diff --git a/config.def.h b/config.def.h
index 6b01bc9e59..82a99c79b5 100644
--- a/config.def.h
+++ b/config.def.h
@@ -818,6 +818,9 @@ static const unsigned autosave_interval = 0;
 /* Publicly announce netplay */
 static const bool netplay_public_announce = true;
 
+/* Start netplay in spectator mode */
+static const bool netplay_start_as_spectator = false;
+
 /* Netplay without savestates/rewind */
 static const bool netplay_stateless_mode = false;
 
diff --git a/configuration.c b/configuration.c
index b40de26d25..1812c2bef1 100644
--- a/configuration.c
+++ b/configuration.c
@@ -729,6 +729,7 @@ static struct config_bool_setting *populate_settings_bool(settings_t *settings,
    SETTING_BOOL("menu_swap_ok_cancel_buttons",                 &settings->input.menu_swap_ok_cancel_buttons, true, menu_swap_ok_cancel_buttons, false);
 #ifdef HAVE_NETWORKING
    SETTING_BOOL("netplay_public_announce",       &settings->netplay.public_announce, true, netplay_public_announce, false);
+   SETTING_BOOL("netplay_start_as_spectator",    &settings->netplay.start_as_spectator, false, netplay_start_as_spectator, false);
    SETTING_BOOL("netplay_stateless_mode",        &settings->netplay.stateless_mode, false, netplay_stateless_mode, false);
    SETTING_BOOL("netplay_client_swap_input",     &settings->netplay.swap_input, true, netplay_client_swap_input, false);
 #endif
diff --git a/configuration.h b/configuration.h
index a8f1e20e64..3b6c51306f 100644
--- a/configuration.h
+++ b/configuration.h
@@ -406,6 +406,7 @@ typedef struct settings
       bool public_announce;
       char server[255];
       unsigned port;
+      bool start_as_spectator;
       bool stateless_mode;
       int check_frames;
       unsigned input_latency_frames_min;
diff --git a/intl/msg_hash_lbl.h b/intl/msg_hash_lbl.h
index 277d837046..8772de1888 100644
--- a/intl/msg_hash_lbl.h
+++ b/intl/msg_hash_lbl.h
@@ -617,6 +617,8 @@ MSG_HASH(MENU_ENUM_LABEL_NETPLAY_SPECTATE_PASSWORD,
       "netplay_spectate_password")
 MSG_HASH(MENU_ENUM_LABEL_NETPLAY_SPECTATOR_MODE_ENABLE,
       "netplay_spectator_mode_enable")
+MSG_HASH(MENU_ENUM_LABEL_NETPLAY_START_AS_SPECTATOR,
+      "netplay_start_as_spectator")
 MSG_HASH(MENU_ENUM_LABEL_NETPLAY_STATELESS_MODE,
       "netplay_stateless_mode")
 MSG_HASH(MENU_ENUM_LABEL_NETPLAY_TCP_UDP_PORT,
diff --git a/intl/msg_hash_us.c b/intl/msg_hash_us.c
index dfd157ff38..6a7cdc4be1 100644
--- a/intl/msg_hash_us.c
+++ b/intl/msg_hash_us.c
@@ -1542,6 +1542,14 @@ int menu_hash_get_help_us_enum(enum msg_hash_enums msg, char *s, size_t len) {
                              "If set to false, clients must manually connect \n"
                              "rather than using the public lobby.");
             break;
+        case MENU_ENUM_LABEL_NETPLAY_START_AS_SPECTATOR:
+            snprintf(s, len,
+                     "Whether to start netplay in spectator mode. \n"
+                             " \n"
+                             "If set to true, netplay will be in spectator mode \n"
+                             "on start. It's always possible to change mode \n"
+                             "later.");
+            break;
         case MENU_ENUM_LABEL_NETPLAY_STATELESS_MODE:
             snprintf(s, len,
                      "Whether to run netplay in a mode not requiring\n"
diff --git a/intl/msg_hash_us.h b/intl/msg_hash_us.h
index d370efde10..7ca3391f13 100644
--- a/intl/msg_hash_us.h
+++ b/intl/msg_hash_us.h
@@ -993,6 +993,8 @@ MSG_HASH(MENU_ENUM_LABEL_VALUE_NETPLAY_PUBLIC_ANNOUNCE,
       "Publicly Announce Netplay")
 MSG_HASH(MENU_ENUM_LABEL_VALUE_NETPLAY_SETTINGS,
