diff --git a/osu.Game/Screens/Multi/Lounge/LoungeSubScreen.cs b/osu.Game/Screens/Multi/Lounge/LoungeSubScreen.cs
index 44c893363b..6b08745dd7 100644
--- a/osu.Game/Screens/Multi/Lounge/LoungeSubScreen.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/Screens/Multi/Lounge/LoungeSubScreen.cs
@@ -184,7 +184,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Screens.Multi.Lounge
         /// <summary>
         /// Push a room as a new subscreen.
         /// </summary>
-        public void Open(Room room)
+        public virtual void Open(Room room)
         {
             // Handles the case where a room is clicked 3 times in quick succession
             if (!this.IsCurrentScreen())
diff --git a/osu.Game/Screens/Multi/RealtimeMultiplayer/RealtimeLoungeSubScreen.cs b/osu.Game/Screens/Multi/RealtimeMultiplayer/RealtimeLoungeSubScreen.cs
index 9fbf0c4654..b53ec94519 100644
--- a/osu.Game/Screens/Multi/RealtimeMultiplayer/RealtimeLoungeSubScreen.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/Screens/Multi/RealtimeMultiplayer/RealtimeLoungeSubScreen.cs
@@ -1,7 +1,10 @@
 // Copyright (c) ppy Pty Ltd <contact@ppy.sh>. Licensed under the MIT Licence.
 // See the LICENCE file in the repository root for full licence text.
 
+using osu.Framework.Allocation;
+using osu.Framework.Logging;
 using osu.Game.Online.Multiplayer;
+using osu.Game.Online.RealtimeMultiplayer;
 using osu.Game.Screens.Multi.Lounge;
 using osu.Game.Screens.Multi.Lounge.Components;
 using osu.Game.Screens.Multi.Match;
@@ -13,5 +16,19 @@ namespace osu.Game.Screens.Multi.RealtimeMultiplayer
         protected override FilterControl CreateFilterControl() => new RealtimeFilterControl();
 
         protected override RoomSubScreen CreateRoomSubScreen(Room room) => new RealtimeMatchSubScreen(room);
+
+        [Resolved]
+        private StatefulMultiplayerClient client { get; set; }
+
+        public override void Open(Room room)
+        {
+            if (!client.IsConnected.Value)
+            {
+                Logger.Log("Not currently connected to the multiplayer server.", LoggingTarget.Runtime, LogLevel.Important);
+                return;
+            }
+
+            base.Open(room);
+        }
     }
 }
diff --git a/osu.Game/Screens/Multi/RealtimeMultiplayer/RealtimeRoomManager.cs b/osu.Game/Screens/Multi/RealtimeMultiplayer/RealtimeRoomManager.cs
index f982574eb3..2f60f504de 100644
--- a/osu.Game/Screens/Multi/RealtimeMultiplayer/RealtimeRoomManager.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/Screens/Multi/RealtimeMultiplayer/RealtimeRoomManager.cs
@@ -43,6 +43,12 @@ namespace osu.Game.Screens.Multi.RealtimeMultiplayer
 
         public override void JoinRoom(Room room, Action<Room> onSuccess = null, Action<string> onError = null)
         {
+            if (!multiplayerClient.IsConnected.Value)
+            {
+                onError?.Invoke("Not currently connected to the multiplayer server.");
+                return;
+            }
+
             // this is done here as a pre-check to avoid clicking on already closed rooms in the lounge from triggering a server join.
             // should probably be done at a higher level, but due to the current structure of things this is the easiest place for now.
             if (room.Status.Value is RoomStatusEnded)