diff --git a/osu.Game.Tests/Visual/Multiplayer/TestSceneMultiplayerMatchSubScreen.cs b/osu.Game.Tests/Visual/Multiplayer/TestSceneMultiplayerMatchSubScreen.cs
index 8869718fd1..6f8ec7fcfb 100644
--- a/osu.Game.Tests/Visual/Multiplayer/TestSceneMultiplayerMatchSubScreen.cs
+++ b/osu.Game.Tests/Visual/Multiplayer/TestSceneMultiplayerMatchSubScreen.cs
@@ -3,13 +3,21 @@
 
 using System.Linq;
 using NUnit.Framework;
+using osu.Framework.Allocation;
+using osu.Framework.Audio;
+using osu.Framework.Platform;
 using osu.Framework.Screens;
 using osu.Framework.Testing;
+using osu.Game.Beatmaps;
+using osu.Game.Online.Multiplayer;
 using osu.Game.Online.Rooms;
+using osu.Game.Rulesets;
 using osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu;
 using osu.Game.Screens.OnlinePlay.Multiplayer;
 using osu.Game.Screens.OnlinePlay.Multiplayer.Match;
 using osu.Game.Tests.Beatmaps;
+using osu.Game.Tests.Resources;
+using osu.Game.Users;
 using osuTK.Input;
 
 namespace osu.Game.Tests.Visual.Multiplayer
@@ -18,11 +26,25 @@ namespace osu.Game.Tests.Visual.Multiplayer
     {
         private MultiplayerMatchSubScreen screen;
 
+        private BeatmapManager beatmaps;
+        private RulesetStore rulesets;
+        private BeatmapSetInfo importedSet;
+
         public TestSceneMultiplayerMatchSubScreen()
             : base(false)
         {
         }
 
+        [BackgroundDependencyLoader]
+        private void load(GameHost host, AudioManager audio)
+        {
+            Dependencies.Cache(rulesets = new RulesetStore(ContextFactory));
+            Dependencies.Cache(beatmaps = new BeatmapManager(LocalStorage, ContextFactory, rulesets, null, audio, host, Beatmap.Default));
+            beatmaps.Import(TestResources.GetQuickTestBeatmapForImport()).Wait();
+
+            importedSet = beatmaps.GetAllUsableBeatmapSetsEnumerable(IncludedDetails.All).First();
+        }
+
         [SetUp]
         public new void Setup() => Schedule(() =>
         {
@@ -73,5 +95,44 @@ namespace osu.Game.Tests.Visual.Multiplayer
 
             AddWaitStep("wait", 10);
         }
+
+        [Test]
+        public void TestStartMatchWhileSpectating()
+        {
+            AddStep("set playlist", () =>
+            {
+                Room.Playlist.Add(new PlaylistItem
+                {
+                    Beatmap = { Value = beatmaps.GetWorkingBeatmap(importedSet.Beatmaps.First()).BeatmapInfo },
+                    Ruleset = { Value = new OsuRuleset().RulesetInfo },
+                });
+            });
+
+            AddStep("click create button", () =>
+            {
+                InputManager.MoveMouseTo(this.ChildrenOfType<MultiplayerMatchSettingsOverlay.CreateOrUpdateButton>().Single());
+                InputManager.Click(MouseButton.Left);
+            });
+
+            AddStep("join other user (ready)", () =>
+            {
+                Client.AddUser(new User { Id = 55 });
+                Client.ChangeUserState(55, MultiplayerUserState.Ready);
+            });
+
+            AddStep("click spectate button", () =>
+            {
+                InputManager.MoveMouseTo(this.ChildrenOfType<MultiplayerSpectateButton>().Single());
+                InputManager.Click(MouseButton.Left);
+            });
+
+            AddStep("click ready button", () =>
+            {
+                InputManager.MoveMouseTo(this.ChildrenOfType<MultiplayerReadyButton>().Single());
+                InputManager.Click(MouseButton.Left);
+            });
+
+            AddAssert("match started", () => Client.Room?.State == MultiplayerRoomState.WaitingForLoad);
+        }
     }
 }
diff --git a/osu.Game/Screens/OnlinePlay/Multiplayer/MultiplayerMatchSubScreen.cs b/osu.Game/Screens/OnlinePlay/Multiplayer/MultiplayerMatchSubScreen.cs
index ceeee67806..90cef0107c 100644
--- a/osu.Game/Screens/OnlinePlay/Multiplayer/MultiplayerMatchSubScreen.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/Screens/OnlinePlay/Multiplayer/MultiplayerMatchSubScreen.cs
@@ -221,7 +221,8 @@ namespace osu.Game.Screens.OnlinePlay.Multiplayer
                         {
                             new MultiplayerMatchFooter
                             {
-                                OnReadyClick = onReadyClick
+                                OnReadyClick = onReadyClick,
+                                OnSpectateClick = onSpectateClick
                             }
                         }
                     },
@@ -363,7 +364,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Screens.OnlinePlay.Multiplayer
             Debug.Assert(readyClickOperation == null);
             readyClickOperation = ongoingOperationTracker.BeginOperation();
 
