diff --git a/src/engine/client/cl_main.cpp b/src/engine/client/cl_main.cpp
index 9c04272cb4..6deaf6203a 100644
--- a/src/engine/client/cl_main.cpp
+++ b/src/engine/client/cl_main.cpp
@@ -564,9 +564,12 @@ class DemoPlayCmd: public Cmd::StaticCmd {
                 return;
             }
 
-            // make sure a local server is killed
-            Cvar_Set( "sv_killserver", "1" );
-            CL_Disconnect( true );
+            if (com_sv_running.Get()) {
+                // Use /disconnect to shut everything down cleanly.
+                // Maybe we should also do that if there is an online connection or another demo?
+                Cmd::BufferCommandTextAfter("disconnect; demo_play " + Cmd::Escape(args.Argv(1)));
+                return;
+            }
 
             // open the demo file
             const std::string& fileName = args.Argv(1);
@@ -1008,16 +1011,12 @@ void CL_Connect_f()
 	// clear any previous "server full" type messages
 	clc.serverMessage[ 0 ] = 0;
 
-	if ( com_sv_running.Get() && !strcmp( server, "loopback" ) )
+	if ( com_sv_running.Get() )
 	{
 		// if running a local server, kill it
-		SV_Shutdown( "Server quit" );
+		SV_Shutdown( "Host ended the game" );
 	}
 
-	// make sure a local server is killed
-	Cvar_Set( "sv_killserver", "1" );
-	SV_Frame( 0 );
-
 	try {
 		CL_Disconnect( true );
 	} catch (Sys::DropErr& err) {
diff --git a/src/engine/server/server.h b/src/engine/server/server.h
index 514c9f822b..fe45a13396 100644
--- a/src/engine/server/server.h
+++ b/src/engine/server/server.h
@@ -296,7 +296,6 @@ extern Cvar::Cvar<std::string> sv_hostname;
 extern Cvar::Cvar<std::string> sv_statsURL;
 extern Cvar::Cvar<int> sv_reconnectlimit;
 extern Cvar::Cvar<int> sv_padPackets;
-extern cvar_t         *sv_killserver;
 extern Cvar::Cvar<std::string> sv_mapname;
 extern cvar_t         *sv_mapChecksum;
 extern Cvar::Cvar<int> sv_serverid;
diff --git a/src/engine/server/sv_init.cpp b/src/engine/server/sv_init.cpp
index 14315f1ad1..f86749d4f2 100644
--- a/src/engine/server/sv_init.cpp
+++ b/src/engine/server/sv_init.cpp
@@ -611,8 +611,6 @@ void SV_Init()
 
 	// server vars
 
-	sv_killserver = Cvar_Get( "sv_killserver", "0", 0 );
-
 	svs.serverLoad = -1;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/engine/server/sv_main.cpp b/src/engine/server/sv_main.cpp
index 293acb8c8f..4320645910 100644
--- a/src/engine/server/sv_main.cpp
+++ b/src/engine/server/sv_main.cpp
@@ -71,7 +71,6 @@ Cvar::Cvar<std::string> sv_hostname("sv_hostname", "server name for server list"
 Cvar::Cvar<std::string> sv_statsURL("sv_statsURL", "URL for server's gameplay statistics", Cvar::SERVERINFO, "");
 Cvar::Cvar<int> sv_reconnectlimit("sv_reconnectlimit", "minimum time (seconds) before client can reconnect", Cvar::NONE, 3);
 Cvar::Cvar<int> sv_padPackets("sv_padPackets", "(debugging) add n NOP bytes to each snapshot packet", Cvar::NONE, 0);
-cvar_t         *sv_killserver; // menu system can set to 1 to shut server down
 Cvar::Cvar<std::string> sv_mapname("mapname", "current map on this server", Cvar::SERVERINFO | Cvar::ROM, "nomap");
 Cvar::Cvar<int> sv_serverid("sv_serverid", "match ID", Cvar::SYSTEMINFO | Cvar::ROM, 0);
 Cvar::Cvar<int> sv_maxRate("sv_maxRate", "max bytes/sec to send to a client (0 = unlimited)", Cvar::SERVERINFO, 0);
@@ -1317,14 +1316,6 @@ void SV_Frame( int msec )
 	start = Sys::Milliseconds();
 	svs.stats.idle += ( double )( start - end ) / 1000;
 
-	// the menu kills the server with this cvar
-	if ( sv_killserver->integer )
-	{
-		SV_Shutdown( "Server was killed." );
-		Cvar_Set( "sv_killserver", "0" );
-		return;
-	}
-
 	if ( !com_sv_running.Get() )
 	{
 		return;