diff --git a/src/java/com/threerings/parlor/game/GameController.java b/src/java/com/threerings/parlor/game/GameController.java
index dd971d1ac..3449017b0 100644
--- a/src/java/com/threerings/parlor/game/GameController.java
+++ b/src/java/com/threerings/parlor/game/GameController.java
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ import com.threerings.presents.dobj.AttributeChangedEvent;
 
 import com.threerings.crowd.client.PlaceController;
 import com.threerings.crowd.client.PlaceControllerDelegate;
+import com.threerings.crowd.data.BodyObject;
 import com.threerings.crowd.data.PlaceConfig;
 import com.threerings.crowd.data.PlaceObject;
 import com.threerings.crowd.util.CrowdContext;
@@ -35,6 +36,8 @@ import com.threerings.crowd.util.CrowdContext;
 import com.threerings.parlor.Log;
 import com.threerings.parlor.util.ParlorContext;
 
+import com.threerings.util.Name;
+
 /**
  * The game controller manages the flow and control of a game on the
  * client side. This class serves as the root of a hierarchy of controller
@@ -93,13 +96,18 @@ public abstract class GameController extends PlaceController
         // runnable here that will let the game manager know that we're
         // ready on the next pass through the distributed event loop
         Log.info("Entering game " + _gobj.which() + ".");
-        _ctx.getClient().getInvoker().invokeLater(new Runnable() {
-            public void run () {
-                // finally let the game manager know that we're ready to roll
-                Log.info("Reporting ready " + _gobj.which() + ".");
-                _gobj.gameService.playerReady(_ctx.getClient());
-            }
-        });
+        Name username = 
+            ((BodyObject)_ctx.getClient().getClientObject()).username;
+        if (_gobj.getPlayerIndex(username) != -1) {
+            _ctx.getClient().getInvoker().invokeLater(new Runnable() {
+                public void run () {
+                    // finally let the game manager know that we're ready
+                    // to roll
+                    Log.info("Reporting ready " + _gobj.which() + ".");
+                    _gobj.gameService.playerReady(_ctx.getClient());
+                }
+            });
+        }
     }
 
     /**