diff --git a/src/hooks/player_management/assign_physical_index.cpp b/src/hooks/player_management/assign_physical_index.cpp
index 82f1c496..8187164b 100644
--- a/src/hooks/player_management/assign_physical_index.cpp
+++ b/src/hooks/player_management/assign_physical_index.cpp
@@ -115,32 +115,7 @@ namespace big
 					}
 
 					if (plyr->block_join && *g_pointers->m_gta.m_is_session_started)
-					{
-						if (g_player_service->get_self()->is_host())
-						{
-							dynamic_cast<player_command*>(command::get("breakup"_J))->call(plyr, {});
-						}
-						else
-						{
-							dynamic_cast<player_command*>(command::get("desync"_J))->call(plyr, {});
-						}
-					}
-
-					if (g.session.lock_session && g_player_service->get_self()->is_host() && *g_pointers->m_gta.m_is_session_started)
-					{
-						if ((plyr->is_friend() && g.session.allow_friends_into_locked_session) || plyr->is_trusted)
-						{
-							g_notification_service.push_success("LOBBY_LOCK"_T.data(),
-							    std::vformat("LOBBY_LOCK_ALLOWED"_T.data(),
-							        std::make_format_args(plyr->get_net_data()->m_name)));
-						}
-						else
-						{
-							dynamic_cast<player_command*>(command::get("smartkick"_J))->call(plyr, {});
-							g_notification_service.push_warning("LOBBY_LOCK"_T.data(),
-							    std::vformat("LOBBY_LOCK_DENIED"_T.data(), std::make_format_args(plyr->get_net_data()->m_name)));
-						}
-					}
+						dynamic_cast<player_command*>(command::get("smartkick"_J))->call(plyr, {});
 
 					if (is_spoofed_host_token(plyr->get_net_data()->m_host_token))
 					{
diff --git a/src/hooks/protections/handle_join_request.cpp b/src/hooks/protections/handle_join_request.cpp
index 15ea1bd6..2910e4b6 100644
--- a/src/hooks/protections/handle_join_request.cpp
+++ b/src/hooks/protections/handle_join_request.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 #include "hooking/hooking.hpp"
 #include "pointers.hpp"
+#include "services/friends/friends_service.hpp"
+#include "services/notifications/notification.hpp"
 #include "services/player_database/player_database_service.hpp"
 
 #include <network/CJoinRequestContext.hpp>
@@ -10,19 +12,39 @@ namespace big
 {
 	bool hooks::handle_join_request(Network* network, rage::snSession* session, rage::rlGamerInfo* player_info, CJoinRequestContext* ctx, BOOL is_transition_session)
 	{
-		if (auto player = g_player_database_service->get_player_by_rockstar_id(player_info->m_gamer_handle.m_rockstar_id);
-		    player && player->block_join) [[unlikely]]
-		{
+		auto rockstar_id = player_info->m_gamer_handle.m_rockstar_id;
+		auto is_friend   = friends_service::is_friend(rockstar_id);
+		auto db_player   = g_player_database_service->get_player_by_rockstar_id(rockstar_id);
+		auto block_join  = db_player && db_player->block_join;
+		auto is_trusted  = db_player && db_player->is_trusted;
+		auto player_name = player_info->m_name;
+
+		auto send_response = [ctx](int block_join_reason = 1) {
 			CMsgJoinResponse response{};
-			response.m_status_code = player->block_join_reason;
+			response.m_status_code = block_join_reason;
 			g_pointers->m_gta.m_write_join_response_data(&response, ctx->m_join_response_data, 512, &ctx->m_join_response_size);
-			g_notification_service.push("BLOCK_JOIN"_T.data(),
-			    std::vformat("BLOCK_JOIN_INFO"_T, std::make_format_args(player->name)));
+		};
+
+		if (block_join)
+		{
+			send_response(db_player->block_join_reason);
+			g_notification_service.push("BLOCK_JOIN"_T.data(), std::vformat("BLOCK_JOIN_INFO"_T, std::make_format_args(player_name)));
 			return false;
 		}
-		else [[likely]]
+		else if (g.session.lock_session)
 		{
-			return g_hooking->get_original<hooks::handle_join_request>()(network, session, player_info, ctx, is_transition_session);
+			if ((is_friend && g.session.allow_friends_into_locked_session) || is_trusted)
+			{
+				g_notification_service.push_success("LOBBY_LOCK"_T.data(), std::vformat("LOBBY_LOCK_ALLOWED"_T.data(), std::make_format_args(player_name)));
+			}
+			else
+			{
+				send_response();
+				g_notification_service.push_warning("LOBBY_LOCK"_T.data(), std::vformat("LOBBY_LOCK_DENIED"_T.data(), std::make_format_args(player_name)));
+				return false;
+			}
 		}
+
+		return g_hooking->get_original<hooks::handle_join_request>()(network, session, player_info, ctx, is_transition_session);
 	}
 }
diff --git a/src/services/friends/friends_service.cpp b/src/services/friends/friends_service.cpp
index b78a5b29..55829e32 100644
--- a/src/services/friends/friends_service.cpp
+++ b/src/services/friends/friends_service.cpp
@@ -17,6 +17,15 @@ namespace big
 		g_friends_service = nullptr;
 	}
 
+	bool friends_service::is_friend(int64_t rockstar_id)
+	{
+		for (uint32_t i = 0; i < g_pointers->m_gta.m_friend_registry->m_friend_count; i++)
+			if (rockstar_id == g_pointers->m_gta.m_friend_registry->get(i)->m_rockstar_id)
+				return true;
+
+		return false;
+	}
+
 	bool friends_service::is_friend(CNetGamePlayer* net_player)
 	{
 		if (net_player == nullptr)
@@ -25,9 +34,7 @@ namespace big
 		if (auto net_data = net_player->get_net_data())
 		{
 			const auto rockstar_id = net_data->m_gamer_handle.m_rockstar_id;
-			for (uint32_t i = 0; i < g_pointers->m_gta.m_friend_registry->m_friend_count; i++)
-				if (rockstar_id == g_pointers->m_gta.m_friend_registry->get(i)->m_rockstar_id)
-					return true;
+			return is_friend(rockstar_id);
 		}
 		return false;
 	}
diff --git a/src/services/friends/friends_service.hpp b/src/services/friends/friends_service.hpp
index 79bd2f9f..9b34293f 100644
--- a/src/services/friends/friends_service.hpp
+++ b/src/services/friends/friends_service.hpp
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ namespace big
 		friends_service& operator=(const friends_service&)     = delete;
 		friends_service& operator=(friends_service&&) noexcept = delete;
 
+		[[nodiscard]] static bool is_friend(int64_t rockstar_id);
 		[[nodiscard]] static bool is_friend(CNetGamePlayer* net_player);
 	};