diff --git a/OpenRA.Game/Server/Server.cs b/OpenRA.Game/Server/Server.cs
index bab842cd75..46ca384c3a 100644
--- a/OpenRA.Game/Server/Server.cs
+++ b/OpenRA.Game/Server/Server.cs
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ namespace OpenRA.Server
 		static bool isInternetServer;
 		static string masterServerUrl;
 		static bool isInitialPing;
-		static ModData ModData;
+		public static ModData ModData;
 		public static Map Map;
 
 		public static void StopListening()
@@ -59,8 +59,8 @@ namespace OpenRA.Server
 			GameStarted = false;
 			try { listener.Stop(); }
 			catch { }
-
 		}
+		
 		public static void ServerMain(ModData modData, Settings settings, string map)
 		{
 			Log.AddChannel("server", "server.log");
@@ -83,8 +83,9 @@ namespace OpenRA.Server
 			lobbyInfo.GlobalSettings.AllowCheats = settings.Server.AllowCheats;
 			lobbyInfo.GlobalSettings.ServerName = settings.Server.Name;
 			
-			LoadMap();	// populates the Session's slots, too.
-			
+			foreach (var t in ServerTraits.WithInterface<IStartServer>())
+				t.ServerStarted();
+						
 			Log.Write("server", "Initial mods: ");
 			foreach( var m in lobbyInfo.GlobalSettings.Mods )
 				Log.Write("server","- {0}", m);
@@ -133,37 +134,6 @@ namespace OpenRA.Server
 
 		}
 
-		static Session.Slot MakeSlotFromPlayerReference(PlayerReference pr)
-		{
-			if (!pr.Playable) return null;
-			return new Session.Slot
-			{
-				MapPlayer = pr.Name,
-				Bot = null,	/* todo: allow the map to specify a bot class? */
-				Closed = false,
-			};
-		}
-
-		public static void LoadMap()
-		{
-			Map = new Map(ModData.AvailableMaps[lobbyInfo.GlobalSettings.Map]);
-			lobbyInfo.Slots = Map.Players
-				.Select(p => MakeSlotFromPlayerReference(p.Value))
-				.Where(s => s != null)
-				.Select((s, i) => { s.Index = i; return s; })
-				.ToList();
-
-			// Generate slots for spectators
-			for (int i = 0; i < MaxSpectators; i++)
-				lobbyInfo.Slots.Add(new Session.Slot
-				{
-					Spectator = true,
-					Index = lobbyInfo.Slots.Count(),
-					MapPlayer = null,
-					Bot = null
-				});
-		}
-
 		/* lobby rework todo: 
 		 *	- "teams together" option for team games -- will eliminate most need
 		 *		for manual spawnpoint choosing.
diff --git a/OpenRA.Game/ServerTraits/LobbyCommands.cs b/OpenRA.Game/ServerTraits/LobbyCommands.cs
index 786a39561b..40ce452952 100644
--- a/OpenRA.Game/ServerTraits/LobbyCommands.cs
+++ b/OpenRA.Game/ServerTraits/LobbyCommands.cs
@@ -12,10 +12,11 @@ using System;
 using System.Collections.Generic;
 using System.Linq;
 using OpenRA.Network;
+using OpenRA.FileFormats;
 
 namespace OpenRA.Server.Traits
 {
-	public class LobbyCommands : IInterpretCommand
+	public class LobbyCommands : IInterpretCommand, IStartServer
 	{
 		public bool InterpretCommand(Connection conn, string cmd)
 		{
@@ -194,7 +195,7 @@ namespace OpenRA.Server.Traits
 							return true;
 						}
 						Server.lobbyInfo.GlobalSettings.Map = s;			
-						Server.LoadMap();
+						LoadMap();
 
 						foreach(var client in Server.lobbyInfo.Clients)
 						{
@@ -233,5 +234,37 @@ namespace OpenRA.Server.Traits
 			
 			return a(cmdValue);
 		}
+		
+		public void ServerStarted() { LoadMap(); }
+		static Session.Slot MakeSlotFromPlayerReference(PlayerReference pr)
+		{
+			if (!pr.Playable) return null;
+			return new Session.Slot
+			{
+				MapPlayer = pr.Name,
+				Bot = null,	/* todo: allow the map to specify a bot class? */
+				Closed = false,
+			};
+		}
+
+		public static void LoadMap()
+		{
+			Server.Map = new Map(Server.ModData.AvailableMaps[Server.lobbyInfo.GlobalSettings.Map]);
+			Server.lobbyInfo.Slots = Server.Map.Players
+				.Select(p => MakeSlotFromPlayerReference(p.Value))
+				.Where(s => s != null)
+				.Select((s, i) => { s.Index = i; return s; })
+				.ToList();
+
+			// Generate slots for spectators
+			for (int i = 0; i < Server.MaxSpectators; i++)
+				Server.lobbyInfo.Slots.Add(new Session.Slot
+				{
+					Spectator = true,
+					Index = Server.lobbyInfo.Slots.Count(),
+					MapPlayer = null,
+					Bot = null
+				});
+		}
 	}
 }
diff --git a/OpenRA.Game/ServerTraits/TraitInterfaces.cs b/OpenRA.Game/ServerTraits/TraitInterfaces.cs
index 2cec88c8d4..5f73f5008e 100644
--- a/OpenRA.Game/ServerTraits/TraitInterfaces.cs
+++ b/OpenRA.Game/ServerTraits/TraitInterfaces.cs
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ namespace OpenRA.Server.Traits
 {	
 	// Returns true if order is handled 
 	public interface IInterpretCommand { bool InterpretCommand(Connection conn, string cmd); }
+	public interface IStartServer { void ServerStarted(); }
 
 	public class DebugServerTrait : IInterpretCommand
 	{