diff --git a/OpenRa.Game/Chrome.cs b/OpenRa.Game/Chrome.cs
index 3ec1c36fb1..76c6b964d3 100644
--- a/OpenRa.Game/Chrome.cs
+++ b/OpenRa.Game/Chrome.cs
@@ -217,6 +217,9 @@ namespace OpenRa
 			var r = new Rectangle((Game.viewport.Width - w) / 2, (Game.viewport.Height - h) / 2, w, h);
 			DrawDialogBackground(r, optionsSprites, true);
 			DrawCentered(text, new int2(Game.viewport.Width / 2, Game.viewport.Height / 2 - 8), Color.White);
+
+			// don't allow clicks through the dialog
+			AddButton(r, _ => { });
 		}
 
 		public void DrawLobby()
@@ -260,6 +263,9 @@ namespace OpenRa
 			DrawDialogBackground(chatBox, panelSprites, false);
 
 			DrawChat(typingBox, chatBox);
+
+			// block clicks `through` the dialog
+			AddButton(r, _ => { });
 		}
 
 		public void TickRadarAnimation()
diff --git a/OpenRa.Game/Graphics/Viewport.cs b/OpenRa.Game/Graphics/Viewport.cs
index beac26dcd5..e855eee52b 100644
--- a/OpenRa.Game/Graphics/Viewport.cs
+++ b/OpenRa.Game/Graphics/Viewport.cs
@@ -53,6 +53,10 @@ namespace OpenRa.Graphics
 			{
 				Game.world.WorldRenderer.Draw();
 				Game.chrome.Draw();
+
+				if (Game.orderManager.IsNetplay && 
+					Game.orderManager.Sources.OfType<NetworkOrderSource>().First().State == ConnectionState.NotConnected)
+					Game.chrome.DrawDialog("Connection lost.");
 			}
 			else
 			{
@@ -64,7 +68,7 @@ namespace OpenRa.Graphics
 					switch (nos.State)
 					{
 						case ConnectionState.Connecting:
-							Game.chrome.DrawDialog("Connecting to {0}:{1}".F( Game.Settings.NetworkHost, Game.Settings.NetworkPort ));
+							Game.chrome.DrawDialog("Connecting to {0}:{1}...".F( Game.Settings.NetworkHost, Game.Settings.NetworkPort ));
 							break;
 						case ConnectionState.NotConnected:
 							Game.chrome.DrawDialog("Connection failed.");
diff --git a/OpenRa.Game/Orders/NetworkOrderSource.cs b/OpenRa.Game/Orders/NetworkOrderSource.cs
index a8fc08d076..ce0bc2de4a 100644
--- a/OpenRa.Game/Orders/NetworkOrderSource.cs
+++ b/OpenRa.Game/Orders/NetworkOrderSource.cs
@@ -42,26 +42,34 @@ namespace OpenRa.Orders
 				{
 					var reader = new BinaryReader(socket.GetStream());
 
-					for (; ; )
+					try
 					{
-						var len = reader.ReadInt32();
-						var frame = reader.ReadInt32();
-						var buf = reader.ReadBytes(len - 4);
-
-						lock (orderBuffers)
+						for (; ; )
 						{
-							if (len == 5 && buf[0] == 0xef)	/* got everything marker */
-								gotEverything[frame] = true;
-							else
+							var len = reader.ReadInt32();
+							var frame = reader.ReadInt32();
+							var buf = reader.ReadBytes(len - 4);
+
+							lock (orderBuffers)
 							{
-								/* accumulate this chunk */
-								if (!orderBuffers.ContainsKey(frame))
-									orderBuffers[frame] = new List<byte[]> { buf };
+								if (len == 5 && buf[0] == 0xef)	/* got everything marker */
+									gotEverything[frame] = true;
 								else
-									orderBuffers[frame].Add(buf);
+								{
+									/* accumulate this chunk */
+									if (!orderBuffers.ContainsKey(frame))
+										orderBuffers[frame] = new List<byte[]> { buf };
+									else
+										orderBuffers[frame].Add(buf);
+								}
 							}
 						}
 					}
+					catch (IOException e)
+					{
+						State = ConnectionState.NotConnected;
+					}
+
 				}) { IsBackground = true }.Start();
 			}
 			catch