diff --git a/forge-gui/src/main/java/forge/match/MatchUtil.java b/forge-gui/src/main/java/forge/match/MatchUtil.java
index a574696ef3d..8fcde2bc191 100644
--- a/forge-gui/src/main/java/forge/match/MatchUtil.java
+++ b/forge-gui/src/main/java/forge/match/MatchUtil.java
@@ -207,6 +207,11 @@ public class MatchUtil {
             game.subscribeToEvents(playbackControl);
         }
 
+        //ensure opponents set properly
+        for (PlayerView pv : gameViews.get(0).getPlayers()) {
+            pv.setOpponents(gameViews.get(0).getPlayerViews(players.getKey(pv.getId()).getOpponents()));
+        }
+
         // It's important to run match in a different thread to allow GUI inputs to be invoked from inside game. 
         // Game is set on pause while gui player takes decisions
         game.getAction().invoke(new Runnable() {
diff --git a/forge-gui/src/main/java/forge/view/LocalGameView.java b/forge-gui/src/main/java/forge/view/LocalGameView.java
index 0e2f539b7be..08884debabb 100644
--- a/forge-gui/src/main/java/forge/view/LocalGameView.java
+++ b/forge-gui/src/main/java/forge/view/LocalGameView.java
@@ -367,7 +367,6 @@ public abstract class LocalGameView implements IGameView {
             view = new PlayerView(p.getLobbyPlayer(), p.getId());
             MatchUtil.players.put(p, view);
             getPlayerView(p, view);
-            view.setOpponents(getPlayerViews(p.getOpponents()));
         }
         return view;
     }