diff --git a/osu.Game/Online/RealtimeMultiplayer/RealtimeMultiplayerClient.cs b/osu.Game/Online/RealtimeMultiplayer/RealtimeMultiplayerClient.cs
index 75bb578a29..5cbf3be8ca 100644
--- a/osu.Game/Online/RealtimeMultiplayer/RealtimeMultiplayerClient.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/Online/RealtimeMultiplayer/RealtimeMultiplayerClient.cs
@@ -130,7 +130,11 @@ namespace osu.Game.Online.RealtimeMultiplayer
         public override async Task LeaveRoom()
         {
             if (!isConnected.Value)
+            {
+                // even if not connected, make sure the local room state can be cleaned up.
+                await base.LeaveRoom();
                 return;
+            }
 
             if (Room == null)
                 return;
diff --git a/osu.Game/Online/RealtimeMultiplayer/StatefulMultiplayerClient.cs b/osu.Game/Online/RealtimeMultiplayer/StatefulMultiplayerClient.cs
index 4ebd648689..79d82a8d02 100644
--- a/osu.Game/Online/RealtimeMultiplayer/StatefulMultiplayerClient.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/Online/RealtimeMultiplayer/StatefulMultiplayerClient.cs
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ using osu.Framework.Allocation;
 using osu.Framework.Bindables;
 using osu.Framework.Extensions.ObjectExtensions;
 using osu.Framework.Graphics;
+using osu.Framework.Logging;
 using osu.Game.Beatmaps;
 using osu.Game.Database;
 using osu.Game.Online.API;
@@ -75,6 +76,19 @@ namespace osu.Game.Online.RealtimeMultiplayer
         // Todo: This is temporary, until the multiplayer server returns the item id on match start or otherwise.
         private int playlistItemId;
 
+        protected StatefulMultiplayerClient()
+        {
+            IsConnected.BindValueChanged(connected =>
+            {
+                // clean up local room state on server disconnect.
+                if (!connected.NewValue)
+                {
+                    Logger.Log("Connection to multiplayer server was lost.", LoggingTarget.Runtime, LogLevel.Important);
+                    LeaveRoom();
+                }
+            });
+        }
+
         /// <summary>
         /// Joins the <see cref="MultiplayerRoom"/> for a given API <see cref="Room"/>.
         /// </summary>
diff --git a/osu.Game/Screens/Multi/Lounge/LoungeSubScreen.cs b/osu.Game/Screens/Multi/Lounge/LoungeSubScreen.cs
index 44c893363b..6b08745dd7 100644
--- a/osu.Game/Screens/Multi/Lounge/LoungeSubScreen.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/Screens/Multi/Lounge/LoungeSubScreen.cs
@@ -184,7 +184,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Screens.Multi.Lounge
         /// <summary>
         /// Push a room as a new subscreen.
         /// </summary>
-        public void Open(Room room)
+        public virtual void Open(Room room)
         {
             // Handles the case where a room is clicked 3 times in quick succession
             if (!this.IsCurrentScreen())
diff --git a/osu.Game/Screens/Multi/RealtimeMultiplayer/RealtimeLoungeSubScreen.cs b/osu.Game/Screens/Multi/RealtimeMultiplayer/RealtimeLoungeSubScreen.cs
index 9fbf0c4654..b53ec94519 100644
--- a/osu.Game/Screens/Multi/RealtimeMultiplayer/RealtimeLoungeSubScreen.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/Screens/Multi/RealtimeMultiplayer/RealtimeLoungeSubScreen.cs
@@ -1,7 +1,10 @@
 // Copyright (c) ppy Pty Ltd <contact@ppy.sh>. Licensed under the MIT Licence.
 // See the LICENCE file in the repository root for full licence text.
 
