An apparatus for automatic amplifier gain setting of an optical amplifier, said apparatus comprising an optical channel counter, OCC, unit configured to detect a number of channels present in an optical transmission spectrum; a determination unit configured to determine an average power per channel calculated by dividing a measured total power of a signal input and/or signal output of the optical amplifier by the number of channels detected by said optical channel counter, OCC, unit and a gain adjustment unit configured to adjust the amplifier gain of said optical amplifier automatically depending on a calculated power difference between a predetermined desired power per channel and the determined average power per channel provided by said determination unit.