diff --git a/net-client/pom.xml b/net-client/pom.xml
index 8d113af2..971e5d23 100644
--- a/net-client/pom.xml
+++ b/net-client/pom.xml
@@ -7,11 +7,11 @@
     <parent>
         <groupId>com.beverly.hills.money.gang</groupId>
         <artifactId>daikombat-server</artifactId>
-        <version>5.0.0</version>
+        <version>5.0.1</version>
     </parent>
 
     <artifactId>net-client</artifactId>
-    <version>5.0.0</version>
+    <version>5.0.1</version>
 
     <properties>
         <maven.compiler.source>14</maven.compiler.source>
@@ -65,12 +65,12 @@
         <dependency>
             <groupId>com.beverly.hills.money.gang</groupId>
             <artifactId>schema</artifactId>
-            <version>5.0.0</version>
+            <version>5.0.1</version>
         </dependency>
         <dependency>
             <groupId>com.beverly.hills.money.gang</groupId>
             <artifactId>security</artifactId>
-            <version>5.0.0</version>
+            <version>5.0.1</version>
         </dependency>
 
         <!-- https://mvnrepository.com/artifact/org.apache.maven/maven-model -->
diff --git a/net-client/src/main/java/com/beverly/hills/money/gang/network/GameConnection.java b/net-client/src/main/java/com/beverly/hills/money/gang/network/GameConnection.java
index 26ad7155..ee1607df 100644
--- a/net-client/src/main/java/com/beverly/hills/money/gang/network/GameConnection.java
+++ b/net-client/src/main/java/com/beverly/hills/money/gang/network/GameConnection.java
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@
 import io.netty.util.concurrent.EventExecutorGroup;
 import java.io.IOException;
 import java.util.Optional;
+import java.util.concurrent.CountDownLatch;
 import java.util.concurrent.Executors;
 import java.util.concurrent.ScheduledExecutorService;
 import java.util.concurrent.TimeUnit;
@@ -78,14 +79,17 @@ public class GameConnection {
 
   private final ServerHMACService hmacService;
 
-  private final Channel channel;
+  private final AtomicReference<Channel> channelRef = new AtomicReference<>();
 
-  private final EventLoopGroup group;
+  private final CountDownLatch connectedLatch = new CountDownLatch(1);
 
+  private final EventLoopGroup group;
 
   private final AtomicReference<GameConnectionState> state = new AtomicReference<>();
 
-  public GameConnection(final GameServerCreds gameServerCreds) throws IOException {
+  public GameConnection(
+      final GameServerCreds gameServerCreds,
+      final Runnable onConnected) throws IOException {
     this.hmacService = new ServerHMACService(gameServerCreds.getPassword());
     LOG.info("Start connecting");
     state.set(GameConnectionState.CONNECTING);
@@ -162,27 +166,24 @@ public void userEventTriggered(ChannelHandlerContext ctx, Object evt) throws Exc
         }
       });
       long startTime = System.currentTimeMillis();
-      this.channel = bootstrap.connect(
+      bootstrap.connect(
           gameServerCreds.getHostPort().getHost(),
-          gameServerCreds.getHostPort().getPort()).sync().channel();
-      LOG.info("Connected to server in {} mls. Fast TCP enabled: {}",
-          System.currentTimeMillis() - startTime, ClientConfig.FAST_TCP);
-      pingScheduler.scheduleAtFixedRate(() -> {
-            try {
-              if (hasPendingPing.get()) {
-                LOG.warn("Old ping request is still pending");
-                return;
-              }
-              hasPendingPing.set(true);
-              pingRequestedTimeMls.set(System.currentTimeMillis());
-              writeToChannel(PING);
-            } catch (Exception e) {
-              LOG.error("Can't ping server", e);
-            }
-          }, ClientConfig.SERVER_MAX_INACTIVE_MLS / 3, ClientConfig.SERVER_MAX_INACTIVE_MLS / 3,
-          TimeUnit.MILLISECONDS);
+          gameServerCreds.getHostPort().getPort()).addListener((ChannelFutureListener) future -> {
+        channelRef.set(future.channel());
+        if (future.isSuccess()) {
+          LOG.info("Connected to server in {} mls. Fast TCP enabled: {}",
+              System.currentTimeMillis() - startTime, ClientConfig.FAST_TCP);
+          schedulePing();
+          state.set(GameConnectionState.CONNECTED);
+          connectedLatch.countDown();
+          onConnected.run();
+        } else {
+          LOG.error("Error occurred", future.cause());
+          errorsQueueAPI.push(future.cause());
+          disconnect();
+        }
+      });
 
-      state.set(GameConnectionState.CONNECTED);
     } catch (Exception e) {
       LOG.error("Error occurred", e);
       disconnect();
@@ -190,6 +191,38 @@ public void userEventTriggered(ChannelHandlerContext ctx, Object evt) throws Exc
     }
   }
 
