diff --git a/OpenRA.Game/World.cs b/OpenRA.Game/World.cs
index f6f03ced2a..4cacd3392d 100644
--- a/OpenRA.Game/World.cs
+++ b/OpenRA.Game/World.cs
@@ -38,9 +38,14 @@ namespace OpenRA
 
 		public readonly MersenneTwister SharedRandom;
 
-		public readonly List<Player> Players = new List<Player>();
+		public Player[] Players = new Player[0];
+
+		public void SetPlayers(IEnumerable<Player> players, Player localPlayer)
+		{
+			Players = players.ToArray();
+			SetLocalPlayer(localPlayer);
+		}
 
-		public void AddPlayer(Player p) { Players.Add(p); }
 		public Player LocalPlayer { get; private set; }
 
 		public event Action GameOver = () => { };
@@ -82,12 +87,18 @@ namespace OpenRA
 			get { return LobbyInfo.GlobalSettings.AllowCheats || LobbyInfo.IsSinglePlayer; }
 		}
 
-		public void SetLocalPlayer(string pr)
+		void SetLocalPlayer(Player localPlayer)
 		{
+			if (localPlayer == null)
+				return;
+
+			if (!Players.Contains(localPlayer))
+				throw new ArgumentException("The local player must be one of the players in the world.", "localPlayer");
+
 			if (IsReplay)
 				return;
 
-			LocalPlayer = Players.FirstOrDefault(p => p.InternalName == pr);
+			LocalPlayer = localPlayer;
 			RenderPlayer = LocalPlayer;
 		}
 
diff --git a/OpenRA.Mods.Common/Traits/World/CreateMPPlayers.cs b/OpenRA.Mods.Common/Traits/World/CreateMPPlayers.cs
index 1f24e02b94..53d950cddd 100644
--- a/OpenRA.Mods.Common/Traits/World/CreateMPPlayers.cs
+++ b/OpenRA.Mods.Common/Traits/World/CreateMPPlayers.cs
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
  */
 #endregion
 
+using System.Collections.Generic;
 using System.Linq;
 using OpenRA.Network;
 using OpenRA.Traits;
@@ -22,16 +23,19 @@ namespace OpenRA.Mods.Common.Traits
 		public void CreatePlayers(World w)
 		{
 			var players = new MapPlayers(w.Map.PlayerDefinitions).Players;
+			var worldPlayers = new List<Player>();
 
 			// Create the unplayable map players -- neutral, shellmap, scripted, etc.
 			foreach (var kv in players.Where(p => !p.Value.Playable))
 			{
 				var player = new Player(w, null, kv.Value);
-				w.AddPlayer(player);
+				worldPlayers.Add(player);
 				if (kv.Value.OwnsWorld)
 					w.WorldActor.Owner = player;
 			}
 
+			Player localPlayer = null;
+
 			// Create the regular playable players.
 			foreach (var kv in w.LobbyInfo.Slots)
 			{
@@ -40,22 +44,24 @@ namespace OpenRA.Mods.Common.Traits
 					continue;
 
 				var player = new Player(w, client, players[kv.Value.PlayerReference]);
-				w.AddPlayer(player);
+				worldPlayers.Add(player);
 
 				if (client.Index == Game.LocalClientId)
-					w.SetLocalPlayer(player.InternalName);
+					localPlayer = player;
 			}
 
 			// Create a player that is allied with everyone for shared observer shroud.
-			w.AddPlayer(new Player(w, null, new PlayerReference
+			worldPlayers.Add(new Player(w, null, new PlayerReference
 			{
 				Name = "Everyone",
 				NonCombatant = true,
 				Spectating = true,
 				Faction = "Random",
-				Allies = w.Players.Where(p => !p.NonCombatant && p.Playable).Select(p => p.InternalName).ToArray()
+				Allies = worldPlayers.Where(p => !p.NonCombatant && p.Playable).Select(p => p.InternalName).ToArray()
 			}));
 
+			w.SetPlayers(worldPlayers, localPlayer);
+
 			foreach (var p in w.Players)
 				foreach (var q in w.Players)
 					if (!p.Stances.ContainsKey(q))
diff --git a/OpenRA.Mods.Common/Traits/World/EditorActorLayer.cs b/OpenRA.Mods.Common/Traits/World/EditorActorLayer.cs
index ff64e6a07f..940ebbb612 100644
--- a/OpenRA.Mods.Common/Traits/World/EditorActorLayer.cs
+++ b/OpenRA.Mods.Common/Traits/World/EditorActorLayer.cs
@@ -164,10 +164,7 @@ namespace OpenRA.Mods.Common.Traits
 				var index = int.Parse(name.Substring(5));
 
 				if (index >= newCount)
-				{
 					Players.Players.Remove(name);
-					worldRenderer.World.Players.RemoveAll(pp => pp.InternalName == name);
-				}
 			}
 
 			for (var index = 0; index < newCount; index++)