Index: binaries/data/config/default.cfg
===================================================================
--- binaries/data/config/default.cfg
+++ binaries/data/config/default.cfg
@@ -376,6 +376,7 @@
 server = "lobby.wildfiregames.com"  ; Address of lobby server
 xpartamupp = "wfgbot22"             ; Name of the server-side xmpp client that manage games
 buddies = ","                       ; Comma separated list of playernames that the current user has marked as buddies
+prefer_buddies = false              ; Whether to assign lobby buddies to free playerslots and others to observermode in the gamesetup
 
 [lobby.columns]
 gamerating = false                  ; Show the average rating of the participating players in a column of the gamelist
Index: binaries/data/mods/public/gui/gamesetup/gamesetup.js
===================================================================
--- binaries/data/mods/public/gui/gamesetup/gamesetup.js
+++ binaries/data/mods/public/gui/gamesetup/gamesetup.js
@@ -1279,22 +1279,33 @@
 
 function onClientJoin(newGUID, newAssignments)
 {
+	let playername = newAssignments[newGUID].name;
+
 	addChatMessage({
 		"type": "connect",
 		"guid": newGUID,
-		"username": newAssignments[newGUID].name
+		"username": playername
 	});
 
+	let isRejoiningPlayer = newAssignments[newGUID].player != -1;
+
+	// Assign the client (or only buddies if prefered) to an unused playerslot and rejoining players to their old slot
+	if (!isRejoiningPlayer &&
+		playername != newAssignments[Engine.GetPlayerGUID()].name &&
+	    Engine.ConfigDB_GetValue("user", "lobby.prefer_buddies") == "true" &&
+	    g_Buddies.indexOf(splitRatingFromNick(playername)[0]) == -1)
+	    return;
+
 	let freeSlot = g_GameAttributes.settings.PlayerData.findIndex((v,i) =>
 		Object.keys(g_PlayerAssignments).every(guid => g_PlayerAssignments[guid].player != i+1)
 	);
 
 	// Client is not and cannot become assigned as player
-	if (newAssignments[newGUID].player == -1 && freeSlot == -1)
+	if (!isRejoiningPlayer && freeSlot == -1)
 		return;
 
 	// Assign the joining client to the free slot
-	if (g_IsController && newAssignments[newGUID].player == -1)
+	if (g_IsController && !isRejoiningPlayer)
 		Engine.AssignNetworkPlayer(freeSlot + 1, newGUID);
 
 	resetReadyData();
Index: binaries/data/mods/public/gui/options/options.json
===================================================================
--- binaries/data/mods/public/gui/options/options.json
+++ binaries/data/mods/public/gui/options/options.json
@@ -275,6 +275,12 @@
 			"label": "Game Rating Column",
 			"tooltip": "Show the average rating of the participating players in a column of the gamelist.",
 			"parameters": { "config": "lobby.columns.gamerating" }
+		},
+		{
+			"type": "boolean",
+			"label": "Prefer Buddies",
+			"tooltip": "Whether to assign lobby buddies to free playerslots and others to observermode in the gamesetup .",
+			"parameters": { "config": "lobby.prefer_buddies" }
 		}
 	],
 	"notificationSetting":