+  public GameConnection(
+      final GameServerCreds gameServerCreds) throws IOException {
+    this(gameServerCreds, () -> {
+    });
+  }
+
+  public boolean waitUntilConnected(int timeoutMls) throws InterruptedException {
+    return connectedLatch.await(timeoutMls, TimeUnit.MILLISECONDS);
+  }
+
+  public boolean waitUntilConnected() throws InterruptedException {
+    return waitUntilConnected(60_000);
+  }
+
+  private void schedulePing() {
+    pingScheduler.scheduleAtFixedRate(() -> {
+          try {
+            if (hasPendingPing.get()) {
+              LOG.warn("Old ping request is still pending");
+              return;
+            }
+            hasPendingPing.set(true);
+            pingRequestedTimeMls.set(System.currentTimeMillis());
+            writeToChannel(PING);
+          } catch (Exception e) {
+            LOG.error("Can't ping server", e);
+          }
+        }, ClientConfig.SERVER_MAX_INACTIVE_MLS / 3,
+        ClientConfig.SERVER_MAX_INACTIVE_MLS / 3,
+        TimeUnit.MILLISECONDS);
+  }
+
   public void shutdownPingScheduler() {
     try {
       pingScheduler.shutdown();
@@ -245,14 +278,20 @@ private void writeLocal(GeneratedMessageV3 command) {
   }
 
   private void writeToChannel(ServerCommand serverCommand) {
+    if (state.get() != GameConnectionState.CONNECTED) {
+      LOG.warn("Can't write to closed channel");
+      return;
+    }
     LOG.debug("Write {}", serverCommand);
-    channel.writeAndFlush(serverCommand).addListener((ChannelFutureListener) future -> {
-      if (!future.isSuccess()) {
-        errorsQueueAPI.push(new IOException("Failed to write command " + serverCommand));
-      }
+    Optional.ofNullable(channelRef.get()).ifPresent(channel -> {
+      channel.writeAndFlush(serverCommand).addListener((ChannelFutureListener) future -> {
+        if (!future.isSuccess()) {
+          errorsQueueAPI.push(new IOException("Failed to write command " + serverCommand));
+        }
+      });
+      networkStats.incSentMessages();
+      networkStats.addOutboundPayloadBytes(serverCommand.getSerializedSize());
     });
-    networkStats.incSentMessages();
-    networkStats.addOutboundPayloadBytes(serverCommand.getSerializedSize());
   }
 
   public void disconnect() {
@@ -268,7 +307,7 @@ public void disconnect() {
       LOG.error("Can't shutdown bootstrap group", e);
     }
     try {
-      Optional.ofNullable(channel).ifPresent(ChannelOutboundInvoker::close);
+      Optional.ofNullable(channelRef.get()).ifPresent(ChannelOutboundInvoker::close);
     } catch (Exception e) {
       LOG.error("Can't close channel", e);
     }
@@ -302,7 +341,6 @@ public NetworkStatsReader getNetworkStats() {
     return networkStats;
   }
 
-
   private enum GameConnectionState {
     CONNECTING, CONNECTED, DISCONNECTING, DISCONNECTED
   }
diff --git a/pom.xml b/pom.xml
index c7af24b3..0057d895 100644
--- a/pom.xml
+++ b/pom.xml
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
 
     <groupId>com.beverly.hills.money.gang</groupId>
     <artifactId>daikombat-server</artifactId>
-    <version>5.0.0</version>
+    <version>5.0.1</version>
     <packaging>pom</packaging>
 
     <modules>
diff --git a/schema/pom.xml b/schema/pom.xml
index 6ef6e5ae..7bf6d8b1 100644
--- a/schema/pom.xml
+++ b/schema/pom.xml
@@ -7,11 +7,11 @@
     <parent>
         <groupId>com.beverly.hills.money.gang</groupId>
         <artifactId>daikombat-server</artifactId>
-        <version>5.0.0</version>
+        <version>5.0.1</version>
     </parent>
 
     <artifactId>schema</artifactId>
-    <version>5.0.0</version>
+    <version>5.0.1</version>
 
     <properties>
         <maven.compiler.source>14</maven.compiler.source>
diff --git a/security/pom.xml b/security/pom.xml
index 1c565160..adef3c42 100644
--- a/security/pom.xml
+++ b/security/pom.xml
@@ -7,11 +7,11 @@
     <parent>
         <groupId>com.beverly.hills.money.gang</groupId>
         <artifactId>daikombat-server</artifactId>
-        <version>5.0.0</version>
+        <version>5.0.1</version>
     </parent>
 
     <artifactId>security</artifactId>
-    <version>5.0.0</version>
+    <version>5.0.1</version>
 
     <properties>
         <maven.compiler.source>14</maven.compiler.source>
diff --git a/server/pom.xml b/server/pom.xml
index a148233e..78581f26 100644
--- a/server/pom.xml
+++ b/server/pom.xml
@@ -7,11 +7,11 @@
     <parent>
         <groupId>com.beverly.hills.money.gang</groupId>
         <artifactId>daikombat-server</artifactId>
-        <version>5.0.0</version>
+        <version>5.0.1</version>
     </parent>
 
     <artifactId>server</artifactId>
-    <version>5.0.0</version>
+    <version>5.0.1</version>
 
