diff --git a/osu.Game/Online/Multiplayer/MultiplayerClient.cs b/osu.Game/Online/Multiplayer/MultiplayerClient.cs
index 2d5496c5c1..faa995ed19 100644
--- a/osu.Game/Online/Multiplayer/MultiplayerClient.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/Online/Multiplayer/MultiplayerClient.cs
@@ -171,6 +171,8 @@ namespace osu.Game.Online.Multiplayer
                     Room = joinedRoom;
                     APIRoom = room;
 
+                    Debug.Assert(joinedRoom.Playlist.Count > 0);
+
                     APIRoom.Playlist.Clear();
                     APIRoom.Playlist.AddRange(joinedRoom.Playlist.Select(createPlaylistItem));
 
@@ -683,6 +685,8 @@ namespace osu.Game.Online.Multiplayer
                 Room.Playlist.Remove(Room.Playlist.Single(existing => existing.ID == playlistItemId));
                 APIRoom.Playlist.RemoveAll(existing => existing.ID == playlistItemId);
 
+                Debug.Assert(Room.Playlist.Count > 0);
+
                 ItemRemoved?.Invoke(playlistItemId);
                 RoomUpdated?.Invoke();
             });
diff --git a/osu.Game/Screens/OnlinePlay/Multiplayer/Participants/ParticipantPanel.cs b/osu.Game/Screens/OnlinePlay/Multiplayer/Participants/ParticipantPanel.cs
index 96a665f33d..70f4030b79 100644
--- a/osu.Game/Screens/OnlinePlay/Multiplayer/Participants/ParticipantPanel.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/Screens/OnlinePlay/Multiplayer/Participants/ParticipantPanel.cs
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@
 // See the LICENCE file in the repository root for full licence text.
 
 using System.Collections.Generic;
-using System.Diagnostics;
 using System.Linq;
 using osu.Framework.Allocation;
 using osu.Framework.Extensions.Color4Extensions;
@@ -187,9 +186,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Screens.OnlinePlay.Multiplayer.Participants
             const double fade_time = 50;
 
             var currentItem = Playlist.GetCurrentItem();
-            Debug.Assert(currentItem != null);
-
-            var ruleset = rulesets.GetRuleset(currentItem.RulesetID)?.CreateInstance();
+            var ruleset = currentItem != null ? rulesets.GetRuleset(currentItem.RulesetID)?.CreateInstance() : null;
 
             int? currentModeRank = ruleset != null ? User.User?.RulesetsStatistics?.GetValueOrDefault(ruleset.ShortName)?.GlobalRank : null;
             userRankText.Text = currentModeRank != null ? $"#{currentModeRank.Value:N0}" : string.Empty;