-            if (client.IsHost && client.LocalUser?.State == MultiplayerUserState.Ready)
+            if (client.IsHost && (client.LocalUser?.State == MultiplayerUserState.Ready || client.LocalUser?.State == MultiplayerUserState.Spectating))
             {
                 client.StartMatch()
                       .ContinueWith(t =>
@@ -390,6 +391,20 @@ namespace osu.Game.Screens.OnlinePlay.Multiplayer
             }
         }
 
+        private void onSpectateClick()
+        {
+            Debug.Assert(readyClickOperation == null);
+            readyClickOperation = ongoingOperationTracker.BeginOperation();
+
+            client.ToggleSpectate().ContinueWith(t => endOperation());
+
+            void endOperation()
+            {
+                readyClickOperation?.Dispose();
+                readyClickOperation = null;
+            }
+        }
+
         private void onRoomUpdated()
         {
             // user mods may have changed.
diff --git a/osu.Game/Tests/Visual/Multiplayer/TestMultiplayerClient.cs b/osu.Game/Tests/Visual/Multiplayer/TestMultiplayerClient.cs
index 4c954c7d27..b5cd3dad02 100644
--- a/osu.Game/Tests/Visual/Multiplayer/TestMultiplayerClient.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/Tests/Visual/Multiplayer/TestMultiplayerClient.cs
@@ -77,6 +77,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Tests.Visual.Multiplayer
                     case MultiplayerUserState.Loaded:
                         if (Room.Users.All(u => u.State != MultiplayerUserState.WaitingForLoad))
                         {
+                            ChangeRoomState(MultiplayerRoomState.Playing);
                             foreach (var u in Room.Users.Where(u => u.State == MultiplayerUserState.Loaded))
                                 ChangeUserState(u.UserID, MultiplayerUserState.Playing);
 
@@ -88,6 +89,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Tests.Visual.Multiplayer
                     case MultiplayerUserState.FinishedPlay:
                         if (Room.Users.All(u => u.State != MultiplayerUserState.Playing))
                         {
+                            ChangeRoomState(MultiplayerRoomState.Open);
                             foreach (var u in Room.Users.Where(u => u.State == MultiplayerUserState.FinishedPlay))
                                 ChangeUserState(u.UserID, MultiplayerUserState.Results);
 
@@ -179,6 +181,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Tests.Visual.Multiplayer
         {
             Debug.Assert(Room != null);
 
+            ChangeRoomState(MultiplayerRoomState.WaitingForLoad);
             foreach (var user in Room.Users.Where(u => u.State == MultiplayerUserState.Ready))
                 ChangeUserState(user.UserID, MultiplayerUserState.WaitingForLoad);