diff --git a/src/network/serverpackethandler.cpp b/src/network/serverpackethandler.cpp
index d9a38e878..e16494652 100644
--- a/src/network/serverpackethandler.cpp
+++ b/src/network/serverpackethandler.cpp
@@ -302,6 +302,7 @@ void Server::handleCommand_Init2(NetworkPacket* pkt)
 	sendMediaAnnouncement(peer_id, lang);
 
 	RemoteClient *client = getClient(peer_id, CS_InitDone);
+	assert(client);
 
 	// Keep client language for server translations
 	client->setLangCode(lang);
diff --git a/src/script/lua_api/l_server.cpp b/src/script/lua_api/l_server.cpp
index 74ee5e5c9..698b2dba6 100644
--- a/src/script/lua_api/l_server.cpp
+++ b/src/script/lua_api/l_server.cpp
@@ -261,7 +261,7 @@ int ModApiServer::l_get_player_information(lua_State *L)
 	lua_settable(L, table);
 
 	lua_pushstring(L,"state");
-	lua_pushstring(L, ClientInterface::state2Name(info.state).c_str());
+	lua_pushstring(L, ClientInterface::state2Name(info.state));
 	lua_settable(L, table);
 #endif
 
diff --git a/src/server/clientiface.cpp b/src/server/clientiface.cpp
index 13cf14c07..6b5f66456 100644
--- a/src/server/clientiface.cpp
+++ b/src/server/clientiface.cpp
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ const char *ClientInterface::statenames[] = {
 	"SudoMode",
 };
 
-std::string ClientInterface::state2Name(ClientState state)
+const char *ClientInterface::state2Name(ClientState state)
 {
 	return statenames[state];
 }
@@ -703,16 +703,13 @@ void ClientInterface::step(float dtime)
 	RecursiveMutexAutoLock clientslock(m_clients_mutex);
 	for (const auto &it : m_clients) {
 		auto state = it.second->getState();
-		if (state >= CS_HelloSent)
+		if (state >= CS_InitDone)
 			continue;
 		if (it.second->uptime() <= LINGER_TIMEOUT)
 			continue;
-		// CS_Created means nobody has even noticed the client is there
-		//            (this is before on_prejoinplayer runs)
-		// CS_Invalid should not happen
-		// -> log those as warning, the rest as info
-		std::ostream &os = state == CS_Created || state == CS_Invalid ?
-			warningstream : infostream;
+		// Complain louder if this situation is unexpected
+		auto &os = state == CS_Disconnecting || state == CS_Denied ?
+			infostream : warningstream;
 		try {
 			Address addr = m_con->GetPeerAddress(it.second->peer_id);
 			os << "Disconnecting lingering client from "
diff --git a/src/server/clientiface.h b/src/server/clientiface.h
index 44b278e63..30b0454ef 100644
--- a/src/server/clientiface.h
+++ b/src/server/clientiface.h
@@ -495,7 +495,8 @@ public:
 		m_env = env;
 	}
 
-	static std::string state2Name(ClientState state);
+	static const char *state2Name(ClientState state);
+
 protected:
 	class AutoLock {
 	public:
@@ -526,5 +527,7 @@ private:
 
 	static const char *statenames[];
 
-	static constexpr int LINGER_TIMEOUT = 10;
+	// Note that this puts a fixed timeout on the init & auth phase for a client.
+	// (lingering is enforced until CS_InitDone)
+	static constexpr int LINGER_TIMEOUT = 12;
 };