diff --git a/src/d_clisrv.c b/src/d_clisrv.c
index 2d470b551..bd7f5f335 100644
--- a/src/d_clisrv.c
+++ b/src/d_clisrv.c
@@ -3716,8 +3716,11 @@ static void Got_AddPlayer(UINT8 **p, INT32 playernum)
 
 	players[newplayernum].splitscreenindex = splitscreenplayer;
 	players[newplayernum].bot = false;
+
+	// player_t is the only place in the game that a key is null-terminated, for ease of Lua push.
+	memset(players[newplayernum].public_key, 0, 32 + 1);
 	CONS_Printf("Adding player from node %d with ID %s\n", node, GetPrettyRRID(lastReceivedKey[node][splitscreenplayer], true));
-	memcpy(players[newplayernum].public_key, lastReceivedKey[node][splitscreenplayer], sizeof(players[newplayernum].public_key));
+	memcpy(players[newplayernum].public_key, lastReceivedKey[node][splitscreenplayer], 32);
 	CONS_Printf("Node %d now has ID %s\n", node, GetPrettyRRID(players[newplayernum].public_key, true));
 
 	playerconsole[newplayernum] = console;
diff --git a/src/d_player.h b/src/d_player.h
index 455db72f3..aedbb06b3 100644
--- a/src/d_player.h
+++ b/src/d_player.h
@@ -713,7 +713,7 @@ struct player_t
 	mobj_t *stumbleIndicator;
 	mobj_t *sliptideZipIndicator;
 
-	uint8_t public_key[32];
+	uint8_t public_key[32 + 1];
 
 #ifdef HWRENDER
 	fixed_t fovadd; // adjust FOV for hw rendering
diff --git a/src/lua_playerlib.c b/src/lua_playerlib.c
index 76325ebc9..62efe43d5 100644
--- a/src/lua_playerlib.c
+++ b/src/lua_playerlib.c
@@ -507,6 +507,8 @@ static int player_get(lua_State *L)
 #endif
 	else if (fastcmp(field,"ping"))
 		lua_pushinteger(L, playerpingtable[( plr - players )]);
+	else if (fastcmp(field, "public_key"))
+		lua_pushstring(L, plr->public_key);
 	else {
 		lua_getfield(L, LUA_REGISTRYINDEX, LREG_EXTVARS);
 		I_Assert(lua_istable(L, -1));
diff --git a/src/p_saveg.c b/src/p_saveg.c
index 3781925ca..6daf025fc 100644
--- a/src/p_saveg.c
+++ b/src/p_saveg.c
@@ -407,7 +407,7 @@ static void P_NetArchivePlayers(savebuffer_t *save)
 		WRITEUINT8(save->p, players[i].sliptideZipDelay);
 		WRITEUINT16(save->p, players[i].sliptideZipBoost);
 
-		WRITESTRINGN(save->p, players[i].public_key, 32);
+		WRITESTRINGN(save->p, players[i].public_key, 32 + 1);
 
 		// respawnvars_t
 		WRITEUINT8(save->p, players[i].respawn.state);
@@ -789,7 +789,7 @@ static void P_NetUnArchivePlayers(savebuffer_t *save)
 		players[i].sliptideZipDelay = READUINT8(save->p);
 		players[i].sliptideZipBoost = READUINT16(save->p);
 
-		READSTRINGN(save->p, players[i].public_key, 32);
+		READSTRINGN(save->p, players[i].public_key, 32 + 1);
 
 		// respawnvars_t
 		players[i].respawn.state = READUINT8(save->p);