diff --git a/Game/Source/GDKShooter/Private/Game/GDKSessionGameState.cpp b/Game/Source/GDKShooter/Private/Game/GDKSessionGameState.cpp
index aa13789c..62419446 100644
--- a/Game/Source/GDKShooter/Private/Game/GDKSessionGameState.cpp
+++ b/Game/Source/GDKShooter/Private/Game/GDKSessionGameState.cpp
@@ -45,13 +45,7 @@ void AGDKSessionGameState::RemovePlayerState(APlayerState* PlayerState)
 
 void AGDKSessionGameState::OnRep_SessionProgress()
 {
-	USpatialNetDriver* SpatialNetDriver = Cast<USpatialNetDriver>(GetWorld()->GetNetDriver());
-	bool bAuthoritativeOverSessionEntity = SpatialNetDriver->StaticComponentView->HasAuthority(SessionEntityId, SessionComponentId);
-
-	if (bAuthoritativeOverSessionEntity)
-	{
-		SendStateUpdate(SessionProgress);
-	}
+	SendStateUpdate(SessionProgress);
 	TimerEvent.Broadcast(SessionProgress, SessionTimer);
 }
 
@@ -78,44 +72,41 @@ void AGDKSessionGameState::TickGameTimer()
 	{
 		SessionTimer--;
 
-		USpatialNetDriver* SpatialNetDriver = Cast<USpatialNetDriver>(GetWorld()->GetNetDriver());
-		bool bAuthoritativeOverSessionEntity = SpatialNetDriver->StaticComponentView->HasAuthority(SessionEntityId, SessionComponentId);
-
 		if (SessionProgress == EGDKSessionProgress::Lobby && SessionTimer <= 0)
 		{
 			UE_LOG(LogGDK, Log, TEXT("Advance GameState to Running"));
 			SessionProgress = EGDKSessionProgress::Running;
-			if (bAuthoritativeOverSessionEntity)
-			{
-				SendStateUpdate(SessionProgress);
-			}
+			SendStateUpdate(SessionProgress);
 			SessionTimer = GameSessionLength;
 		}
 		if (SessionProgress == EGDKSessionProgress::Running && SessionTimer <= 0)
 		{
 			UE_LOG(LogGDK, Log, TEXT("Advance GameState to Results"));
 			SessionProgress = EGDKSessionProgress::Results;
-			if (bAuthoritativeOverSessionEntity)
-			{
-				SendStateUpdate(SessionProgress);
-			}
+			SendStateUpdate(SessionProgress);
 			SessionTimer = ResultsSessionLength;
 		}
 		if (SessionProgress == EGDKSessionProgress::Results && SessionTimer <= 0)
 		{
 			UE_LOG(LogGDK, Log, TEXT("Advance GameState to Finished"));
 			SessionProgress = EGDKSessionProgress::Finished;
-			if (bAuthoritativeOverSessionEntity)
-			{
-				SendStateUpdate(SessionProgress);
-			}
+			SendStateUpdate(SessionProgress);
 		}
 	}
 }
 
 void AGDKSessionGameState::SendStateUpdate(EGDKSessionProgress SessionProgressState)
 {
-	if (!GetWorld()->GetNetDriver() || !GetWorld()->GetNetDriver()->IsA<USpatialNetDriver>())
+	// Only send the state update if we're using Spatial networking and if we have authority over the session entity.
+	UNetDriver* NetDriver = GetWorld()->GetNetDriver();
+	if (NetDriver == nullptr || !NetDriver->IsA<USpatialNetDriver>())
+	{
+		return;
+	}
+
+	USpatialNetDriver* SpatialNetDriver = Cast<USpatialNetDriver>(NetDriver);
+	bool bAuthoritativeOverSessionEntity = SpatialNetDriver->StaticComponentView->HasAuthority(SessionEntityId, SessionComponentId);
+	if (!bAuthoritativeOverSessionEntity)
 	{
 		return;
 	}
@@ -129,7 +120,7 @@ void AGDKSessionGameState::SendStateUpdate(EGDKSessionProgress SessionProgressSt
 	component_update.schema_type = Schema_CreateComponentUpdate(SessionComponentId);
 	Schema_Object* fields_object = Schema_GetComponentUpdateFields(component_update.schema_type);
 	Schema_AddInt32(fields_object, 1, SessionState);
-	Cast<USpatialNetDriver>(GetWorld()->GetNetDriver())->Connection->SendComponentUpdate(target_entity_id, &component_update);
+	SpatialNetDriver->Connection->SendComponentUpdate(target_entity_id, &component_update);
 }