diff --git a/server/routes/games.js b/server/routes/games.js
index f9797ff..287d079 100755
--- a/server/routes/games.js
+++ b/server/routes/games.js
@@ -2498,19 +2498,19 @@ const ping = (session) => {
   session.keepAlive =  setTimeout(() => { ping(session); }, 2500);
 }
 
-router.ws("/ws/:id", (ws, req) => {
+router.ws("/ws/:id", async (ws, req) => {
   const { id } = req.params;
 
   console.log(`WebSocket connect from game ${id}`);
   
-  let game;
-  if (!(id in games)) {
-    game = createGame(id);
-  } else {
-    game = games[id];
+  const game = await loadGame(id);
+  if (!game) {
+    console.error(`Unable to load/create new game for WS request.`);
+    return;
   }
 
   const session = getSession(game, req.session);
+
   if (session) {
     console.log(`WebSocket connected for ${session.name ? session.name : "Unnamed"}`);
     session.ws = ws;