diff --git a/src/java/com/threerings/parlor/game/GameManager.java b/src/java/com/threerings/parlor/game/GameManager.java
index 5d8fe869b..393f20b26 100644
--- a/src/java/com/threerings/parlor/game/GameManager.java
+++ b/src/java/com/threerings/parlor/game/GameManager.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 //
-// $Id: GameManager.java,v 1.40 2002/09/06 22:52:27 shaper Exp $
+// $Id: GameManager.java,v 1.41 2002/09/18 04:01:29 shaper Exp $
 
 package com.threerings.parlor.game;
 
@@ -235,14 +235,6 @@ public class GameManager extends PlaceManager
         return (_AIs != null && _AIs[pidx] != -1);
     }
 
-    /**
-     * Returns whether the game is over.
-     */
-    public boolean isGameOver ()
-    {
-        return (_gameobj.state == GameObject.GAME_OVER);
-    }
-
     /**
      * Returns the unique round identifier for the current round.
      */
@@ -344,8 +336,8 @@ public class GameManager extends PlaceManager
         Log.info("Game room empty. Going away. " +
                  "[gameOid=" + _gameobj.getOid() + "].");
 
-        // cancel the game if it wasn't over.
-        if (_gameobj.state != GameObject.GAME_OVER) {
+        // cancel the game if it was in play
+        if (_gameobj.state == GameObject.IN_PLAY) {
             _gameobj.setState(GameObject.CANCELLED);
         }
 
@@ -485,6 +477,12 @@ public class GameManager extends PlaceManager
      */
     public void endGame ()
     {
+        if (_gameobj.state != GameObject.IN_PLAY) {
+            Log.debug("Refusing to end game that was not in play " +
+                      "[game=" + _gameobj.which() + "].");
+            return;
+        }
+
         // figure out who won...
 
         // transition to the game over state
diff --git a/src/java/com/threerings/parlor/game/GameObject.dobj b/src/java/com/threerings/parlor/game/GameObject.dobj
index 126ba652e..9b7df5109 100644
--- a/src/java/com/threerings/parlor/game/GameObject.dobj
+++ b/src/java/com/threerings/parlor/game/GameObject.dobj
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 //
-// $Id: GameObject.dobj,v 1.11 2002/08/14 19:07:53 mdb Exp $
+// $Id: GameObject.dobj,v 1.12 2002/09/18 04:01:29 shaper Exp $
 
 package com.threerings.parlor.game;
 
@@ -58,4 +58,13 @@ public class GameObject extends PlaceObject
         return (players == null) ? -1 : 
             ListUtil.indexOfEqual(players, username);
     }
+
+    /**
+     * Returns whether the game is in play.  A game that is not in play
+     * could either be awaiting players, ended, or cancelled.
+     */
+    public boolean isInPlay ()
+    {
+        return (state == IN_PLAY);
+    }
 }
diff --git a/src/java/com/threerings/parlor/game/GameObject.java b/src/java/com/threerings/parlor/game/GameObject.java
index 700b93e78..315c0bcc5 100644
--- a/src/java/com/threerings/parlor/game/GameObject.java
+++ b/src/java/com/threerings/parlor/game/GameObject.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 //
-// $Id: GameObject.java,v 1.6 2002/08/14 19:07:53 mdb Exp $
+// $Id: GameObject.java,v 1.7 2002/09/18 04:01:29 shaper Exp $
 
 package com.threerings.parlor.game;
 
@@ -74,6 +74,15 @@ public class GameObject extends PlaceObject
             ListUtil.indexOfEqual(players, username);
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Returns whether the game is in play.  A game that is not in play
+     * could either be awaiting players, ended, or cancelled.
+     */
+    public boolean isInPlay ()
+    {
+        return (state == IN_PLAY);
+    }
+
     /**
      * Requests that the <code>service</code> field be set to the specified
      * value. The local value will be updated immediately and an event