       "Netplay settings")
+MSG_HASH(MENU_ENUM_LABEL_VALUE_NETPLAY_START_AS_SPECTATOR,
+      "Netplay Spectator Mode")
 MSG_HASH(MENU_ENUM_LABEL_VALUE_NETPLAY_STATELESS_MODE,
       "Netplay Stateless Mode")
 MSG_HASH(MENU_ENUM_LABEL_VALUE_NETPLAY_SPECTATE_PASSWORD,
@@ -2632,6 +2634,10 @@ MSG_HASH(
       MENU_ENUM_SUBLABEL_NETPLAY_SPECTATE_PASSWORD,
       "The password for connecting to the netplay host with only spectator privileges. Used only in host mode."
       )
+MSG_HASH(
+      MENU_ENUM_SUBLABEL_NETPLAY_START_AS_SPECTATOR,
+      "Whether to start netplay in spectator mode."
+      )
 MSG_HASH(
       MENU_ENUM_SUBLABEL_NETPLAY_STATELESS_MODE,
       "Whether to run netplay in a mode not requiring save states. If set to true, a very fast network is required, but no rewinding is performed, so there will be no netplay jitter."
diff --git a/menu/cbs/menu_cbs_sublabel.c b/menu/cbs/menu_cbs_sublabel.c
index e57e66043e..161ff63e57 100644
--- a/menu/cbs/menu_cbs_sublabel.c
+++ b/menu/cbs/menu_cbs_sublabel.c
@@ -189,6 +189,7 @@ default_sublabel_macro(action_bind_sublabel_netplay_ip_address,            MENU_
 default_sublabel_macro(action_bind_sublabel_netplay_tcp_udp_port,          MENU_ENUM_SUBLABEL_NETPLAY_TCP_UDP_PORT)
 default_sublabel_macro(action_bind_sublabel_netplay_password,              MENU_ENUM_SUBLABEL_NETPLAY_PASSWORD)
 default_sublabel_macro(action_bind_sublabel_netplay_spectate_password,     MENU_ENUM_SUBLABEL_NETPLAY_SPECTATE_PASSWORD)
+default_sublabel_macro(action_bind_sublabel_netplay_start_as_spectator,    MENU_ENUM_SUBLABEL_NETPLAY_START_AS_SPECTATOR)
 default_sublabel_macro(action_bind_sublabel_netplay_stateless_mode,        MENU_ENUM_SUBLABEL_NETPLAY_STATELESS_MODE)
 default_sublabel_macro(action_bind_sublabel_netplay_check_frames,          MENU_ENUM_SUBLABEL_NETPLAY_CHECK_FRAMES)
 default_sublabel_macro(action_bind_sublabel_netplay_nat_traversal,         MENU_ENUM_SUBLABEL_NETPLAY_NAT_TRAVERSAL)
@@ -746,6 +747,9 @@ int menu_cbs_init_bind_sublabel(menu_file_list_cbs_t *cbs,
          case MENU_ENUM_LABEL_NETPLAY_CHECK_FRAMES:
             BIND_ACTION_SUBLABEL(cbs, action_bind_sublabel_netplay_check_frames); 
             break;
+         case MENU_ENUM_LABEL_NETPLAY_START_AS_SPECTATOR:
+            BIND_ACTION_SUBLABEL(cbs, action_bind_sublabel_netplay_start_as_spectator);
+            break;
          case MENU_ENUM_LABEL_NETPLAY_STATELESS_MODE:
             BIND_ACTION_SUBLABEL(cbs, action_bind_sublabel_netplay_stateless_mode); 
             break;
diff --git a/menu/menu_displaylist.c b/menu/menu_displaylist.c
index a1a2b319fb..641c8847d5 100644
--- a/menu/menu_displaylist.c
+++ b/menu/menu_displaylist.c
@@ -4813,6 +4813,10 @@ bool menu_displaylist_ctl(enum menu_displaylist_ctl_state type, void *data)
                   MENU_ENUM_LABEL_NETPLAY_SPECTATE_PASSWORD,
                   PARSE_ONLY_STRING, false) != -1)
                count++;
+            if (menu_displaylist_parse_settings_enum(menu, info,
+                  MENU_ENUM_LABEL_NETPLAY_START_AS_SPECTATOR,
+                  PARSE_ONLY_BOOL, false) != -1)
+               count++;
             if (menu_displaylist_parse_settings_enum(menu, info,
                   MENU_ENUM_LABEL_NETPLAY_STATELESS_MODE,
                   PARSE_ONLY_BOOL, false) != -1)
diff --git a/menu/menu_setting.c b/menu/menu_setting.c
index 6cba6258f5..ae82515b83 100644
--- a/menu/menu_setting.c
+++ b/menu/menu_setting.c
@@ -5661,6 +5661,21 @@ static bool setting_append_list(
                   general_read_handler);
             settings_data_list_current_add_flags(list, list_info, SD_FLAG_ALLOW_INPUT);
 
