diff --git a/src/game/server/teams.cpp b/src/game/server/teams.cpp
index 9252b4b27..d31edc2ec 100644
--- a/src/game/server/teams.cpp
+++ b/src/game/server/teams.cpp
@@ -269,6 +269,21 @@ void CGameTeams::SetForceCharacterTeam(int ClientID, int Team)
 			m_MembersCount[m_Core.Team(ClientID)]--;
 	}
 
+	SetForceCharacterNewTeam(ClientID, Team);
+
+	if (OldTeam != Team)
+	{
+		for(int LoopClientID = 0; LoopClientID < MAX_CLIENTS; ++LoopClientID)
+			if(GetPlayer(LoopClientID))
+				SendTeamsState(LoopClientID);
+
+		if(GetPlayer(ClientID))
+			GetPlayer(ClientID)->m_VotedForPractice = false;
+	}
+}
+
+void CGameTeams::SetForceCharacterNewTeam(int ClientID, int Team)
+{
 	m_Core.Team(ClientID, Team);
 
 	if (m_Core.Team(ClientID) != TEAM_SUPER)
@@ -287,16 +302,6 @@ void CGameTeams::SetForceCharacterTeam(int ClientID, int Team)
 			}
 		}
 	}
-
-	if (OldTeam != Team)
-	{
-		for(int LoopClientID = 0; LoopClientID < MAX_CLIENTS; ++LoopClientID)
-			if(GetPlayer(LoopClientID))
-				SendTeamsState(LoopClientID);
-
-		if(GetPlayer(ClientID))
-			GetPlayer(ClientID)->m_VotedForPractice = false;
-	}
 }
 
 void CGameTeams::ForceLeaveTeam(int ClientID)
@@ -670,7 +675,10 @@ void CGameTeams::OnCharacterSpawn(int ClientID)
 	m_Core.SetSolo(ClientID, false);
 
 	if (m_Core.Team(ClientID) >= TEAM_SUPER || !m_TeamLocked[m_Core.Team(ClientID)])
-		SetForceCharacterTeam(ClientID, 0);
+		// Important to only set a new team here, don't remove from an existing
+		// team since a newly joined player does by definition not have an old team
+		// to remove from. Doing so would destroy the count in m_MembersCount.
+		SetForceCharacterNewTeam(ClientID, 0);
 }
 
 void CGameTeams::OnCharacterDeath(int ClientID, int Weapon)
diff --git a/src/game/server/teams.h b/src/game/server/teams.h
index de5e5a0e5..36fd34d32 100644
--- a/src/game/server/teams.h
+++ b/src/game/server/teams.h
@@ -65,13 +65,14 @@ public:
 
 	int Count(int Team) const;
 
-	//need to be very careful using this method
-	void SetForceCharacterTeam(int id, int Team);
-	void ForceLeaveTeam(int id);
+	//need to be very careful using this method. SERIOUSLY...
+	void SetForceCharacterTeam(int ClientID, int Team);
+	void SetForceCharacterNewTeam(int ClientID, int Team);
+	void ForceLeaveTeam(int ClientID);
 
 	void Reset();
 
-	void SendTeamsState(int Cid);
+	void SendTeamsState(int ClientID);
 	void SetTeamLock(int Team, bool Lock);
 	void ResetInvited(int Team);
 	void SetClientInvited(int Team, int ClientID, bool Invited);