diff --git a/src/d_clisrv.c b/src/d_clisrv.c
index 224a6d8ae..ead340d51 100644
--- a/src/d_clisrv.c
+++ b/src/d_clisrv.c
@@ -3464,6 +3464,7 @@ static void Got_AddPlayer(const UINT8 **p, INT32 playernum)
 	UINT8 splitscreenplayer = 0;
 	UINT8 i;
 	player_t *newplayer;
+	uint8_t public_key[PUBKEYLENGTH];
 
 	if (playernum != serverplayer && !IsPlayerAdmin(playernum))
 	{
@@ -3487,13 +3488,14 @@ static void Got_AddPlayer(const UINT8 **p, INT32 playernum)
 	newplayer = &players[newplayernum];
 
 	READSTRINGN(*p, player_names[newplayernum], MAXPLAYERNAME);
-	READMEM(*p, players[newplayernum].public_key, PUBKEYLENGTH);
+	READMEM(*p, public_key, PUBKEYLENGTH);
 	READMEM(*p, clientpowerlevels[newplayernum], sizeof(((serverplayer_t *)0)->powerlevels));
 
 	console = READUINT8(*p);
 	splitscreenplayer = READUINT8(*p);
 
 	G_AddPlayer(newplayernum, console);
+	memcpy(players[newplayernum].public_key, public_key, PUBKEYLENGTH);
 
 	for (i = 0; i < MAXAVAILABILITY; i++)
 	{