diff --git a/OpenRA.Game/Chrome.cs b/OpenRA.Game/Chrome.cs
index 274501aac0..449df6c7db 100644
--- a/OpenRA.Game/Chrome.cs
+++ b/OpenRA.Game/Chrome.cs
@@ -146,7 +146,8 @@ namespace OpenRA
 		public void Tick(World world)
 		{
 			if (!Game.IsStarted) return;
-
+			if (world.LocalPlayer == null) return;
+			
 			TickPaletteAnimation();
 			TickRadarAnimation();
 
diff --git a/OpenRA.Game/Game.cs b/OpenRA.Game/Game.cs
index f57193e974..5ce9b8e2d5 100644
--- a/OpenRA.Game/Game.cs
+++ b/OpenRA.Game/Game.cs
@@ -185,12 +185,13 @@ namespace OpenRA
 			AvailableMaps = FindMaps(LobbyInfo.GlobalSettings.Mods);
 			
 			ChangeMods();
-			LoadMap(new Manifest(LobbyInfo.GlobalSettings.Mods).ShellmapUid);
 
 			if( Settings.Replay != "" )
 				orderManager = new OrderManager( new ReplayConnection( Settings.Replay ) );
 			else
 				JoinLocal();
+			
+			 LoadShellMap(new Manifest(LobbyInfo.GlobalSettings.Mods).ShellmapUid);
 		}
 		
 		public static string CurrentHost = "";
@@ -340,7 +341,21 @@ namespace OpenRA
 		public static void IssueOrder(Order o) { orderManager.IssueOrder(o); }	/* avoid exposing the OM to mod code */
 
 		public static bool IsStarted { get { return orderManager.GameStarted; } }
+		
+		public static void LoadShellMap(string map)
+		{
+			LoadMap(map);			
+			world.Queries = new World.AllQueries(world);
 
+			foreach (var p in world.players.Values)
+				foreach (var q in world.players.Values)
+					p.Stances[q] = ChooseInitialStance(p, q);
+						
+			foreach (var gs in world.WorldActor.traits.WithInterface<IGameStarted>())
+				gs.GameStarted(world);
+			orderManager.StartGame();
+		}
+		
 		public static void StartGame()
 		{
 			LoadMap(LobbyInfo.GlobalSettings.Map);
diff --git a/OpenRA.Game/GameRules/TechTree.cs b/OpenRA.Game/GameRules/TechTree.cs
index 7f2aef7bda..086d481d36 100755
--- a/OpenRA.Game/GameRules/TechTree.cs
+++ b/OpenRA.Game/GameRules/TechTree.cs
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-#region Copyright & License Information
+#region Copyright & License Information
 /*
  * Copyright 2007,2009,2010 Chris Forbes, Robert Pepperell, Matthew Bowra-Dean, Paul Chote, Alli Witheford.
  * This file is part of OpenRA.
@@ -43,6 +43,9 @@ namespace OpenRA.GameRules
 		public Cache<string, List<Actor>> GatherBuildings( Player player )
 		{
 			var ret = new Cache<string, List<Actor>>( x => new List<Actor>() );
+			if (player == null)
+				return ret;
+
 			foreach( var b in player.World.Queries.OwnedBy[player].Where( x=>x.Info.Traits.Contains<BuildingInfo>() ) )
 			{
 				ret[ b.Info.Name ].Add( b );
@@ -56,6 +59,9 @@ namespace OpenRA.GameRules
 
 		public bool CanBuild( ActorInfo info, Player player, Cache<string, List<Actor>> playerBuildings )
 		{
+			if (player == null)
+				return false;
+			
 			var bi = info.Traits.GetOrDefault<BuildableInfo>();
 			if( bi == null ) return false;
 
@@ -74,6 +80,9 @@ namespace OpenRA.GameRules
 
 		public IEnumerable<string> BuildableItems( Player player, params string[] categories )
 		{
+			if (player == null)
+				yield break;
+			
 			var playerBuildings = GatherBuildings( player );
 			foreach (var unit in AllBuildables(categories))
 				if( CanBuild( unit, player, playerBuildings ) )
diff --git a/OpenRA.Game/Graphics/Viewport.cs b/OpenRA.Game/Graphics/Viewport.cs
index d9d603f4c8..3bccfb2033 100644
--- a/OpenRA.Game/Graphics/Viewport.cs
+++ b/OpenRA.Game/Graphics/Viewport.cs
@@ -75,7 +75,8 @@ namespace OpenRA.Graphics
 			world.WorldRenderer.Draw();
 			if( Game.orderManager.GameStarted )
 			{
-				Game.chrome.Draw( world );	
+				if (world.LocalPlayer != null)
+					Game.chrome.Draw( world );	
 
 				if( Game.orderManager.Connection.ConnectionState == ConnectionState.NotConnected )
 					Game.chrome.DrawDialog("Connection lost.");
diff --git a/OpenRA.Game/Graphics/WorldRenderer.cs b/OpenRA.Game/Graphics/WorldRenderer.cs
index a0b2923d36..66b051e6f2 100644
--- a/OpenRA.Game/Graphics/WorldRenderer.cs
+++ b/OpenRA.Game/Graphics/WorldRenderer.cs
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ using System.Drawing;
 using System.Linq;
 using OpenRA.FileFormats;
 using OpenRA.Traits;
-
+using System;
 namespace OpenRA.Graphics
 {
 	public class WorldRenderer
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ namespace OpenRA.Graphics
 			var actors = world.FindUnits(
 				new float2(bounds.Left, bounds.Top),
 				new float2(bounds.Right, bounds.Bottom));
-
+						
 			var renderables = actors.SelectMany(a => a.Render())
 				.OrderBy(r => r, comparer);
 
diff --git a/OpenRA.Game/World.cs b/OpenRA.Game/World.cs
index 62bd45784b..a3e08bd1fd 100644
--- a/OpenRA.Game/World.cs
+++ b/OpenRA.Game/World.cs
@@ -155,7 +155,10 @@ namespace OpenRA
 			frameEndActions = new List<Action<World>>();
 			foreach (var a in acts) a(this);
 
-			Minimap.Update();
+			// TODO: This doesn't even belong here -> move into a widget
+			if (LocalPlayer != null)
+				Minimap.Update();
+			
 			foreach (var player in players.Values)
 				player.Tick();
 		}