diff --git a/include/game.h b/include/game.h
index f441ccd7..5d6bec91 100644
--- a/include/game.h
+++ b/include/game.h
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ struct gamestr {
     time_t game_timestamp;
     /* end of part matching struct empobj */
     char game_upd_disable;	/* updates disabled? */
+    char game_down;		/* playing disabled? */
     /*
      * The Empire clock.
      * Access it through game_tick_tick(), or else it'll be late.
@@ -58,6 +59,8 @@ struct gamestr {
 
 extern void game_ctrl_update(int);
 extern int updates_disabled(void);
+extern void game_ctrl_play(int);
+extern int game_play_disabled(void);
 extern void game_note_bsanct(void);
 extern void game_record_update(time_t);
 extern struct gamestr *game_tick_tick(void);
diff --git a/src/lib/commands/turn.c b/src/lib/commands/turn.c
index 8f78626b..64a32298 100644
--- a/src/lib/commands/turn.c
+++ b/src/lib/commands/turn.c
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@
 
 #include <errno.h>
 #include <unistd.h>
+#include "game.h"
 #include "tel.h"
 #include "commands.h"
 #include "optlist.h"
@@ -64,6 +65,7 @@ turn(void)
 	    logerror("Could not remove no-login file (%s).\n", downfil);
 	    return RET_FAIL;
 	}
+	game_ctrl_play(1);
 	return RET_OK;
     } else {
 	msgfilepath = motdfil;
@@ -122,5 +124,6 @@ turn(void)
 
     pr("\n");
 
+    game_ctrl_play(0);
     return RET_OK;
 }
diff --git a/src/lib/common/game.c b/src/lib/common/game.c
index 29624624..74634a2c 100644
--- a/src/lib/common/game.c
+++ b/src/lib/common/game.c
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@
 #include "server.h"
 
 /*
- * Disable updates
+ * Enable / disable updates
  */
 void
 game_ctrl_update(int enable)
@@ -71,6 +71,27 @@ updates_disabled(void)
     return getgamep()->game_upd_disable;
 }
 
+/*
+ * Enable / disable play
+ */
+void
+game_ctrl_play(int enable)
+{
+    struct gamestr *game = getgamep();
+
+    game->game_down = !enable;
+    putgame();
+}
+
+/*
+ * Is playing enabled?
+ */
+int
+game_play_disabled(void)
+{
+    return getgamep()->game_down;
+}
+
 /*
  * Notice that a player broke sanctuary.
  * This starts the Empire clock if it hasn't been started yet.
diff --git a/src/lib/common/nsc.c b/src/lib/common/nsc.c
index b14e6284..8a3dadb8 100644
--- a/src/lib/common/nsc.c
+++ b/src/lib/common/nsc.c
@@ -619,6 +619,7 @@ struct castr game_ca[] = {
      EF_BAD, NSC_EXTRA},
     {"upd_disable", fldoff(game_upd_disable), NSC_CHAR, 0, NULL,
      EF_BAD, 0},
+    {"down", fldoff(game_down), NSC_CHAR, 0, NULL, EF_BAD, 0},
     {"turn", fldoff(game_turn), NSC_SHORT, 0, NULL, EF_BAD, 0},
     {"tick", fldoff(game_tick), NSC_SHORT, 0, NULL, EF_BAD, NSC_DEITY},
     {"rt", fldoff(game_rt), NSC_TIME, 0, NULL, EF_BAD, NSC_DEITY},
diff --git a/src/lib/player/empdis.c b/src/lib/player/empdis.c
index 0ae85156..adf589dc 100644
--- a/src/lib/player/empdis.c
+++ b/src/lib/player/empdis.c
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@
 #include "com.h"
 #include "empio.h"
 #include "file.h"
+#include "game.h"
 #include "match.h"
 #include "misc.h"
 #include "nat.h"
@@ -187,8 +188,13 @@ gamedown(int suppress_deity_message)
     struct telstr tgm;
     char buf[MAXTELSIZE + 1];	/* UTF-8 */
 
-    if ((down_fp = fopen(downfil, "rb")) == NULL)
+    if (!game_play_disabled())
 	return 0;
+
+    if ((down_fp = fopen(downfil, "rb")) == NULL) {
+	logerror("Could not open downfil.\n");
+	return 1;
+    }
     if (fread(&tgm, sizeof(tgm), 1, down_fp) != 1) {
 	logerror("bad header on login message (downfil)");
 	fclose(down_fp);