diff --git a/OpenRA.Server/Server.cs b/OpenRA.Server/Server.cs
index a2517fa4a5..c1ffd20187 100644
--- a/OpenRA.Server/Server.cs
+++ b/OpenRA.Server/Server.cs
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@ namespace OpenRA.Server
 						Index = newConn.PlayerIndex,
 						PaletteIndex = ChooseFreePalette(),
 						Name = "Player {0}".F(1 + newConn.PlayerIndex),
-						Country = "allies",		/* hack */
+						Country = "",		/* hack */
 						State = Session.ClientState.NotReady
 					});
 
diff --git a/OpenRa.Game/Chrome.cs b/OpenRa.Game/Chrome.cs
index 7aee82ff15..4e758acf64 100644
--- a/OpenRa.Game/Chrome.cs
+++ b/OpenRa.Game/Chrome.cs
@@ -368,7 +368,7 @@ namespace OpenRa
 				.Skip(1)
 				.First();
 
-			Game.IssueOrder(Order.Chat("/race " + nextCountry));
+			Game.IssueOrder(Order.Chat("/race " + nextCountry.Name));
 		}
 
 		void CycleReady(bool left)
diff --git a/OpenRa.Game/Player.cs b/OpenRa.Game/Player.cs
index b1515d6a6e..4d6172e895 100644
--- a/OpenRa.Game/Player.cs
+++ b/OpenRa.Game/Player.cs
@@ -178,6 +178,9 @@ namespace OpenRa
 				PlayerName = client.Name;
 			}
 
+			if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(client.Country))
+				client.Country = PlayerActor.World.GetCountries().First().Name;
+
 			if (Country.Name != client.Country)
 			{
 				Game.chat.AddLine(this, "is now playing {0}".F(client.Country));