diff --git a/OpenRA.Game/Actor.cs b/OpenRA.Game/Actor.cs
index 26f53aac3a..ef5a6e6d7f 100644
--- a/OpenRA.Game/Actor.cs
+++ b/OpenRA.Game/Actor.cs
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ namespace OpenRA
 
 		public readonly uint ActorID;
 
-		public Player Owner { get; set; }
+		public Player Owner { get; internal set; }
 
 		public bool IsInWorld { get; internal set; }
 		public bool Disposed { get; private set; }
diff --git a/OpenRA.Game/World.cs b/OpenRA.Game/World.cs
index e83c9d4027..f9608dfd77 100644
--- a/OpenRA.Game/World.cs
+++ b/OpenRA.Game/World.cs
@@ -240,6 +240,11 @@ namespace OpenRA
 				rc.Metadata = new ReplayMetadata(gameInfo);
 		}
 
+		public void SetWorldOwner(Player p)
+		{
+			WorldActor.Owner = p;
+		}
+
 		public Actor CreateActor(string name, TypeDictionary initDict)
 		{
 			return CreateActor(true, name, initDict);
diff --git a/OpenRA.Mods.Common/Traits/World/CreateMPPlayers.cs b/OpenRA.Mods.Common/Traits/World/CreateMPPlayers.cs
index 5842aa14ba..0150892904 100644
--- a/OpenRA.Mods.Common/Traits/World/CreateMPPlayers.cs
+++ b/OpenRA.Mods.Common/Traits/World/CreateMPPlayers.cs
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ namespace OpenRA.Mods.Common.Traits
 				var player = new Player(w, null, kv.Value);
 				worldPlayers.Add(player);
 				if (kv.Value.OwnsWorld)
-					w.WorldActor.Owner = player;
+					w.SetWorldOwner(player);
 			}
 
 			Player localPlayer = null;
diff --git a/OpenRA.Mods.Common/Traits/World/EditorActorLayer.cs b/OpenRA.Mods.Common/Traits/World/EditorActorLayer.cs
index 563ae72598..63ec4dad20 100644
--- a/OpenRA.Mods.Common/Traits/World/EditorActorLayer.cs
+++ b/OpenRA.Mods.Common/Traits/World/EditorActorLayer.cs
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ namespace OpenRA.Mods.Common.Traits
 			Players = new MapPlayers(w.Map.PlayerDefinitions);
 
 			var worldOwner = Players.Players.Select(kvp => kvp.Value).First(p => !p.Playable && p.OwnsWorld);
-			w.WorldActor.Owner = new Player(w, null, worldOwner);
+			w.SetWorldOwner(new Player(w, null, worldOwner));
 		}
 
 		public void WorldLoaded(World world, WorldRenderer wr)