diff --git a/OpenRa.Game/Game.cs b/OpenRa.Game/Game.cs
index 458746cf5a..bc1bd8a468 100644
--- a/OpenRa.Game/Game.cs
+++ b/OpenRa.Game/Game.cs
@@ -61,8 +61,11 @@ namespace OpenRa.Game
 
 			for (int i = 0; i < 8; i++)
 			{
+				var race = players.ContainsKey(i) ? players[i].Race : Race.Allies;
+				var name = players.ContainsKey(i) ? players[i].PlayerName : "Player {0}".F(i+1);
+
 				var a = new Actor(null, new int2(int.MaxValue, int.MaxValue), null);
-				players[i] = new Player(a, i, i, "Multi{0}".F(i), Race.Allies);
+				players[i] = new Player(a, i, i, name, race, "Multi{0}".F(i));
 				a.Owner = players[i];
 				a.traits.Add(new Traits.ProductionQueue(a));
 				Game.world.Add(a);
@@ -133,7 +136,7 @@ namespace OpenRa.Game
 				var parts = s.Value.Split( ',' );
 				var loc = int.Parse(parts[3]);
 				world.Add(new Actor(Rules.UnitInfo[parts[1].ToLowerInvariant()], new int2(loc % 128, loc / 128),
-					players.Values.FirstOrDefault(p => p.PlayerName == parts[0]) ?? players[0]));
+					players.Values.FirstOrDefault(p => p.InternalName == parts[0]) ?? players[0]));
 			}
 		}
 
diff --git a/OpenRa.Game/Player.cs b/OpenRa.Game/Player.cs
index a175b27af7..55c9a039d1 100644
--- a/OpenRa.Game/Player.cs
+++ b/OpenRa.Game/Player.cs
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ namespace OpenRa.Game
 		public int Palette;
 		public int Kills;
 		public string PlayerName;
+		public string InternalName;
 		public Race Race;
 		public readonly int Index;
 		public int Cash;
@@ -25,11 +26,12 @@ namespace OpenRa.Game
 
 		public bool IsReady;
 
-		public Player( Actor playerActor, int index, int palette, string playerName, Race race )
+		public Player( Actor playerActor, int index, int palette, string playerName, Race race, string internalName )
 		{
 			this.PlayerActor = playerActor;
 			this.Index = index;
 			this.Palette = palette;
+			this.InternalName = internalName;
 			this.PlayerName = playerName;
 			this.Race = race;
 			this.Cash = 10000;