diff --git a/src/main/java/seng302/controllers/LobbyController.java b/src/main/java/seng302/controllers/LobbyController.java
index eb0a5979..393ed7d6 100644
--- a/src/main/java/seng302/controllers/LobbyController.java
+++ b/src/main/java/seng302/controllers/LobbyController.java
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import javafx.scene.layout.AnchorPane;
 import javafx.scene.layout.GridPane;
 import javafx.scene.layout.Pane;
 import javafx.scene.text.Text;
+import seng302.gameServer.GameServerThread;
 import seng302.gameServer.GameStages;
 import seng302.gameServer.GameState;
 
@@ -32,6 +33,7 @@ public class LobbyController {
     @FXML
     private TableColumn readyTableColumn;
 
+    private GameServerThread gameServerThread;
 
     private void setContentPane(String jfxUrl) {
         try {
@@ -54,7 +56,8 @@ public class LobbyController {
         // TODO: 10/07/17 wmu16 - Finish function!
         setContentPane("/views/StartScreenView.fxml");
         System.out.println("Leaving lobby!");
-
+        GameState.setCurrentStage(GameStages.CANCELLED);
+        gameServerThread.terminateGame();
     }
 
 
@@ -62,4 +65,8 @@ public class LobbyController {
     public void readyButtonPressed() {
         GameState.setCurrentStage(GameStages.RACING);
     }
+
+    protected void setGameServerThread(GameServerThread gameServerThread) {
+        this.gameServerThread = gameServerThread;
+    }
 }
diff --git a/src/main/java/seng302/controllers/StartScreenController.java b/src/main/java/seng302/controllers/StartScreenController.java
index 8c8ef772..9e6f532e 100644
--- a/src/main/java/seng302/controllers/StartScreenController.java
+++ b/src/main/java/seng302/controllers/StartScreenController.java
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package seng302.controllers;
 
 import javafx.fxml.FXML;
 import javafx.fxml.FXMLLoader;
+import javafx.scene.Parent;
 import javafx.scene.control.TextField;
 import javafx.scene.layout.AnchorPane;
 import javafx.scene.layout.GridPane;
@@ -25,20 +26,27 @@ public class StartScreenController {
     @FXML
     private GridPane startScreen2;
 
-
-    private void setContentPane(String jfxUrl) {
+    /**
+     * Loads the fxml content into the parent pane
+     * @param jfxUrl
+     * @return the controller of the fxml
+     */
+    private Object setContentPane(String jfxUrl) {
         try {
             AnchorPane contentPane = (AnchorPane) startScreen2.getParent();
             contentPane.getChildren().removeAll();
             contentPane.getChildren().clear();
             contentPane.getStylesheets().add(getClass().getResource("/css/master.css").toString());
-            contentPane.getChildren()
-                    .addAll((Pane) FXMLLoader.load(getClass().getResource(jfxUrl)));
+            FXMLLoader fxmlLoader = new FXMLLoader(getClass().getResource(jfxUrl));
+            contentPane.getChildren().addAll((Pane) fxmlLoader.load());
+
+            return fxmlLoader.getController();
         } catch (javafx.fxml.LoadException e) {
             e.printStackTrace();
         } catch (IOException e) {
             e.printStackTrace();
         }
+        return null;
     }
 
 
@@ -53,9 +61,13 @@ public class StartScreenController {
         try {
             String ipAddress = InetAddress.getLocalHost().getHostAddress();
             new GameState(ipAddress);
-            new GameServerThread("Game Server");
+            GameServerThread gameServerThread = new GameServerThread("Game Server");
             System.out.println("Server thread started");
-            setContentPane("/views/LobbyView.fxml");
+
+            // get the lobby controller so that we can pass the game server thread to it
+            LobbyController lobbyController = (LobbyController) setContentPane("/views/LobbyView.fxml");
+            lobbyController.setGameServerThread(gameServerThread);
+
         } catch (UnknownHostException e) {
             System.err.println("COULD NOT FIND YOUR IP ADDRESS!");
             e.printStackTrace();
diff --git a/src/main/java/seng302/gameServer/GameServerThread.java b/src/main/java/seng302/gameServer/GameServerThread.java
index 100e9791..78b8d5cb 100644
--- a/src/main/java/seng302/gameServer/GameServerThread.java
+++ b/src/main/java/seng302/gameServer/GameServerThread.java
@@ -256,8 +256,9 @@ public class GameServerThread implements Runnable, Observer, ClientConnectionDel
         }
 
         acceptConnection();
-        acceptConnection();
 //        acceptConnection();
+//        acceptConnection();
+        System.out.println("well, hit here now");
 
         for (Player player : GameState.getPlayers()) {
             System.out.println(player);
@@ -399,4 +400,13 @@ public class GameServerThread implements Runnable, Observer, ClientConnectionDel
 //        }
 
     //}
+
+    public void terminateGame() {
+        try {
+            //TODO: for now, I just close the socket, but i think we should terminate the whole thread instead. -hyi25 13 July
+            server.close();
+        } catch (IOException e) {
+            e.printStackTrace();
+        }
+    }
 }
diff --git a/src/main/java/seng302/gameServer/GameStages.java b/src/main/java/seng302/gameServer/GameStages.java
index c58c652d..ef436f64 100644
--- a/src/main/java/seng302/gameServer/GameStages.java
+++ b/src/main/java/seng302/gameServer/GameStages.java
@@ -9,7 +9,8 @@ public enum GameStages {
     LOBBYING(0),
     PRE_RACE(1),
     RACING(2),
-    FINISHED(3);
+    FINISHED(3),
+    CANCELLED(4);
 
     private long code;