diff --git a/osu.Game/Online/Multiplayer/MultiplayerClient.cs b/osu.Game/Online/Multiplayer/MultiplayerClient.cs
index 50dc8f661c..3221456e75 100644
--- a/osu.Game/Online/Multiplayer/MultiplayerClient.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/Online/Multiplayer/MultiplayerClient.cs
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Online.Multiplayer
                          {
                              options.Headers.Add("Authorization", $"Bearer {api.AccessToken}");
                          })
-                         .AddNewtonsoftJsonProtocol(options => { options.PayloadSerializerSettings.ReferenceLoopHandling = ReferenceLoopHandling.Ignore; })
+                         .AddMessagePackProtocol()
                          .Build();
 
             // this is kind of SILLY
diff --git a/osu.Game/Online/Spectator/SpectatorStreamingClient.cs b/osu.Game/Online/Spectator/SpectatorStreamingClient.cs
index 344b73f3d9..cc866b7ad9 100644
--- a/osu.Game/Online/Spectator/SpectatorStreamingClient.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/Online/Spectator/SpectatorStreamingClient.cs
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Online.Spectator
                          {
                              options.Headers.Add("Authorization", $"Bearer {api.AccessToken}");
                          })
-                         .AddNewtonsoftJsonProtocol(options => { options.PayloadSerializerSettings.ReferenceLoopHandling = ReferenceLoopHandling.Ignore; })
+                         .AddMessagePackProtocol()
                          .Build();
 
             // until strong typed client support is added, each method must be manually bound (see https://github.com/dotnet/aspnetcore/issues/15198)