diff --git a/client/src/main/java/nl/andrewl/aos2_client/CommunicationHandler.java b/client/src/main/java/nl/andrewl/aos2_client/CommunicationHandler.java
index 1b6e832..9c80b54 100644
--- a/client/src/main/java/nl/andrewl/aos2_client/CommunicationHandler.java
+++ b/client/src/main/java/nl/andrewl/aos2_client/CommunicationHandler.java
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ public class CommunicationHandler {
 		socket.setSoTimeout(1000);
 		in = Net.getInputStream(socket.getInputStream());
 		out = Net.getOutputStream(socket.getOutputStream());
-		Net.write(new ConnectRequestMessage(username), out);
+		Net.write(new ConnectRequestMessage(username, true), out);
 		Message response = Net.read(in);
 		socket.setSoTimeout(0);
 		if (response instanceof ConnectRejectMessage rejectMessage) {
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/nl/andrewl/aos_core/net/connect/ConnectRequestMessage.java b/core/src/main/java/nl/andrewl/aos_core/net/connect/ConnectRequestMessage.java
index a869ee4..14a7014 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/nl/andrewl/aos_core/net/connect/ConnectRequestMessage.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/nl/andrewl/aos_core/net/connect/ConnectRequestMessage.java
@@ -2,4 +2,10 @@ package nl.andrewl.aos_core.net.connect;
 
 import nl.andrewl.record_net.Message;
 
-public record ConnectRequestMessage(String username) implements Message {}
+/**
+ * The first message that a client sends via TCP to the server, to indicate
+ * that they'd like to join.
+ * @param username The player's chosen username.
+ * @param spectator Whether the player wants to be a spectator.
+ */
+public record ConnectRequestMessage(String username, boolean spectator) implements Message {}
diff --git a/server/src/main/java/nl/andrewl/aos2_server/ClientCommunicationHandler.java b/server/src/main/java/nl/andrewl/aos2_server/ClientCommunicationHandler.java
index e524f56..144d054 100644
--- a/server/src/main/java/nl/andrewl/aos2_server/ClientCommunicationHandler.java
+++ b/server/src/main/java/nl/andrewl/aos2_server/ClientCommunicationHandler.java
@@ -111,8 +111,7 @@ public class ClientCommunicationHandler {
 					// Try to set the TCP timeout back to 0 now that we've got the correct request.
 					socket.setSoTimeout(0);
 					this.clientAddress = socket.getInetAddress();
-					connectionEstablished = true;
-					this.player = server.getPlayerManager().register(this, connectMsg.username());
+					this.player = server.getPlayerManager().register(this, connectMsg.username(), connectMsg.spectator());
 					Net.write(new ConnectAcceptMessage(player.getId()), out);
 					sendInitialData();
 					sendTcpMessage(ChatMessage.privateMessage("Welcome to the server, " + player.getUsername() + "."));
@@ -123,6 +122,7 @@ public class ClientCommunicationHandler {
 					TcpReceiver tcpReceiver = new TcpReceiver(in, this::handleTcpMessage)
 							.withShutdownHook(() -> server.getPlayerManager().deregister(this.player));
 					new Thread(tcpReceiver).start();
+					connectionEstablished = true;
 				}
 			} catch (SocketTimeoutException e) {
 				// Ignore this one, since this will happen if the client doesn't send data properly.
@@ -231,7 +231,7 @@ public class ClientCommunicationHandler {
 			out.writeFloat(player.getOrientation().y());
 
 			out.writeBoolean(player.isCrouching());
-			out.writeInt(player.getInventory().getSelectedItemStack().getType().getId());
+			out.writeInt(player.getInventory().getSelectedItemStack() == null ? -1 : player.getInventory().getSelectedItemStack().getType().getId());
 			out.writeByte(player.getInventory().getSelectedBlockValue());
 			out.writeInt(player.getMode().ordinal());
 		}
diff --git a/server/src/main/java/nl/andrewl/aos2_server/PlayerManager.java b/server/src/main/java/nl/andrewl/aos2_server/PlayerManager.java
index 0817161..4529a3a 100644
--- a/server/src/main/java/nl/andrewl/aos2_server/PlayerManager.java
+++ b/server/src/main/java/nl/andrewl/aos2_server/PlayerManager.java
@@ -29,15 +29,18 @@ public class PlayerManager {
 		this.server = server;
 	}
 
-	public synchronized ServerPlayer register(ClientCommunicationHandler handler, String username) {
-		Team team = findBestTeamForNewPlayer();
-		ServerPlayer player = new ServerPlayer(nextClientId++, username, team, PlayerMode.NORMAL);
-		var inv = player.getInventory();
-		inv.getItemStacks().add(new GunItemStack(ItemTypes.RIFLE));
-		inv.getItemStacks().add(new GunItemStack(ItemTypes.AK_47));
-		inv.getItemStacks().add(new GunItemStack(ItemTypes.WINCHESTER));
-		inv.getItemStacks().add(new BlockItemStack(ItemTypes.BLOCK, 50, (byte) 1));
-		inv.setSelectedIndex(0);
+	public synchronized ServerPlayer register(ClientCommunicationHandler handler, String username, boolean spectator) {
+		PlayerMode mode = spectator ? PlayerMode.SPECTATOR : PlayerMode.NORMAL;
+		Team team = mode != PlayerMode.NORMAL ? null : findBestTeamForNewPlayer();
+		ServerPlayer player = new ServerPlayer(nextClientId++, username, team, mode);
+		if (player.getMode() == PlayerMode.NORMAL || player.getMode() == PlayerMode.CREATIVE) {
+			var inv = player.getInventory();
+			inv.getItemStacks().add(new GunItemStack(ItemTypes.RIFLE));
+			inv.getItemStacks().add(new GunItemStack(ItemTypes.AK_47));
+			inv.getItemStacks().add(new GunItemStack(ItemTypes.WINCHESTER));
+			inv.getItemStacks().add(new BlockItemStack(ItemTypes.BLOCK, 50, (byte) 1));
+			inv.setSelectedIndex(0);
+		}
 
 		System.out.printf("Registered player \"%s\" with id %d.%n", player.getUsername(), player.getId());
 		players.put(player.getId(), player);
@@ -57,11 +60,13 @@ public class PlayerManager {
 				player.getVelocity().x(), player.getVelocity().y(), player.getVelocity().z(),
 				player.getOrientation().x(), player.getOrientation().y(),
 				player.isCrouching(),
-				player.getInventory().getSelectedItemStack().getType().getId(),
+				player.getInventory().getSelectedItemStack() == null ? -1 : player.getInventory().getSelectedItemStack().getType().getId(),
 				player.getInventory().getSelectedBlockValue(),
 				player.getMode()
 		), player);
-		broadcastTcpMessageToAllBut(ChatMessage.announce(joinMessage), player);
+		if (player.getMode() != PlayerMode.SPECTATOR) {
+			broadcastTcpMessageToAllBut(ChatMessage.announce(joinMessage), player);
+		}
 		return player;
 	}