diff --git a/osu.Game.Tests/Visual/Gameplay/TestSceneSpectator.cs b/osu.Game.Tests/Visual/Gameplay/TestSceneSpectator.cs
index d6f8c7addf..d614815316 100644
--- a/osu.Game.Tests/Visual/Gameplay/TestSceneSpectator.cs
+++ b/osu.Game.Tests/Visual/Gameplay/TestSceneSpectator.cs
@@ -321,7 +321,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Tests.Visual.Gameplay
 
         private void sendFrames(int count = 10)
         {
-            AddStep("send frames", () => spectatorClient.SendFrames(streamingUser.Id, count));
+            AddStep("send frames", () => spectatorClient.SendFramesFromUser(streamingUser.Id, count));
         }
 
         private void loadSpectatingScreen()
diff --git a/osu.Game.Tests/Visual/Multiplayer/TestSceneMultiSpectatorLeaderboard.cs b/osu.Game.Tests/Visual/Multiplayer/TestSceneMultiSpectatorLeaderboard.cs
index 488ecdb8af..42bb99de24 100644
--- a/osu.Game.Tests/Visual/Multiplayer/TestSceneMultiSpectatorLeaderboard.cs
+++ b/osu.Game.Tests/Visual/Multiplayer/TestSceneMultiSpectatorLeaderboard.cs
@@ -68,10 +68,10 @@ namespace osu.Game.Tests.Visual.Multiplayer
                 // For player 2, send frames in sets of 10.
                 for (int i = 0; i < 100; i++)
                 {
-                    SpectatorClient.SendFrames(PLAYER_1_ID, 1);
+                    SpectatorClient.SendFramesFromUser(PLAYER_1_ID, 1);
 
                     if (i % 10 == 0)
-                        SpectatorClient.SendFrames(PLAYER_2_ID, 10);
+                        SpectatorClient.SendFramesFromUser(PLAYER_2_ID, 10);
                 }
             });
 
diff --git a/osu.Game.Tests/Visual/Multiplayer/TestSceneMultiSpectatorScreen.cs b/osu.Game.Tests/Visual/Multiplayer/TestSceneMultiSpectatorScreen.cs
index a785301f62..4b89efe858 100644
--- a/osu.Game.Tests/Visual/Multiplayer/TestSceneMultiSpectatorScreen.cs
+++ b/osu.Game.Tests/Visual/Multiplayer/TestSceneMultiSpectatorScreen.cs
@@ -360,7 +360,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Tests.Visual.Multiplayer
 
             // to ensure negative gameplay start time does not affect spectator, send frames exactly after StartGameplay().
             // (similar to real spectating sessions in which the first frames get sent between StartGameplay() and player load complete)
-            AddStep("send frames at gameplay start", () => getInstance(PLAYER_1_ID).OnGameplayStarted += () => SpectatorClient.SendFrames(PLAYER_1_ID, 100));
+            AddStep("send frames at gameplay start", () => getInstance(PLAYER_1_ID).OnGameplayStarted += () => SpectatorClient.SendFramesFromUser(PLAYER_1_ID, 100));
 
             AddUntilStep("wait for player load", () => spectatorScreen.AllPlayersLoaded);
 
@@ -424,7 +424,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Tests.Visual.Multiplayer
             AddStep("send frames", () =>
             {
                 foreach (int id in userIds)
-                    SpectatorClient.SendFrames(id, count);
+                    SpectatorClient.SendFramesFromUser(id, count);
             });
         }
 
diff --git a/osu.Game/Tests/Visual/Spectator/TestSpectatorClient.cs b/osu.Game/Tests/Visual/Spectator/TestSpectatorClient.cs
index 741b489d95..ae5d20f4f4 100644
--- a/osu.Game/Tests/Visual/Spectator/TestSpectatorClient.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/Tests/Visual/Spectator/TestSpectatorClient.cs
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 
 #nullable enable
 
+using System;
 using System.Collections.Generic;
 using System.Diagnostics;
 using System.Threading.Tasks;
@@ -20,10 +21,15 @@ namespace osu.Game.Tests.Visual.Spectator
     public class TestSpectatorClient : SpectatorClient
     {
         /// <summary>
-        /// Maximum number of frames sent per bundle via <see cref="SendFrames"/>.
+        /// Maximum number of frames sent per bundle via <see cref="SendFramesFromUser"/>.
         /// </summary>
         public const int FRAME_BUNDLE_SIZE = 10;
 
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Whether to force send operations to fail (simulating a network issue).
+        /// </summary>
+        public bool ShouldFailSendingFrames { get; set; }
+
         public override IBindable<bool> IsConnected { get; } = new Bindable<bool>(true);
 
         public IReadOnlyDictionary<int, ReplayFrame> LastReceivedUserFrames => lastReceivedUserFrames;
@@ -75,10 +81,12 @@ namespace osu.Game.Tests.Visual.Spectator
 
         /// <summary>
         /// Sends frames for an arbitrary user, in bundles containing 10 frames each.
+        /// This bypasses the standard queueing mechanism completely and should only be used to test cases where multiple users need to be sending data.
+        /// Importantly, <see cref="ShouldFailSendingFrames"/> will have no effect.
         /// </summary>
         /// <param name="userId">The user to send frames for.</param>
         /// <param name="count">The total number of frames to send.</param>
-        public void SendFrames(int userId, int count)
+        public void SendFramesFromUser(int userId, int count)
         {
             var frames = new List<LegacyReplayFrame>();
 
@@ -120,7 +128,13 @@ namespace osu.Game.Tests.Visual.Spectator
             return ((ISpectatorClient)this).UserBeganPlaying(api.LocalUser.Value.Id, state);
         }
 
-        protected override Task SendFramesInternal(FrameDataBundle data) => ((ISpectatorClient)this).UserSentFrames(api.LocalUser.Value.Id, data);
+        protected override Task SendFramesInternal(FrameDataBundle bundle)
+        {
+            if (ShouldFailSendingFrames)
+                return Task.FromException(new InvalidOperationException());
+
+            return ((ISpectatorClient)this).UserSentFrames(api.LocalUser.Value.Id, bundle);
+        }
 
         protected override Task EndPlayingInternal(SpectatorState state) => ((ISpectatorClient)this).UserFinishedPlaying(api.LocalUser.Value.Id, state);