diff --git a/code/game/g_cmds.c b/code/game/g_cmds.c
index 29a1ce1d..df74ef06 100644
--- a/code/game/g_cmds.c
+++ b/code/game/g_cmds.c
@@ -592,8 +592,8 @@ void SetTeam( gentity_t *ent, char *s ) {
 	// execute the team change
 	//
 
-	// if the player was dead leave the body
-	if ( client->ps.stats[STAT_HEALTH] <= 0 ) {
+	// if the player was dead leave the body, but only if they're actually in game
+	if ( client->ps.stats[STAT_HEALTH] <= 0 && client->pers.connected == CON_CONNECTED ) {
 		CopyToBodyQue(ent);
 	}
 
@@ -633,6 +633,11 @@ void SetTeam( gentity_t *ent, char *s ) {
 	// get and distribute relevent paramters
 	ClientUserinfoChanged( clientNum );
 
+	// client hasn't spawned yet, they sent an early team command
+	if ( client->pers.connected != CON_CONNECTED ) {
+		return;
+	}
+
 	ClientBegin( clientNum );
 }
 
@@ -1659,6 +1664,14 @@ void ClientCommand( int clientNum ) {
 
 	ent = g_entities + clientNum;
 	if (!ent->client || ent->client->pers.connected != CON_CONNECTED) {
+		if (ent->client && ent->client->pers.localClient) {
+			// Handle early team command sent by UI when starting a local
+			// team play game.
+			trap_Argv( 0, cmd, sizeof( cmd ) );
+			if (Q_stricmp (cmd, "team") == 0) {
+				Cmd_Team_f (ent);
+			}
+		}
 		return;		// not fully in game yet
 	}