diff --git a/client.go b/client.go
index 52e1cf9..8f9c65a 100644
--- a/client.go
+++ b/client.go
@@ -113,6 +113,9 @@ func (b *Barnard) connect(reconnect bool) bool {
 	b.FileStreamMutex.Unlock()
 
 	b.Connected = true
+	// Dial delivers OnConnect before connect creates the OpenAL stream, so
+	// start auto-transmit here as well for initial connections and reconnects.
+	b.startAutoTransmit()
 	return true
 }
 
@@ -156,17 +159,20 @@ func (b *Barnard) OnConnect(e *gumble.ConnectEvent) {
 		b.AddOutputLine(fmt.Sprintf("Welcome message: %s", wmsg))
 	}
 
-	// Auto-start transmission if requested
-	if b.AutoTransmit && b.Stream != nil && !b.Tx {
-		err := b.Stream.StartSource(b.UserConfig.GetInputDevice())
-		if err != nil {
-			b.AddOutputLine(fmt.Sprintf("auto-transmit failed: %s", err.Error()))
-		} else {
-			b.Tx = true
-			b.UpdateGeneralStatus(" AutoTx ", true)
-			b.AddOutputLine("Auto-transmit started")
-		}
+	b.startAutoTransmit()
+}
+
+func (b *Barnard) startAutoTransmit() {
+	if !b.AutoTransmit || b.Stream == nil || b.Tx {
+		return
 	}
+	if err := b.Stream.StartSource(b.UserConfig.GetInputDevice()); err != nil {
+		b.AddOutputLine(fmt.Sprintf("auto-transmit failed: %s", err.Error()))
+		return
+	}
+	b.Tx = true
+	b.UpdateGeneralStatus(" AutoTx ", true)
+	b.AddOutputLine("Auto-transmit started")
 }
 
 func (b *Barnard) OnDisconnect(e *gumble.DisconnectEvent) {
@@ -232,7 +238,11 @@ func (b *Barnard) OnTextMessage(e *gumble.TextMessageEvent) {
 		}
 	}
 	if public {
-		b.Notify("msg", e.Sender.Name, e.Message)
+		sender := "Server"
+		if e.Sender != nil {
+			sender = e.Sender.Name
+		}
+		b.Notify("msg", sender, e.Message)
 		b.AddOutputMessage(e.Sender, e.Message)
 	} else {
 		var sender string
diff --git a/client_notification_test.go b/client_notification_test.go
index 86d2c37..28f7987 100644
--- a/client_notification_test.go
+++ b/client_notification_test.go
@@ -69,6 +69,28 @@ func TestNotificationExpansionIsSinglePassAndNotifyDoesNotBlock(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestPublicServerMessageDoesNotPanic(t *testing.T) {
+	channel := &gumble.Channel{ID: 1, Name: "Current"}
+	b := &Barnard{
+		Client:        &gumble.Client{Self: &gumble.User{Channel: channel}},
+		notifyChannel: make(chan []string, 1),
+	}
+
+	b.OnTextMessage(&gumble.TextMessageEvent{
+		Client: b.Client,
+		TextMessage: gumble.TextMessage{
+			Channels: []*gumble.Channel{channel},
+			Message:  "server announcement",
+		},
+	})
+
+	got := <-b.notifyChannel
+	want := []string{"msg", "Server", "server announcement"}
+	if len(got) != len(want) || got[0] != want[0] || got[1] != want[1] || got[2] != want[2] {
+		t.Fatalf("notification = %#v, want %#v", got, want)
+	}
+}
+
 // Regression: reconnect replaced Stream without destroying the old capture
 // and renderer resources. Cleanup must be safe for repeated disconnects.
 // Regression: user and channel names in the navigation tree bypassed message