diff --git a/src/gui/qt/startwindow/startwindowimpl.cpp b/src/gui/qt/startwindow/startwindowimpl.cpp
index 2afc5b83..7c68a70e 100644
--- a/src/gui/qt/startwindow/startwindowimpl.cpp
+++ b/src/gui/qt/startwindow/startwindowimpl.cpp
@@ -875,7 +875,12 @@ void startWindowImpl::networkNotification(int notificationId)
                                tr("You cannot join this type of game as guest."),
                                QMessageBox::Close); }
         break;
-    case NTF_NET_NEW_RELEASE_AVAILABLE:
+	case NTF_NET_JOIN_INVALID_SETTINGS:
+		{ QMessageBox::warning(this, tr("Network Notification"),
+							   tr("The settings are invalid for this type of game."),
+							   QMessageBox::Close); }
+		break;
+	case NTF_NET_NEW_RELEASE_AVAILABLE:
         {	QMessageBox msgBox(QMessageBox::Information, tr("Network Notification"),
                                    tr("A new release of PokerTH is available.<br>Please go to <a href=\"http://www.pokerth.net/\" target=\"_blank\">http://www.pokerth.net</a> and download the latest version."),
                                    QMessageBox::Close, this);
diff --git a/src/net/common/clientstate.cpp b/src/net/common/clientstate.cpp
index 5c1bb8af..90cdca30 100644
--- a/src/net/common/clientstate.cpp
+++ b/src/net/common/clientstate.cpp
@@ -1400,6 +1400,9 @@ ClientStateWaitJoin::InternalHandlePacket(boost::shared_ptr<ClientThread> client
 				case joinGameFailureReason_gameNameInUse :
 					failureCode = NTF_NET_JOIN_GAME_NAME_IN_USE;
 					break;
+				case joinGameFailureReason_invalidSettings :
+					failureCode = NTF_NET_JOIN_INVALID_SETTINGS;
+					break;
 				default :
 					failureCode = NTF_NET_INTERNAL;
 					break;
diff --git a/src/net/common/servergame.cpp b/src/net/common/servergame.cpp
index 652914a1..f61a8a0d 100644
--- a/src/net/common/servergame.cpp
+++ b/src/net/common/servergame.cpp
@@ -837,6 +837,25 @@ ServerGame::CheckPassword(const string &password) const
 	return (password == m_password);
 }
 
+bool
+ServerGame::CheckSettings(const GameData &data)
+{
+	bool retVal = true;
+	if (data.gameType == GAME_TYPE_RANKING)
+	{
+		if ((data.startMoney != RANKING_GAME_START_CASH)
+			|| (data.maxNumberOfPlayers != RANKING_GAME_NUMBER_OF_PLAYERS)
+			|| (data.firstSmallBlind != RANKING_GAME_START_SBLIND)
+			|| (data.raiseIntervalMode != RAISE_ON_HANDNUMBER)
+			|| (data.raiseMode != DOUBLE_BLINDS)
+			|| (data.raiseSmallBlindEveryHandsValue != RANKING_GAME_RAISE_EVERY_HAND))
+		{
+			retVal = false;
+		}
+	}
+	return retVal;
+}
+
 GuiInterface &
 ServerGame::GetGui()
 {
diff --git a/src/net/common/servergamestate.cpp b/src/net/common/servergamestate.cpp
index a623432e..273f58c8 100644
--- a/src/net/common/servergamestate.cpp
+++ b/src/net/common/servergamestate.cpp
@@ -498,7 +498,10 @@ ServerGameStateInit::InternalProcessPacket(boost::shared_ptr<ServerGame> server,
 	{
 		StartEventMessage_t *netStartEvent = &packet->GetMsg()->choice.startEventMessage;
 		// Only admins are allowed to start the game.
-		if (session.playerData->IsGameAdmin() && netStartEvent->gameId == server->GetId())
+		if (session.playerData->IsGameAdmin()
+			&& netStartEvent->gameId == server->GetId()
+			&& (server->GetGameData().gameType != GAME_TYPE_RANKING // ranking games need to be full
+				|| server->GetGameData().maxNumberOfPlayers == server->GetCurNumberOfPlayers()))
 		{
 			SendStartEvent(*server, netStartEvent->fillWithComputerPlayers);
 		}
diff --git a/src/net/common/serverlobbythread.cpp b/src/net/common/serverlobbythread.cpp
index dcd12012..1d3ba654 100644
--- a/src/net/common/serverlobbythread.cpp
+++ b/src/net/common/serverlobbythread.cpp
@@ -1331,6 +1331,10 @@ ServerLobbyThread::HandleNetPacketCreateGame(SessionWrapper session, const std::
 	{
 		SendJoinGameFailed(session.sessionData, gameId, NTF_NET_JOIN_GUEST_FORBIDDEN);
 	}
+	else if (!ServerGame::CheckSettings(tmpData))
+	{
+		SendJoinGameFailed(session.sessionData, gameId, NTF_NET_JOIN_INVALID_SETTINGS);
+	}
 	else
 	{
 		boost::shared_ptr<ServerGame> game(
@@ -1360,28 +1364,26 @@ ServerLobbyThread::HandleNetPacketJoinGame(SessionWrapper session, const std::st
 
