diff --git a/src/client/ClientGame.ts b/src/client/ClientGame.ts
index 52cfd3465..4720571e2 100644
--- a/src/client/ClientGame.ts
+++ b/src/client/ClientGame.ts
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ export function joinLobby(lobbyConfig: LobbyConfig, onjoin: () => void): () => v
             console.log('lobby: game started')
             onjoin()
             const gameConfig = {
-                map: GameMap.World,
+                map: message.config?.gameMap || lobbyConfig.map,
                 clientID: clientID,
                 gameID: lobbyConfig.gameID,
                 ip: lobbyConfig.ip,
@@ -93,6 +93,7 @@ export class GameRunner {
     private intervalID: NodeJS.Timeout
 
     private isProcessingTurn = false
+    private hasJoined = false
 
     constructor(
         private id: ClientID,
@@ -125,6 +126,7 @@ export class GameRunner {
         };
         const onmessage = (message: ServerMessage) => {
             if (message.type == "start") {
+                this.hasJoined = true
                 console.log("starting game!")
                 for (const turn of message.turns) {
                     if (turn.turnNumber < this.turns.length) {
@@ -134,6 +136,9 @@ export class GameRunner {
                 }
             }
             if (message.type == "turn") {
+                if (!this.hasJoined) {
+                    return
+                }
                 if (this.turns.length != message.turn.turnNumber) {
                     console.error(`got wrong turn have turns ${this.turns.length}, received turn ${message.turn.turnNumber}`)
                 } else {
diff --git a/src/client/HostLobbyModal.ts b/src/client/HostLobbyModal.ts
index 893d07545..d8b13f12c 100644
--- a/src/client/HostLobbyModal.ts
+++ b/src/client/HostLobbyModal.ts
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ export class HostLobbyModal extends LitElement {
           <div>
             <label for="map-select">Map: </label>
             <select id="map-select" @change=${this.handleMapChange}>
-              ${Object.entries(new Set())
+              ${Object.entries(GameMap)
         .filter(([key]) => isNaN(Number(key)))
         .map(([key, value]) => html`
                   <option value=${value} ?selected=${this.selectedMap === value}>
@@ -152,8 +152,17 @@ export class HostLobbyModal extends LitElement {
     this.copySuccess = false;
   }
 
-  private handleMapChange(e: Event) {
+  private async handleMapChange(e: Event) {
     this.selectedMap = Number((e.target as HTMLSelectElement).value) as GameMap;
+    console.log(`updating map to ${this.selectedMap}`)
+    const response = await fetch(`/private_lobby/${this.lobbyId}`, {
+      method: 'PUT',
+      headers: {
+        'Content-Type': 'application/json',
+      },
+      body: JSON.stringify({gameMap: this.selectedMap})
+    });
+
   }
   private async startGame() {
     console.log(`Starting private game with map: ${GameMap[this.selectedMap]}`);
@@ -166,6 +175,7 @@ export class HostLobbyModal extends LitElement {
     });
   }
 
+
   private async copyToClipboard() {
     try {
       await navigator.clipboard.writeText(this.lobbyId);
@@ -180,6 +190,7 @@ export class HostLobbyModal extends LitElement {
 
 }
 
+
 async function createLobby(): Promise<Lobby> {
   try {
     const response = await fetch('/private_lobby', {
diff --git a/src/core/Schemas.ts b/src/core/Schemas.ts
index 75cd84eab..139addcaa 100644
--- a/src/core/Schemas.ts
+++ b/src/core/Schemas.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import {z} from 'zod';
-import {PlayerType} from './game/Game';
+import {GameMap, PlayerType} from './game/Game';
 
 export type GameID = string
 export type ClientID = string
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ export type EmojiIntent = z.infer<typeof EmojiIntentSchema>
 export type DonateIntent = z.infer<typeof DonateIntentSchema>
 
 export type Turn = z.infer<typeof TurnSchema>
+export type GameConfig = z.infer<typeof GameConfigSchema>
 
 export type ClientMessage = ClientIntentMessage | ClientJoinMessage | ClientLeaveMessage
 export type ServerMessage = ServerSyncMessage | ServerStartGameMessage
@@ -49,6 +50,10 @@ export interface Lobby {
     numClients?: number;
 }
 
+const GameConfigSchema = z.object({
+    gameMap: z.nativeEnum(GameMap)
+})
+
 const EmojiSchema = z.string().refine(
     (val) => {
         return /\p{Emoji}/u.test(val);
@@ -170,7 +175,8 @@ export const ServerTurnMessageSchema = ServerBaseMessageSchema.extend({
 export const ServerStartGameMessageSchema = ServerBaseMessageSchema.extend({
     type: z.literal('start'),
     // Turns the client missed if they are late to the game.
-    turns: z.array(TurnSchema)
+    turns: z.array(TurnSchema),
+    config: GameConfigSchema
 })
 
 
diff --git a/src/server/GameManager.ts b/src/server/GameManager.ts
index 11c89f63c..f4e6206f0 100644
--- a/src/server/GameManager.ts
+++ b/src/server/GameManager.ts
@@ -1,8 +1,9 @@
 import {Config} from "../core/configuration/Config";
-import {ClientID, GameID} from "../core/Schemas";
+import {ClientID, GameConfig, GameID} from "../core/Schemas";
 import {v4 as uuidv4} from 'uuid';
 import {Client} from "./Client";
 import {GamePhase, GameServer} from "./GameServer";
+import {GameMap} from "../core/game/Game";
 
