+import java.util.Collection;
+import java.util.Collections;
 
 /** A channel provider that injects logging interceptor. */
 final class LoggingChannelProvider extends ManagedChannelProvider {
@@ -90,4 +94,9 @@ protected NewChannelBuilderResult newChannelBuilder(String target, ChannelCreden
     checkNotNull(result.getError(), "Expected error to be set!");
     return result;
   }
+
+  @Override
+  protected Collection<Class<? extends SocketAddress>> getSupportedSocketAddressTypes() {
+    return Collections.singleton(InetSocketAddress.class);
+  }
 }
diff --git a/googleapis/src/main/java/io/grpc/googleapis/GoogleCloudToProdNameResolverProvider.java b/googleapis/src/main/java/io/grpc/googleapis/GoogleCloudToProdNameResolverProvider.java
index ac39ab1e625..b431cba4d27 100644
--- a/googleapis/src/main/java/io/grpc/googleapis/GoogleCloudToProdNameResolverProvider.java
+++ b/googleapis/src/main/java/io/grpc/googleapis/GoogleCloudToProdNameResolverProvider.java
@@ -22,7 +22,11 @@
 import io.grpc.NameResolverProvider;
 import io.grpc.internal.GrpcUtil;
 import io.grpc.xds.InternalSharedXdsClientPoolProvider;
+import java.net.InetSocketAddress;
+import java.net.SocketAddress;
 import java.net.URI;
+import java.util.Collection;
+import java.util.Collections;
 import java.util.Map;
 
 /**
@@ -58,6 +62,11 @@ protected int priority() {
     return 4;
   }
 
+  @Override
+  protected Collection<Class<? extends SocketAddress>> getProducedSocketAddressTypes() {
+    return Collections.singleton(InetSocketAddress.class);
+  }
+
   private static final class SharedXdsClientPoolProviderBootstrapSetter
       implements GoogleCloudToProdNameResolver.BootstrapSetter {
     @Override
diff --git a/grpclb/src/main/java/io/grpc/grpclb/SecretGrpclbNameResolverProvider.java b/grpclb/src/main/java/io/grpc/grpclb/SecretGrpclbNameResolverProvider.java
index bc25f28f94c..da5b7c3353e 100644
--- a/grpclb/src/main/java/io/grpc/grpclb/SecretGrpclbNameResolverProvider.java
+++ b/grpclb/src/main/java/io/grpc/grpclb/SecretGrpclbNameResolverProvider.java
@@ -22,7 +22,11 @@
 import io.grpc.NameResolver.Args;
 import io.grpc.NameResolverProvider;
 import io.grpc.internal.GrpcUtil;
+import java.net.InetSocketAddress;
+import java.net.SocketAddress;
 import java.net.URI;
+import java.util.Collection;
+import java.util.Collections;
 
 /**
  * A provider for {@code io.grpc.grpclb.GrpclbNameResolver}.
@@ -85,5 +89,10 @@ public int priority() {
       // Must be higher than DnsNameResolverProvider#priority.
       return 6;
     }
+
+    @Override
+    protected Collection<Class<? extends SocketAddress>> getProducedSocketAddressTypes() {
+      return Collections.singleton(InetSocketAddress.class);
+    }
   }
 }
diff --git a/netty/src/main/java/io/grpc/netty/NettyChannelProvider.java b/netty/src/main/java/io/grpc/netty/NettyChannelProvider.java
index bf3df4fa6aa..7cc77c150a0 100644
--- a/netty/src/main/java/io/grpc/netty/NettyChannelProvider.java
+++ b/netty/src/main/java/io/grpc/netty/NettyChannelProvider.java
@@ -19,6 +19,10 @@
 import io.grpc.ChannelCredentials;
 import io.grpc.Internal;
 import io.grpc.ManagedChannelProvider;
+import java.net.InetSocketAddress;
+import java.net.SocketAddress;
+import java.util.Collection;
+import java.util.Collections;
 
 /** Provider for {@link NettyChannelBuilder} instances. */
 @Internal
@@ -52,4 +56,9 @@ public NewChannelBuilderResult newChannelBuilder(String target, ChannelCredentia
     return NewChannelBuilderResult.channelBuilder(
         new NettyChannelBuilder(target, creds, result.callCredentials, result.negotiator));
   }
+
+  @Override
+  protected Collection<Class<? extends SocketAddress>> getSupportedSocketAddressTypes() {
+    return Collections.singleton(InetSocketAddress.class);
+  }
 }
diff --git a/okhttp/src/main/java/io/grpc/okhttp/OkHttpChannelProvider.java b/okhttp/src/main/java/io/grpc/okhttp/OkHttpChannelProvider.java
index 19f99d05029..17a2512a66a 100644
--- a/okhttp/src/main/java/io/grpc/okhttp/OkHttpChannelProvider.java
+++ b/okhttp/src/main/java/io/grpc/okhttp/OkHttpChannelProvider.java
@@ -20,6 +20,10 @@
 import io.grpc.Internal;
 import io.grpc.InternalServiceProviders;
 import io.grpc.ManagedChannelProvider;
+import java.net.InetSocketAddress;
+import java.net.SocketAddress;
+import java.util.Collection;
+import java.util.Collections;
 
 /**
  * Provider for {@link OkHttpChannelBuilder} instances.
@@ -57,4 +61,9 @@ public NewChannelBuilderResult newChannelBuilder(String target, ChannelCredentia
     return NewChannelBuilderResult.channelBuilder(new OkHttpChannelBuilder(
         target, creds, result.callCredentials, result.factory));
   }
+
+  @Override
+  protected Collection<Class<? extends SocketAddress>> getSupportedSocketAddressTypes() {
+    return Collections.singleton(InetSocketAddress.class);
+  }
 }
diff --git a/xds/src/main/java/io/grpc/xds/XdsNameResolverProvider.java b/xds/src/main/java/io/grpc/xds/XdsNameResolverProvider.java
index a02e27c37c7..0eb51c91281 100644
--- a/xds/src/main/java/io/grpc/xds/XdsNameResolverProvider.java
+++ b/xds/src/main/java/io/grpc/xds/XdsNameResolverProvider.java
@@ -23,7 +23,11 @@
 import io.grpc.NameResolver.Args;
 import io.grpc.NameResolverProvider;
 import io.grpc.internal.ObjectPool;
+import java.net.InetSocketAddress;
+import java.net.SocketAddress;
 import java.net.URI;
+import java.util.Collection;
+import java.util.Collections;
 import java.util.Map;
 import java.util.concurrent.atomic.AtomicLong;
 import javax.annotation.Nullable;
@@ -99,6 +103,11 @@ protected int priority() {
     return 4;
   }
 
+  @Override
+  protected Collection<Class<? extends SocketAddress>> getProducedSocketAddressTypes() {
+    return Collections.singleton(InetSocketAddress.class);
+  }
+
   interface XdsClientPoolFactory {
     void setBootstrapOverride(Map<String, ?> bootstrap);