+using osu.Framework.Allocation;
+using osu.Framework.Logging;
 using osu.Game.Online.Multiplayer;
+using osu.Game.Online.RealtimeMultiplayer;
 using osu.Game.Screens.Multi.Lounge;
 using osu.Game.Screens.Multi.Lounge.Components;
 using osu.Game.Screens.Multi.Match;
@@ -13,5 +16,19 @@ namespace osu.Game.Screens.Multi.RealtimeMultiplayer
         protected override FilterControl CreateFilterControl() => new RealtimeFilterControl();
 
         protected override RoomSubScreen CreateRoomSubScreen(Room room) => new RealtimeMatchSubScreen(room);
+
+        [Resolved]
+        private StatefulMultiplayerClient client { get; set; }
+
+        public override void Open(Room room)
+        {
+            if (!client.IsConnected.Value)
+            {
+                Logger.Log("Not currently connected to the multiplayer server.", LoggingTarget.Runtime, LogLevel.Important);
+                return;
+            }
+
+            base.Open(room);
+        }
     }
 }
diff --git a/osu.Game/Screens/Multi/RealtimeMultiplayer/RealtimeMatchSubScreen.cs b/osu.Game/Screens/Multi/RealtimeMultiplayer/RealtimeMatchSubScreen.cs
index cdab1435c0..807ea74404 100644
--- a/osu.Game/Screens/Multi/RealtimeMultiplayer/RealtimeMatchSubScreen.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/Screens/Multi/RealtimeMultiplayer/RealtimeMatchSubScreen.cs
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 using System.Collections.Specialized;
 using System.Linq;
 using osu.Framework.Allocation;
+using osu.Framework.Bindables;
 using osu.Framework.Graphics;
 using osu.Framework.Graphics.Containers;
 using osu.Framework.Screens;
@@ -16,6 +17,7 @@ using osu.Game.Screens.Multi.RealtimeMultiplayer.Match;
 using osu.Game.Screens.Multi.RealtimeMultiplayer.Participants;
 using osu.Game.Screens.Play;
 using osu.Game.Users;
+using ParticipantsList = osu.Game.Screens.Multi.RealtimeMultiplayer.Participants.ParticipantsList;
 
 namespace osu.Game.Screens.Multi.RealtimeMultiplayer
 {
@@ -34,6 +36,8 @@ namespace osu.Game.Screens.Multi.RealtimeMultiplayer
 
         private RealtimeMatchSettingsOverlay settingsOverlay;
 
+        private IBindable<bool> isConnected;
+
         public RealtimeMatchSubScreen(Room room)
         {
             Title = room.RoomID.Value == null ? "New match" : room.Name.Value;
@@ -102,7 +106,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Screens.Multi.RealtimeMultiplayer
                                                                     new Drawable[] { new ParticipantsListHeader() },
                                                                     new Drawable[]
                                                                     {
-                                                                        new Participants.ParticipantsList
+                                                                        new ParticipantsList
                                                                         {
                                                                             RelativeSizeAxes = Axes.Both
                                                                         },
@@ -173,6 +177,13 @@ namespace osu.Game.Screens.Multi.RealtimeMultiplayer
             Playlist.BindCollectionChanged(onPlaylistChanged, true);
 
             client.LoadRequested += onLoadRequested;
+
+            isConnected = client.IsConnected.GetBoundCopy();
+            isConnected.BindValueChanged(connected =>
+            {
+                if (!connected.NewValue)
+                    Schedule(this.Exit);
+            }, true);
         }
 
         public override bool OnBackButton()
diff --git a/osu.Game/Screens/Multi/RealtimeMultiplayer/RealtimePlayer.cs b/osu.Game/Screens/Multi/RealtimeMultiplayer/RealtimePlayer.cs
index 7824b414f2..e467e5fcf8 100644
--- a/osu.Game/Screens/Multi/RealtimeMultiplayer/RealtimePlayer.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/Screens/Multi/RealtimeMultiplayer/RealtimePlayer.cs
@@ -8,8 +8,8 @@ using System.Threading;
 using System.Threading.Tasks;
 using JetBrains.Annotations;
 using osu.Framework.Allocation;
+using osu.Framework.Bindables;
 using osu.Framework.Logging;
-using osu.Framework.Screens;
 using osu.Game.Online.Multiplayer;
 using osu.Game.Online.RealtimeMultiplayer;
 using osu.Game.Scoring;
@@ -31,6 +31,8 @@ namespace osu.Game.Screens.Multi.RealtimeMultiplayer
         [Resolved]
         private StatefulMultiplayerClient client { get; set; }
 
