diff --git a/binaries/data/mods/public/gui/session_new/messages.js b/binaries/data/mods/public/gui/session_new/messages.js
index f3b5d7eeba..27bcbe3249 100644
--- a/binaries/data/mods/public/gui/session_new/messages.js
+++ b/binaries/data/mods/public/gui/session_new/messages.js
@@ -27,12 +27,17 @@ function handleNetMessage(message)
 			obj.hidden = false;
 			// TODO: we need to give players some way to exit
 			break;
-
 		default:
 			error("Unrecognised netstatus type "+message.status);
 			break;
 		}
 		break;
+	case "players":
+		// Find and report all leavings
+		for (var host in g_PlayerAssignments)
+			if (! message.hosts[host])
+				addChatMessage({ "type": "disconnect", "username": g_PlayerAssignments[host].name });
+		break;
 	case "chat":
 		addChatMessage({ "type": "message", "username": message.username, "text": message.text });
 		break;
@@ -98,7 +103,7 @@ function addChatMessage(msg)
 
 function removeOldChatMessages()
 {
-	clearTimeout(chatTimers[0]);
+	clearTimeout(chatTimers[0]); // The timer only needs to be cleared when new messages bump old messages off
 	chatTimers.shift();
 	chatMessages.shift();
 	getGUIObjectByName("chatText").caption = chatMessages.join("\n");
diff --git a/binaries/data/mods/public/gui/session_new/session.js b/binaries/data/mods/public/gui/session_new/session.js
index 8c56635285..d22d300d32 100644
--- a/binaries/data/mods/public/gui/session_new/session.js
+++ b/binaries/data/mods/public/gui/session_new/session.js
@@ -24,6 +24,8 @@ var g_IsNetworked = false;
 // Cache the basic player data (name, civ, color)
 var g_Players = [];
 
+var g_PlayerAssignments = {};
+
 // Cache dev-mode settings that are frequently or widely used
 var g_DevSettings = {
 	controlAll: false
@@ -44,6 +46,7 @@ function init(initData, hotloadData)
 	if (initData)
 	{
 		g_IsNetworked = initData.isNetworked; // Set network mode
+		g_PlayerAssignments = initData.playerAssignments;
 		g_Players = getPlayerData(initData.playerAssignments); // Cache the player data
 	}
 	else // Needed for autostart loading option