diff --git a/src/main/kotlin/matterlink/MatterLink.kt b/src/main/kotlin/matterlink/MatterLink.kt
index 0b0d612..62fbca3 100644
--- a/src/main/kotlin/matterlink/MatterLink.kt
+++ b/src/main/kotlin/matterlink/MatterLink.kt
@@ -56,12 +56,17 @@ object MatterLink {
         BridgeCommandRegistry.registerAll(PlayerListCommand, HelpCommand)
     }
 
+    @Mod.EventHandler
+    fun serverAboutToStart(event: FMLServerAboutToStartEvent) {
+        MessageHandler.start()
+    }
 
     @Mod.EventHandler
     fun serverStarting(event: FMLServerStartingEvent) {
         logger.debug("Registering server commands")
         event.registerServerCommand(CommandMatterlink())
-        MessageHandler.start()
+
+        MessageHandler.rcvQueue.clear()
     }
 
     @Mod.EventHandler
diff --git a/src/main/kotlin/matterlink/bridge/ServerChatHandler.kt b/src/main/kotlin/matterlink/bridge/ServerChatHandler.kt
index 29984e4..c4b7a27 100644
--- a/src/main/kotlin/matterlink/bridge/ServerChatHandler.kt
+++ b/src/main/kotlin/matterlink/bridge/ServerChatHandler.kt
@@ -5,10 +5,13 @@ import matterlink.bridge.command.BridgeCommandRegistry
 import matterlink.cfg
 
 object ServerChatHandler {
+    var processMessages: Boolean = true
+
     /**
      * This method must be called every server tick with no arguments.
      */
     fun writeIncomingToChat() {
+        if (!processMessages) return
         if (MessageHandler.rcvQueue.isNotEmpty())
             MatterLink.logger.debug("incoming: " + MessageHandler.rcvQueue.toString())
         val nextMessage = MessageHandler.rcvQueue.poll()
diff --git a/src/main/kotlin/matterlink/command/CommandMatterlink.kt b/src/main/kotlin/matterlink/command/CommandMatterlink.kt
index a3abf59..0c3fa69 100644
--- a/src/main/kotlin/matterlink/command/CommandMatterlink.kt
+++ b/src/main/kotlin/matterlink/command/CommandMatterlink.kt
@@ -4,9 +4,11 @@ import matterlink.*
 import matterlink.MatterLink.logger
 import matterlink.bridge.MessageHandler
 import com.google.common.collect.Lists
+import matterlink.bridge.ServerChatHandler
 import net.minecraft.command.CommandBase
 import net.minecraft.command.ICommandSender
 import net.minecraft.server.MinecraftServer
+import org.apache.logging.log4j.core.jmx.Server
 
 
 class CommandMatterlink : CommandBase() {
@@ -39,11 +41,16 @@ class CommandMatterlink : CommandBase() {
         val cmd = args[0].toLowerCase()
         when (cmd) {
             "connect" -> if (MessageHandler.start()) {
+                MessageHandler.rcvQueue.clear()
                 logger.info("Connected to matterbridge relay")
+                ServerChatHandler.processMessages = true
             } else {
                 logger.error("Connection to matterbridge relay failed.")
             }
-            "disconnect" -> MessageHandler.stop()
+            "disconnect" -> {
+                MessageHandler.stop()
+                ServerChatHandler.processMessages = false
+            }
         }
     }