+            CONFIG_BOOL(
+                  list, list_info,
+                  &settings->netplay.start_as_spectator,
+                  MENU_ENUM_LABEL_NETPLAY_START_AS_SPECTATOR,
+                  MENU_ENUM_LABEL_VALUE_NETPLAY_START_AS_SPECTATOR,
+                  false,
+                  MENU_ENUM_LABEL_VALUE_OFF,
+                  MENU_ENUM_LABEL_VALUE_ON,
+                  &group_info,
+                  &subgroup_info,
+                  parent_group,
+                  general_write_handler,
+                  general_read_handler,
+                  SD_FLAG_NONE);
+
             CONFIG_BOOL(
                   list, list_info,
                   &settings->netplay.stateless_mode,
diff --git a/msg_hash.h b/msg_hash.h
index fba5261515..52b421b503 100644
--- a/msg_hash.h
+++ b/msg_hash.h
@@ -1019,6 +1019,7 @@ enum msg_hash_enums
    MENU_LABEL(NETPLAY_CLIENT_SWAP_INPUT),
    MENU_LABEL(NETPLAY_DELAY_FRAMES),
    MENU_LABEL(NETPLAY_PUBLIC_ANNOUNCE),
+   MENU_LABEL(NETPLAY_START_AS_SPECTATOR),
    MENU_LABEL(NETPLAY_STATELESS_MODE),
    MENU_LABEL(NETPLAY_CHECK_FRAMES),
    MENU_LABEL(NETPLAY_INPUT_LATENCY_FRAMES_MIN),
diff --git a/network/netplay/README b/network/netplay/README
index 460dbc91cc..2f32dfd98f 100644
--- a/network/netplay/README
+++ b/network/netplay/README
@@ -319,7 +319,7 @@ Description:
 Command: RESET
 Payload:
     {
-       frame: uint32
+       frame number: uint32
     }
 Description:
     Indicate that the core was reset at the beginning of the given frame.
diff --git a/network/netplay/netplay_frontend.c b/network/netplay/netplay_frontend.c
index 0afbbcb353..e02332fed0 100644
--- a/network/netplay/netplay_frontend.c
+++ b/network/netplay/netplay_frontend.c
@@ -1095,7 +1095,11 @@ bool init_netplay(void *direct_host, const char *server, unsigned port)
          quirks);
 
    if (netplay_data)
+   {
+      if (netplay_data->is_server && !settings->netplay.start_as_spectator)
+         netplay_data->self_mode = NETPLAY_CONNECTION_PLAYING;
       return true;
+   }
 
    RARCH_WARN("%s\n", msg_hash_to_str(MSG_NETPLAY_FAILED));
 
diff --git a/network/netplay/netplay_handshake.c b/network/netplay/netplay_handshake.c
index 4df482e0e9..6350770520 100644
--- a/network/netplay/netplay_handshake.c
+++ b/network/netplay/netplay_handshake.c
@@ -878,6 +878,7 @@ bool netplay_handshake_pre_sync(netplay_t *netplay,
    retro_ctx_controller_info_t pad;
    char new_nick[NETPLAY_NICK_LEN];
    retro_ctx_memory_info_t mem_info;
+   settings_t *settings = config_get_ptr();
 
    RECV(cmd, sizeof(cmd))
    {
@@ -1021,8 +1022,11 @@ bool netplay_handshake_pre_sync(netplay_t *netplay,
    netplay_handshake_ready(netplay, connection);
    netplay_recv_flush(&connection->recv_packet_buffer);
 
-   /* Ask to go to player mode */
-   return netplay_cmd_mode(netplay, connection, NETPLAY_CONNECTION_PLAYING);
+   /* Ask to switch to playing mode if we should */
+   if (!settings->netplay.start_as_spectator)
+      return netplay_cmd_mode(netplay, connection, NETPLAY_CONNECTION_PLAYING);
+   else
+      return true;
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/network/netplay/netplay_init.c b/network/netplay/netplay_init.c
index e96d72178b..cf02a2d001 100644
--- a/network/netplay/netplay_init.c
+++ b/network/netplay/netplay_init.c
@@ -430,7 +430,7 @@ netplay_t *netplay_new(void *direct_host, const char *server, uint16_t port,
    netplay->crcs_valid        = true;
    netplay->quirks            = quirks;
    netplay->self_mode         = netplay->is_server ?
-                                NETPLAY_CONNECTION_PLAYING :
+                                NETPLAY_CONNECTION_SPECTATING :
                                 NETPLAY_CONNECTION_NONE;
 
    if (netplay->is_server)