diff --git a/osu.Game/Online/Spectator/SpectatorStreamingClient.cs b/osu.Game/Online/Spectator/SpectatorStreamingClient.cs
index 9ebb84c007..6737625818 100644
--- a/osu.Game/Online/Spectator/SpectatorStreamingClient.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/Online/Spectator/SpectatorStreamingClient.cs
@@ -161,8 +161,6 @@ namespace osu.Game.Online.Spectator
 
         public void BeginPlaying()
         {
-            if (!isConnected) return;
-
             if (isPlaying)
                 throw new InvalidOperationException($"Cannot invoke {nameof(BeginPlaying)} when already playing");
 
@@ -179,6 +177,8 @@ namespace osu.Game.Online.Spectator
         {
             Debug.Assert(isPlaying);
 
+            if (!isConnected) return;
+
             connection.SendAsync(nameof(ISpectatorServer.BeginPlaySession), currentState);
         }