 
 
@@ -27,9 +28,18 @@ export class GameManager {
         game.addClient(client, lastTurn)
     }
 
+    updateGameConfig(gameID: GameID, gameConfig: GameConfig) {
+        const game = this.games.find(g => g.id == gameID)
+        if (game == null) {
+            console.warn(`game ${gameID} not found`)
+            return
+        }
+        game.updateGameConfig(gameConfig)
+    }
+
     createPrivateGame(): string {
         const id = genSmallGameID()
-        this.games.push(new GameServer(id, Date.now(), false, this.config))
+        this.games.push(new GameServer(id, Date.now(), false, this.config, {gameMap: GameMap.World}))
         return id
     }
 
@@ -58,7 +68,7 @@ export class GameManager {
         if (now > this.lastNewLobby + this.config.gameCreationRate()) {
             this.lastNewLobby = now
             const id = uuidv4()
-            lobbies.push(new GameServer(id, now, true, this.config))
+            lobbies.push(new GameServer(id, now, true, this.config, {gameMap: GameMap.World}))
         }
 
         active.filter(g => !g.hasStarted() && g.isPublic).forEach(g => {
diff --git a/src/server/GameServer.ts b/src/server/GameServer.ts
index e494dd3c2..2d4d059da 100644
--- a/src/server/GameServer.ts
+++ b/src/server/GameServer.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import {ClientMessage, ClientMessageSchema, Intent, ServerStartGameMessage, ServerStartGameMessageSchema, ServerTurnMessageSchema, Turn} from "../core/Schemas";
+import {ClientMessage, ClientMessageSchema, GameConfig, Intent, ServerStartGameMessage, ServerStartGameMessageSchema, ServerTurnMessageSchema, Turn} from "../core/Schemas";
 import {Config} from "../core/configuration/Config";
 import {Client} from "./Client";
 import WebSocket from 'ws';
@@ -23,13 +23,21 @@ export class GameServer {
 
     private endTurnIntervalID
 
+
     constructor(
         public readonly id: string,
         public readonly createdAt: number,
         public readonly isPublic: boolean,
         private config: Config,
+        private gameConfig: GameConfig,
     ) { }
 
+    public updateGameConfig(gameConfig: GameConfig): void {
+        if (gameConfig.gameMap != null) {
+            this.gameConfig.gameMap = gameConfig.gameMap
+        }
+    }
+
     public addClient(client: Client, lastTurn: number) {
         console.log(`game ${this.id} adding client ${client.id}`)
         slog('client_joined_game', `client ${client.id} (re)joining game ${this.id}`, {
@@ -93,7 +101,8 @@ export class GameServer {
         ws.send(JSON.stringify(ServerStartGameMessageSchema.parse(
             {
                 type: "start",
-                turns: this.turns.slice(lastTurn)
+                turns: this.turns.slice(lastTurn),
+                config: this.gameConfig
             }
         )))
     }
@@ -137,7 +146,7 @@ export class GameServer {
         if (!this.isPublic) {
             if (this._hasStarted) {
                 if (this.clients.length == 0) {
-                    console.log(`game ${this.id} is finisehd`)
+                    console.log()
                     return GamePhase.Finished
                 } else {
                     return GamePhase.Active
diff --git a/src/server/Server.ts b/src/server/Server.ts
index 86b260d68..30cbeb4c2 100644
--- a/src/server/Server.ts
+++ b/src/server/Server.ts
@@ -23,8 +23,6 @@ app.use(express.static(path.join(__dirname, '../../out')));
 app.use(express.json())
 const gm = new GameManager(getConfig())
 
-const privateGames = new Map<string, GameServer>()
-
 // New GET endpoint to list lobbies
 app.get('/lobbies', (req, res) => {
     const now = Date.now()
@@ -35,6 +33,7 @@ app.get('/lobbies', (req, res) => {
     });
 });
 
+
 app.post('/private_lobby', (req, res) => {
     const id = gm.createPrivateGame()
     console.log('creating private lobby with id ${id}')
@@ -48,8 +47,9 @@ app.post('/start_private_lobby/:id', (req, res) => {
     gm.startPrivateGame(req.params.id)
 });
 
-
 app.put('/private_lobby/:id', (req, res) => {
+    const lobbyID = req.params.id
+    gm.updateGameConfig(lobbyID, {gameMap: req.body.gameMap})
 });
 
 app.get('/lobby/:id/exists', (req, res) => {