diff --git a/simple64-gui/netplay/createroom.cpp b/simple64-gui/netplay/createroom.cpp
index 1d2647a..377225a 100644
--- a/simple64-gui/netplay/createroom.cpp
+++ b/simple64-gui/netplay/createroom.cpp
@@ -175,9 +175,10 @@ void CreateRoom::createRoom()
     json.insert("game_name", QString(rom_settings.goodname));
     json.insert("client_sha", QStringLiteral(GUI_VERSION));
     json.insert("netplay_version", NETPLAY_VER);
-    json.insert("emulator", "simple64");
+    addAuthData(webSocket, &json);
 
-    sendNetplayMessage(webSocket, json);
+    QJsonDocument json_doc(json);
+    webSocket->sendTextMessage(json_doc.toJson());
 }
 
 void CreateRoom::processTextMessage(QString message)
diff --git a/simple64-gui/netplay/joinroom.cpp b/simple64-gui/netplay/joinroom.cpp
index 6939a32..3345114 100644
--- a/simple64-gui/netplay/joinroom.cpp
+++ b/simple64-gui/netplay/joinroom.cpp
@@ -178,7 +178,8 @@ void JoinRoom::joinGame()
             json.insert("MD5", QString(rom_settings.MD5));
             json.insert("port", room_port);
 
-            sendNetplayMessage(webSocket, json);
+            QJsonDocument json_doc(json);
+            webSocket->sendTextMessage(json_doc.toJson());
         }
         else
         {
@@ -257,8 +258,10 @@ void JoinRoom::onConnected()
     QJsonObject json;
     json.insert("type", "request_get_rooms");
     json.insert("netplay_version", NETPLAY_VER);
-    json.insert("emulator", "simple64");
-    sendNetplayMessage(webSocket, json);
+    addAuthData(webSocket, &json);
+
+    QJsonDocument json_doc(json);
+    webSocket->sendTextMessage(json_doc.toJson());
 }
 
 void JoinRoom::processTextMessage(QString message)
diff --git a/simple64-gui/netplay/netplay_common.cpp b/simple64-gui/netplay/netplay_common.cpp
index f58f4b6..14ccc62 100644
--- a/simple64-gui/netplay/netplay_common.cpp
+++ b/simple64-gui/netplay/netplay_common.cpp
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 #include "netplay_common.h"
-#include <QJsonDocument>
 
-void sendNetplayMessage(QWebSocket* webSocket, QJsonObject json)
+void addAuthData(QWebSocket* webSocket, QJsonObject* json)
 {
     QCryptographicHash hash = QCryptographicHash(QCryptographicHash::Sha256);
     QByteArray currentTime = QByteArray::number(QDateTime::currentMSecsSinceEpoch());
@@ -10,9 +9,7 @@ void sendNetplayMessage(QWebSocket* webSocket, QJsonObject json)
     // this auth code is emulator specific, and is only checked when the server is running with the --enable-auth option
     hash.addData(QStringLiteral(NETPLAY_AUTH_CODE).toUtf8());
 
-    json.insert("auth", QString(hash.result().toHex()));
-    json.insert("authTime", QString(currentTime));
-
-    QJsonDocument json_doc(json);
-    webSocket->sendTextMessage(json_doc.toJson());
+    json->insert("auth", QString(hash.result().toHex()));
+    json->insert("authTime", QString(currentTime));
+    json->insert("emulator", "simple64");
 }
diff --git a/simple64-gui/netplay/netplay_common.h b/simple64-gui/netplay/netplay_common.h
index 294eab2..ea983de 100644
--- a/simple64-gui/netplay/netplay_common.h
+++ b/simple64-gui/netplay/netplay_common.h
@@ -4,6 +4,6 @@
 #include <QWebSocket>
 #include <QJsonObject>
 
-void sendNetplayMessage(QWebSocket* webSocket, QJsonObject json);
+void addAuthData(QWebSocket* webSocket, QJsonObject* json);
 
 #endif
diff --git a/simple64-gui/netplay/waitroom.cpp b/simple64-gui/netplay/waitroom.cpp
index 99b567b..2de63d7 100644
--- a/simple64-gui/netplay/waitroom.cpp
+++ b/simple64-gui/netplay/waitroom.cpp
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 #include "waitroom.h"
 #include "../mainwindow.h"
 #include "../interface/core_commands.h"
-#include "netplay_common.h"
 #include <QGridLayout>
 #include <QMessageBox>
 #include <QJsonArray>
@@ -88,7 +87,8 @@ WaitRoom::WaitRoom(QString filename, QJsonObject room, QWebSocket *socket, QWidg
     QJsonObject json;
     json.insert("type", "request_players");
     json.insert("port", room_port);
-    sendNetplayMessage(webSocket, json);
+    QJsonDocument json_doc(json);
+    webSocket->sendTextMessage(json_doc.toJson());
 
     timer = new QTimer(this);
     connect(timer, &QTimer::timeout, this, &WaitRoom::sendPing);
@@ -113,7 +113,8 @@ void WaitRoom::sendPing()
         QJsonObject json;
         json.insert("type", "request_motd");
         json.insert("room_name", room_name);
-        sendNetplayMessage(webSocket, json);
+        QJsonDocument json_doc(json);
+        webSocket->sendTextMessage(json_doc.toJson());
     }
     webSocket->ping();
 }
@@ -131,7 +132,8 @@ void WaitRoom::startGame()
         QJsonObject json;
         json.insert("type", "request_begin_game");
         json.insert("port", room_port);
-        sendNetplayMessage(webSocket, json);
+        QJsonDocument json_doc(json);
+        webSocket->sendTextMessage(json_doc.toJson());
     }
     else
     {
@@ -150,7 +152,8 @@ void WaitRoom::sendChat()
         json.insert("port", room_port);
         json.insert("player_name", player_name);
         json.insert("message", chatEdit->text());
-        sendNetplayMessage(webSocket, json);
+        QJsonDocument json_doc(json);
+        webSocket->sendTextMessage(json_doc.toJson());
         chatEdit->clear();
     }
 }