diff --git a/source/network/NetClient.cpp b/source/network/NetClient.cpp
index 02b0630a4a..aaa9686b1f 100644
--- a/source/network/NetClient.cpp
+++ b/source/network/NetClient.cpp
@@ -355,9 +355,11 @@ bool CNetClient::OnAuthenticate( void* pContext, CFsmEvent* pEvent )
 		CAuthenticateResultMessage* pMessage =( CAuthenticateResultMessage* )pEvent->GetParamRef();
 		if ( !pMessage ) return true;
 
-		LOG(CLogger::Error, LOG_CAT_NET, "CNetClient::OnAuthenticate(): Authentication result: %s", pMessage->m_Message.c_str() );
+		LOG(CLogger::Error, LOG_CAT_NET, "CNetClient::OnAuthenticate(): Authentication result: %ls", pMessage->m_Message.c_str() );
 
 		pSession->SetID( pMessage->m_SessionID );
+
+		LOG(CLogger::Error, LOG_CAT_NET, "CNetClient::OnAuthenticate(): My session ID is %d", pMessage->m_SessionID);
 	}
 
 	return true;
@@ -415,8 +417,9 @@ bool CNetClient::OnPreGame( void* pContext, CFsmEvent* pEvent )
 
 			// FIXME Validate slot id to prevent us from going boom
 			CPlayerSlot* pSlot = pClient->m_pGameAttributes->GetSlot( pMessage->m_SlotID );
-			if ( pSlot == pClient->m_pLocalPlayerSlot )
+			if ( pSlot == pClient->m_pLocalPlayerSlot ) {
 				pClient->m_pLocalPlayerSlot = NULL;
+			}
 
 			switch ( pMessage->m_Assignment )
 			{
@@ -426,8 +429,8 @@ bool CNetClient::OnPreGame( void* pContext, CFsmEvent* pEvent )
 						if ( pSession->GetID() == pMessage->m_SessionID )
 						{
 							pClient->m_pLocalPlayerSlot = pSlot;
-							pSlot->AssignToSessionID( pMessage->m_SessionID );
 						}
+						pSlot->AssignToSessionID( pMessage->m_SessionID );
 					}
 					break;
 
diff --git a/source/network/NetServer.cpp b/source/network/NetServer.cpp
index cdae8c5b0f..d23bdae291 100644
--- a/source/network/NetServer.cpp
+++ b/source/network/NetServer.cpp
@@ -834,8 +834,11 @@ void CNetServer::PlayerConfigMessageCallback(
 //-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 uint CNetServer::GetFreeSessionID( void ) const
 {
-	uint sessionID = CLIENT_MIN_SESSIONID;
+	// No need to be conservative with session IDs; just use a global counter.
+	static uint lastSessionID = CLIENT_MIN_SESSIONID;
+	return lastSessionID++;
 
+	/*
 	// Loop through the list of sessions and return the first
 	// ID for which the associated session is NULL. If no such
 	// free slot is found, return a new session ID which is higher
@@ -850,6 +853,7 @@ uint CNetServer::GetFreeSessionID( void ) const
 	}
 
 	return sessionID;
+	*/
 }
 
 //-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/source/ps/Game.cpp b/source/ps/Game.cpp
index 6d03d7be23..5670784bbe 100644
--- a/source/ps/Game.cpp
+++ b/source/ps/Game.cpp
@@ -183,7 +183,9 @@ PSRETURN CGame::StartGame(CGameAttributes *pAttribs)
 			debug_assert(m_pLocalPlayer && "Darn it! We weren't assigned to a slot!");
 		}
 		else
+		{
 			m_pLocalPlayer=m_Players[1];
+		}
 
 		RegisterInit(pAttribs);
 	}
diff --git a/source/ps/GameAttributes.cpp b/source/ps/GameAttributes.cpp
index 57eb869363..a8e8616209 100644
--- a/source/ps/GameAttributes.cpp
+++ b/source/ps/GameAttributes.cpp
@@ -352,6 +352,14 @@ CPlayerSlot *CGameAttributes::GetSlot(size_t index)
 
 void CGameAttributes::FinalizeSlots()
 {
+	// This method was causing players to be mis-assigned, partly because the
+	// slot status changes did not seem to get broadcasted correctly. However,
+	// fundamentally, we really don't want to reassign players' IDs this way.
+	// We want to keep around dummy players for those that aren't human. So
+	// let's not mess with the array indices, etc unless it is really needed.
+	return;
+
+	/*
 	// Back up our old slots, and empty the resulting std::vector
 	std::vector<CPlayerSlot *> oldSlots;
 	oldSlots.swap(m_PlayerSlots);
@@ -382,6 +390,7 @@ void CGameAttributes::FinalizeSlots()
 	}
 	
 	m_NumSlots=assignedSlots;
+	*/
 }
 
 void CGameAttributes::SetValue(const CStrW& name, const CStrW& value)