diff --git a/osu.Desktop/Program.cs b/osu.Desktop/Program.cs
index dc712f2593..7434dec010 100644
--- a/osu.Desktop/Program.cs
+++ b/osu.Desktop/Program.cs
@@ -74,7 +74,10 @@ namespace osu.Desktop
 
                     // we want to allow multiple instances to be started when in debug.
                     if (!DebugUtils.IsDebugBuild)
-                        return 0;
+                    {
+                        Logger.Log(@"osu! does not support multiple running instances.", LoggingTarget.Runtime, LogLevel.Error);
+                        Environment.Exit(0);
+                    }
                 }
 
                 if (tournamentClient)
diff --git a/osu.Game/OsuGame.cs b/osu.Game/OsuGame.cs
index 0e55a65aec..dde60158d1 100644
--- a/osu.Game/OsuGame.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/OsuGame.cs
@@ -210,12 +210,6 @@ namespace osu.Game
         [BackgroundDependencyLoader]
         private void load()
         {
-            if (!Host.IsPrimaryInstance && !DebugUtils.IsDebugBuild)
-            {
-                Logger.Log(@"osu! does not support multiple running instances.", LoggingTarget.Runtime, LogLevel.Error);
-                Environment.Exit(0);
-            }
-
             if (args?.Length > 0)
             {
                 var paths = args.Where(a => !a.StartsWith('-')).ToArray();