diff --git a/source/glest_game/menu/menu_state_masterserver.cpp b/source/glest_game/menu/menu_state_masterserver.cpp
index 872fa718d..8418631e0 100644
--- a/source/glest_game/menu/menu_state_masterserver.cpp
+++ b/source/glest_game/menu/menu_state_masterserver.cpp
@@ -308,11 +308,23 @@ MenuStateMasterserver::MenuStateMasterserver(Program *program, MainMenu *mainMen
 
     if(SystemFlags::VERBOSE_MODE_ENABLED) printf("#1 IRCCLient Cache check\n");
     IRCThread * &ircThread = CacheManager::getCachedItem< IRCThread * >(GameConstants::ircClientCacheLookupKey);
+
+    // Playername changed so restart the IRC Thread
+    if(ircThread != NULL && netPlayerName != ircThread->getPlayerName()) {
+    	if(SystemFlags::getSystemSettingType(SystemFlags::debugSystem).enabled) SystemFlags::OutputDebug(SystemFlags::debugSystem,"In [%s::%s Line: %d]\n",extractFileFromDirectoryPath(__FILE__).c_str(),__FUNCTION__,__LINE__);
+    	ircThread->leaveChannel();
+    	ircThread->setCallbackObj(NULL);
+    	ircThread->signalQuit();
+        if(SystemFlags::getSystemSettingType(SystemFlags::debugSystem).enabled) SystemFlags::OutputDebug(SystemFlags::debugSystem,"In [%s::%s Line: %d]\n",extractFileFromDirectoryPath(__FILE__).c_str(),__FUNCTION__,__LINE__);
+        ircThread = NULL;
+    }
+
     if(ircThread == NULL) {
     	if(SystemFlags::VERBOSE_MODE_ENABLED) printf("#2 IRCCLient Cache check\n");
     	ircThread = new IRCThread(ircArgs,this);
     	ircClient = ircThread;
     	ircClient->setUniqueID(extractFileFromDirectoryPath(__FILE__).c_str());
+    	ircClient->setPlayerName(netPlayerName);
 		ircClient->start();
     }
     else {
diff --git a/source/shared_lib/include/platform/posix/ircclient.h b/source/shared_lib/include/platform/posix/ircclient.h
index 8d6cc7569..cbbfff1e6 100644
--- a/source/shared_lib/include/platform/posix/ircclient.h
+++ b/source/shared_lib/include/platform/posix/ircclient.h
@@ -65,6 +65,8 @@ protected:
 	string channel;
 	string nick;
 
+	string playerName;
+
     bool hasJoinedChannel;
     bool eventDataDone;
     Mutex mutexNickList;
@@ -83,6 +85,9 @@ public:
     virtual void signalQuit();
     virtual bool shutdownAndWait();
 
+    void setPlayerName(string value) { playerName = value; }
+    string getPlayerName() const { return playerName; }
+
     bool getWantToLeaveChannel() const { return wantToLeaveChannel; }
 
     void SendIRCCmdMessage(string target, string msg);
diff --git a/source/shared_lib/sources/platform/posix/ircclient.cpp b/source/shared_lib/sources/platform/posix/ircclient.cpp
index 7f3918ccb..5e298fe31 100644
--- a/source/shared_lib/sources/platform/posix/ircclient.cpp
+++ b/source/shared_lib/sources/platform/posix/ircclient.cpp
@@ -461,6 +461,7 @@ IRCThread::IRCThread(const std::vector<string> &argv, IRCCallbackInterface *call
     hasJoinedChannel = false;
     lastNickListUpdate = time(NULL);
     wantToLeaveChannel = false;
+    playerName = "";
 }
 
 void IRCThread::signalQuit() {