diff --git a/command.h b/command.h
index ddb9a2dcf9..19d36fb9c0 100644
--- a/command.h
+++ b/command.h
@@ -202,6 +202,8 @@ enum event_command
    CMD_EVENT_NETPLAY_DEINIT,
    /* Switch between netplay gaming and watching. */
    CMD_EVENT_NETPLAY_GAME_WATCH,
+   /* Open a netplay chat input menu. */
+   CMD_EVENT_NETPLAY_PLAYER_CHAT,
    /* Start hosting netplay. */
    CMD_EVENT_NETPLAY_ENABLE_HOST,
    /* Disconnect from the netplay host. */
diff --git a/network/netplay/netplay.h b/network/netplay/netplay.h
index b505021e4f..8f811ca057 100644
--- a/network/netplay/netplay.h
+++ b/network/netplay/netplay.h
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ enum rarch_netplay_ctl_state
 {
    RARCH_NETPLAY_CTL_NONE = 0,
    RARCH_NETPLAY_CTL_GAME_WATCH,
+   RARCH_NETPLAY_CTL_PLAYER_CHAT,
    RARCH_NETPLAY_CTL_POST_FRAME,
    RARCH_NETPLAY_CTL_PRE_FRAME,
    RARCH_NETPLAY_CTL_ENABLE_SERVER,
@@ -188,7 +189,6 @@ typedef struct
 {
    netplay_t *data; /* Used while Netplay is running */
    struct netplay_room host_room; /* ptr alignment */
-   netplay_t *ref;
    struct netplay_room *room_list;
    struct netplay_rooms *rooms_data;
    /* List of discovered hosts */
diff --git a/network/netplay/netplay_frontend.c b/network/netplay/netplay_frontend.c
index a227b9484d..6be97dbaba 100644
--- a/network/netplay/netplay_frontend.c
+++ b/network/netplay/netplay_frontend.c
@@ -893,9 +893,14 @@ static void handshake_password(void *ignore, const char *line)
    struct password_buf_s password_buf;
    char password[8+NETPLAY_PASS_LEN]; /* 8 for salt, 128 for password */
    char hash[NETPLAY_PASS_HASH_LEN+1]; /* + NULL terminator */
+   struct netplay_connection *connection;
    net_driver_state_t *net_st            = &networking_driver_st;
-   netplay_t *netplay                    = net_st->ref;
-   struct netplay_connection *connection = &netplay->connections[0];
+   netplay_t *netplay                    = net_st->data;
+
+   if (!netplay)
+      return;
+
+   connection = &netplay->connections[0];
 
    snprintf(password, sizeof(password), "%08lX", (unsigned long)connection->salt);
    if (!string_is_empty(line))
@@ -1071,11 +1076,6 @@ bool netplay_handshake_init(netplay_t *netplay,
 #ifdef HAVE_MENU
       menu_input_ctx_line_t line;
       retroarch_menu_running();
-#endif
-
-      net_st->ref = netplay;
-
-#ifdef HAVE_MENU
       memset(&line, 0, sizeof(line));
       line.label         = msg_hash_to_str(MSG_NETPLAY_ENTER_PASSWORD);
       line.label_setting = "no_setting";
@@ -4470,7 +4470,7 @@ static void send_chat(void *userdata, const char *line)
    char   chat_msg[MAX_CHAT_SIZE];
    size_t chat_len;
    net_driver_state_t *net_st  = &networking_driver_st;
-   netplay_t          *netplay = net_st->ref;
+   netplay_t          *netplay = net_st->data;
 
    /* We perform the same checks,
       just in case something has changed. */
@@ -4512,8 +4512,6 @@ void netplay_input_chat(netplay_t *netplay)
 
       retroarch_menu_running();
 
-      net_st->ref = netplay;
-
       chat_input.label         = msg_hash_to_str(MSG_NETPLAY_ENTER_CHAT);
       chat_input.label_setting = "no_setting";
       chat_input.cb            = send_chat;
@@ -7731,6 +7729,9 @@ bool netplay_driver_ctl(enum rarch_netplay_ctl_state state, void *data)
       case RARCH_NETPLAY_CTL_GAME_WATCH:
          netplay_toggle_play_spectate(netplay);
          break;
+      case RARCH_NETPLAY_CTL_PLAYER_CHAT:
+         netplay_input_chat(netplay);
+         break;
       case RARCH_NETPLAY_CTL_PAUSE:
          if (netplay->local_paused != true)
             netplay_frontend_paused(netplay, true);
diff --git a/retroarch.c b/retroarch.c
index d26365455c..bcd71036fa 100644
--- a/retroarch.c
+++ b/retroarch.c
@@ -5295,6 +5295,9 @@ bool command_event(enum event_command cmd, void *data)
       case CMD_EVENT_NETPLAY_GAME_WATCH:
          netplay_driver_ctl(RARCH_NETPLAY_CTL_GAME_WATCH, NULL);
          break;
+      case CMD_EVENT_NETPLAY_PLAYER_CHAT:
+         netplay_driver_ctl(RARCH_NETPLAY_CTL_PLAYER_CHAT, NULL);
+         break;
       case CMD_EVENT_NETPLAY_DEINIT:
          deinit_netplay();
          break;
@@ -5531,6 +5534,7 @@ bool command_event(enum event_command cmd, void *data)
       case CMD_EVENT_NETPLAY_DISCONNECT:
       case CMD_EVENT_NETPLAY_ENABLE_HOST:
       case CMD_EVENT_NETPLAY_GAME_WATCH:
+      case CMD_EVENT_NETPLAY_PLAYER_CHAT:
          return false;
 #endif
       case CMD_EVENT_FULLSCREEN_TOGGLE:
@@ -15568,6 +15572,9 @@ static enum runloop_state_enum runloop_check_state(
 #ifdef HAVE_NETWORKING
    /* Check Netplay */
    HOTKEY_CHECK(RARCH_NETPLAY_GAME_WATCH, CMD_EVENT_NETPLAY_GAME_WATCH, true, NULL);
+#if NETPLAY_PROTOCOL_VERSION >= 6
+   HOTKEY_CHECK(RARCH_NETPLAY_PLAYER_CHAT, CMD_EVENT_NETPLAY_PLAYER_CHAT, true, NULL);
+#endif
 #endif
 
    /* Check if we have pressed the pause button */