diff --git a/stepmania/src/ScreenWithMenuElements.cpp b/stepmania/src/ScreenWithMenuElements.cpp
index f272992b72..1c43a98290 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/ScreenWithMenuElements.cpp
+++ b/stepmania/src/ScreenWithMenuElements.cpp
@@ -128,12 +128,11 @@ void ScreenWithMenuElements::BeginScreen()
 	/* Evaluate FirstUpdateCommand. */
 	this->PlayCommand( "FirstUpdate" );
 
-	/* If AutoJoin is enabled, we may have a credit that couldn't be used to join when
-	 * the coin was inserted due to AllowLateJoin being disabled at the time.  Try to
-	 * join players when a new screen starts. */
+	/* If AutoJoin and a player is already joined, then try to join a player.  (If no players
+	 * are joined, they'll join on the first JoinInput.) */
 	if( GAMESTATE->GetCoinMode() == CoinMode_Pay && GAMESTATE->m_bAutoJoin.Get() )
 	{
-		if( GAMESTATE->JoinPlayers() )
+               if( GAMESTATE->GetNumSidesJoined() > 0 && GAMESTATE->JoinPlayers() )
 			SCREENMAN->PlayStartSound();
 	}
 }
diff --git a/stepmania/src/StepMania.cpp b/stepmania/src/StepMania.cpp
index 5ee258194a..c312ceddff 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/StepMania.cpp
+++ b/stepmania/src/StepMania.cpp
@@ -1198,10 +1198,11 @@ void StepMania::InsertCoin( int iNum, bool bCountInBookkeeping )
 	else
 		SCREENMAN->PlayInvalidSound();
 
-	/* If AutoJoin and enough coins to join have been inserted, then try to join a player. */
-	if( GAMESTATE->m_bAutoJoin.Get() )
+	/* If AutoJoin and a player is already joined, then try to join a player.  (If no players
+	 * are joined, they'll join on the first JoinInput.) */
+	if( GAMESTATE->m_bAutoJoin.Get() && GAMESTATE->GetNumSidesJoined() > 0 )
 	{
-		if( GAMESTATE->JoinPlayers() )
+		if( GAMESTATE->GetNumSidesJoined() > 0 && GAMESTATE->JoinPlayers() )
 			SCREENMAN->PlayStartSound();
 	}