 	if (pos != m_gameMap.end())
 	{
-		bool doJoin = true;
 		ServerGame &game = *pos->second;
 		const GameData &tmpData = game.GetGameData();
 		if (session.playerData->GetRights() == PLAYER_RIGHTS_GUEST
 			&& tmpData.gameType != GAME_TYPE_NORMAL)
 		{
 			SendJoinGameFailed(session.sessionData, joinGame.gameId, NTF_NET_JOIN_GUEST_FORBIDDEN);
-			doJoin = false;
 		}
 		else if (tmpData.gameType == GAME_TYPE_INVITE_ONLY
 			&& !game.IsPlayerInvited(session.playerData->GetUniqueId()))
 		{
 			SendJoinGameFailed(session.sessionData, joinGame.gameId, NTF_NET_JOIN_NOT_INVITED);
-			doJoin = false;
 		}
 		else if (!game.CheckPassword(password))
 		{
 			SendJoinGameFailed(session.sessionData, joinGame.gameId, NTF_NET_JOIN_INVALID_PASSWORD);
-			doJoin = false;
 		}
-		if (doJoin)
+		else
+		{
 			MoveSessionToGame(game, session);
+		}
 	}
 	else
 	{
@@ -1925,6 +1927,9 @@ ServerLobbyThread::SendJoinGameFailed(boost::shared_ptr<SessionData> s, unsigned
 		case NTF_NET_JOIN_GAME_NAME_IN_USE :
 			joinFailed->joinGameFailureReason = joinGameFailureReason_gameNameInUse;
 			break;
+		case NTF_NET_JOIN_INVALID_SETTINGS :
+			joinFailed->joinGameFailureReason = joinGameFailureReason_invalidSettings;
+			break;
 		default :
 			joinFailed->joinGameFailureReason = joinGameFailureReason_invalidGame;
 			break;
diff --git a/src/net/servergame.h b/src/net/servergame.h
index 1ff2dff4..b1469512 100644
--- a/src/net/servergame.h
+++ b/src/net/servergame.h
@@ -68,6 +68,7 @@ public:
 
 	bool IsPasswordProtected() const;
 	bool CheckPassword(const std::string &password) const;
+	static bool CheckSettings(const GameData &data);
 	const GameData &GetGameData() const;
 
 	boost::shared_ptr<PlayerData> GetPlayerDataByUniqueId(unsigned playerId) const;
diff --git a/src/net/socket_msg.h b/src/net/socket_msg.h
index ff86fde0..b57e65b6 100644
--- a/src/net/socket_msg.h
+++ b/src/net/socket_msg.h
@@ -115,6 +115,7 @@
 #define NTF_NET_JOIN_GUEST_FORBIDDEN	214
 #define NTF_NET_JOIN_NOT_INVITED		215
 #define NTF_NET_JOIN_GAME_NAME_IN_USE	216
+#define NTF_NET_JOIN_INVALID_SETTINGS	217
 
 // Notifications - version
 #define NTF_NET_NEW_RELEASE_AVAILABLE	220