Index: source/lobby/XmppClient.cpp
===================================================================
--- source/lobby/XmppClient.cpp
+++ source/lobby/XmppClient.cpp
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/* Copyright (C) 2021 Wildfire Games.
+/* Copyright (C) 2023 Wildfire Games.
  * This file is part of 0 A.D.
  *
  * 0 A.D. is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
@@ -862,7 +862,12 @@
 			}
 
 			g_NetClient->SetupServerData(cd->m_Ip.to_string(), stoi(cd->m_Port.to_string()), !cd->m_UseSTUN.empty());
-			g_NetClient->TryToConnect(iq.from().full(), !cd->m_IsLocalIP.empty());
+
+			if (!g_NetClient->TryToConnectViaLobby(iq.from().full(), !cd->m_IsLocalIP.empty()))
+			{
+				LOGMESSAGE("XmppClient: Failed to establish connection");
+				return true;
+			}
 		}
 		if (gq)
 		{
Index: source/network/NetClient.h
===================================================================
--- source/network/NetClient.h
+++ source/network/NetClient.h
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/* Copyright (C) 2022 Wildfire Games.
+/* Copyright (C) 2023 Wildfire Games.
  * This file is part of 0 A.D.
  *
  * 0 A.D. is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
@@ -121,6 +121,8 @@
 	/**
 	 * Set up a connection to the remote networked server.
 	 * Must call SetupServerData first.
+	 * @param enetClient Pointer to an existing Enet Client. If a `nullptr` is
+	 *	passed, a new client will be createed.
 	 * @return true on success, false on connection failure
 	 */
 	bool SetupConnection(ENetHost* enetClient);
@@ -131,12 +133,12 @@
 	void SetupConnectionViaLobby();
 
 	/**
-	 * Connect to the remote networked server using lobby.
+	 * Connect to the remote networked server using the lobby.
 	 * Push netstatus messages on failure.
 	 * @param localNetwork - if true, assume we are trying to connect on the local network.
 	 * @return true on success, false on connection failure
 	 */
-	bool TryToConnect(const CStr& hostJID, bool localNetwork);
+	bool TryToConnectViaLobby(const CStr& hostJID, bool localNetwork);
 
 	/**
 	 * Destroy the connection to the server.
Index: source/network/NetClient.cpp
===================================================================
--- source/network/NetClient.cpp
+++ source/network/NetClient.cpp
@@ -233,8 +233,10 @@
 	);
 }
 
-bool CNetClient::TryToConnect(const CStr& hostJID, bool localNetwork)
+bool CNetClient::TryToConnectViaLobby(const CStr& hostJID, bool localNetwork)
 {
+	ENSURE(g_XmppClient);
+
 	if (m_Session)
 		return false;
 
@@ -261,7 +263,7 @@
 
 	CStr ip;
 	u16 port = 0;
-	if (g_XmppClient && m_UseSTUN)
+	if (m_UseSTUN)
 	{
 		if (!StunClient::FindPublicIP(*enetClient, ip, port))
 		{
@@ -282,7 +284,7 @@
 			return true;
 		}
 	}
-	else if (g_XmppClient && localNetwork)
+	else if (localNetwork)
 	{
 		// We may need to punch a hole through the local firewall, so fetch our local IP.
 		// NB: we'll ignore failures here, and hope that the firewall will be open to connection
@@ -317,7 +319,7 @@
 		StunClient::SendHolePunchingMessages(*enetClient, m_ServerAddress, m_ServerPort);
 	}
 
-	if (!g_NetClient->SetupConnection(enetClient))
+	if (!SetupConnection(enetClient))
 	{
 		PushGuiMessage(
 			"type", "netstatus",