     <properties>
         <maven.compiler.source>14</maven.compiler.source>
@@ -78,12 +78,12 @@
         <dependency>
             <groupId>com.beverly.hills.money.gang</groupId>
             <artifactId>schema</artifactId>
-            <version>5.0.0</version>
+            <version>5.0.1</version>
         </dependency>
         <dependency>
             <groupId>com.beverly.hills.money.gang</groupId>
             <artifactId>security</artifactId>
-            <version>5.0.0</version>
+            <version>5.0.1</version>
         </dependency>
         <dependency>
             <groupId>eu.rekawek.toxiproxy</groupId>
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@
         <dependency>
             <groupId>com.beverly.hills.money.gang</groupId>
             <artifactId>net-client</artifactId>
-            <version>5.0.0</version>
+            <version>5.0.1</version>
             <scope>test</scope>
         </dependency>
     </dependencies>
diff --git a/server/src/test/java/com/beverly/hills/money/gang/it/AbstractGameServerTest.java b/server/src/test/java/com/beverly/hills/money/gang/it/AbstractGameServerTest.java
index a28e0648..bf5e4210 100644
--- a/server/src/test/java/com/beverly/hills/money/gang/it/AbstractGameServerTest.java
+++ b/server/src/test/java/com/beverly/hills/money/gang/it/AbstractGameServerTest.java
@@ -117,6 +117,11 @@ protected GameConnection createGameConnection(String password, String host, int
         .hostPort(HostPort.builder().host(host).port(port).build())
         .build());
     gameConnections.add(gameConnection);
+    try {
+      gameConnection.waitUntilConnected(5_000);
+    } catch (InterruptedException e) {
+      throw new RuntimeException(e);
+    }
     return gameConnection;
   }
 }
diff --git a/server/src/test/java/com/beverly/hills/money/gang/it/GameConnectionTest.java b/server/src/test/java/com/beverly/hills/money/gang/it/GameConnectionTest.java
index 566e842d..82960b48 100644
--- a/server/src/test/java/com/beverly/hills/money/gang/it/GameConnectionTest.java
+++ b/server/src/test/java/com/beverly/hills/money/gang/it/GameConnectionTest.java
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 import static org.junit.jupiter.api.Assertions.assertEquals;
 import static org.junit.jupiter.api.Assertions.assertFalse;
-import static org.junit.jupiter.api.Assertions.assertThrows;
+import static org.junit.jupiter.api.Assertions.assertInstanceOf;
 import static org.junit.jupiter.api.Assertions.assertTrue;
 
 import com.beverly.hills.money.gang.config.ServerConfig;
@@ -11,6 +11,8 @@
 import com.beverly.hills.money.gang.proto.JoinGameCommand;
 import com.beverly.hills.money.gang.proto.ServerResponse;
 import java.io.IOException;
+import java.net.ConnectException;
+import java.net.UnknownHostException;
 import org.junit.jupiter.api.Test;
 import org.junitpioneer.jupiter.SetEnvironmentVariable;
 
@@ -104,9 +106,9 @@ public void testDisconnectTwice() throws IOException, InterruptedException {
    * @then an exception is thrown
    */
   @Test
-  public void testGetServerInfoNotExistingServer() {
-    assertThrows(IOException.class,
-        () -> createGameConnection(ServerConfig.PIN_CODE, "666.666.666.666", port));
+  public void testGetServerInfoNotExistingServer() throws IOException {
+    var connection = createGameConnection(ServerConfig.PIN_CODE, "666.666.666.666", port);
+    assertInstanceOf(UnknownHostException.class, connection.getErrors().poll().get());
   }
 
   /**
@@ -115,8 +117,8 @@ public void testGetServerInfoNotExistingServer() {
    * @then an exception is thrown
    */
   @Test
-  public void testGetServerInfoWrongPort() {
-    assertThrows(IOException.class,
-        () -> createGameConnection(ServerConfig.PIN_CODE, "localhost", 666));
+  public void testGetServerInfoWrongPort() throws IOException {
+    var connection = createGameConnection(ServerConfig.PIN_CODE, "localhost", 666);
+    assertInstanceOf(ConnectException.class, connection.getErrors().poll().get());
   }
 }
diff --git a/server/src/test/java/com/beverly/hills/money/gang/it/JoinGameTest.java b/server/src/test/java/com/beverly/hills/money/gang/it/JoinGameTest.java
index 1f247a61..531f35c4 100644
--- a/server/src/test/java/com/beverly/hills/money/gang/it/JoinGameTest.java
+++ b/server/src/test/java/com/beverly/hills/money/gang/it/JoinGameTest.java
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ public void testJoinGameAfterManyPlayersJoined() throws Exception {
    * @when a player connects to a server using wrong game id
    * @then the player is not connected
    */
-  @Test
+  @RepeatedTest(16)
   public void testJoinGameNotExistingGame() throws IOException {
     int gameIdToConnectTo = 666;
     GameConnection gameConnection = createGameConnection(ServerConfig.PIN_CODE, "localhost", port);