+        private IBindable<bool> isConnected;
+
         private readonly TaskCompletionSource<bool> resultsReady = new TaskCompletionSource<bool>();
         private readonly ManualResetEventSlim startedEvent = new ManualResetEventSlim();
 
@@ -50,17 +52,26 @@ namespace osu.Game.Screens.Multi.RealtimeMultiplayer
 
             client.MatchStarted += onMatchStarted;
             client.ResultsReady += onResultsReady;
+
+            isConnected = client.IsConnected.GetBoundCopy();
+            isConnected.BindValueChanged(connected =>
+            {
+                if (!connected.NewValue)
+                {
+                    startedEvent.Set();
+
+                    // messaging to the user about this disconnect will be provided by the RealtimeMatchSubScreen.
+                    Schedule(() => PerformExit(false));
+                }
+            }, true);
+
             client.ChangeState(MultiplayerUserState.Loaded);
 
             if (!startedEvent.Wait(TimeSpan.FromSeconds(30)))
             {
                 Logger.Log("Failed to start the multiplayer match in time.", LoggingTarget.Runtime, LogLevel.Important);
 
-                Schedule(() =>
-                {
-                    ValidForResume = false;
-                    this.Exit();
-                });
+                Schedule(() => PerformExit(false));
             }
 
             Debug.Assert(client.Room != null);
diff --git a/osu.Game/Screens/Multi/RealtimeMultiplayer/RealtimeRoomManager.cs b/osu.Game/Screens/Multi/RealtimeMultiplayer/RealtimeRoomManager.cs
index f982574eb3..2f60f504de 100644
--- a/osu.Game/Screens/Multi/RealtimeMultiplayer/RealtimeRoomManager.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/Screens/Multi/RealtimeMultiplayer/RealtimeRoomManager.cs
@@ -43,6 +43,12 @@ namespace osu.Game.Screens.Multi.RealtimeMultiplayer
 
         public override void JoinRoom(Room room, Action<Room> onSuccess = null, Action<string> onError = null)
         {
+            if (!multiplayerClient.IsConnected.Value)
+            {
+                onError?.Invoke("Not currently connected to the multiplayer server.");
+                return;
+            }
+
             // this is done here as a pre-check to avoid clicking on already closed rooms in the lounge from triggering a server join.
             // should probably be done at a higher level, but due to the current structure of things this is the easiest place for now.
             if (room.Status.Value is RoomStatusEnded)
diff --git a/osu.Game/Screens/Play/Player.cs b/osu.Game/Screens/Play/Player.cs
index c539dff5d9..2bc84ce5d5 100644
--- a/osu.Game/Screens/Play/Player.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/Screens/Play/Player.cs
@@ -386,7 +386,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Screens.Play
                         if (!this.IsCurrentScreen()) return;
 
                         fadeOut(true);
-                        performImmediateExit();
+                        PerformExit(true);
                     },
                 },
                 failAnimation = new FailAnimation(DrawableRuleset) { OnComplete = onFailComplete, },
@@ -458,20 +458,30 @@ namespace osu.Game.Screens.Play
             return playable;
         }
 
-        private void performImmediateExit()
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Exits the <see cref="Player"/>.
+        /// </summary>
+        /// <param name="userRequested">
+        /// Whether the exit is requested by the user, or a higher-level game component.
+        /// Pausing is allowed only in the former case.
+        /// </param>
+        protected void PerformExit(bool userRequested)
         {
             // if a restart has been requested, cancel any pending completion (user has shown intent to restart).
             completionProgressDelegate?.Cancel();
 
             ValidForResume = false;
 
-            performUserRequestedExit();
+            if (!this.IsCurrentScreen()) return;
+
+            if (userRequested)
+                performUserRequestedExit();
+            else
+                this.Exit();
         }
 
         private void performUserRequestedExit()
         {
-            if (!this.IsCurrentScreen()) return;
-
             if (ValidForResume && HasFailed && !FailOverlay.IsPresent)
             {
                 failAnimation.FinishTransforms(true);
@@ -498,7 +508,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Screens.Play
             RestartRequested?.Invoke();
 
             if (this.IsCurrentScreen())
-                performImmediateExit();
+                PerformExit(true);
             else
                 this.MakeCurrent();
         }