diff --git a/src/android/app/src/main/java/org/citron/citron_emu/utils/NetPlayManager.kt b/src/android/app/src/main/java/org/citron/citron_emu/utils/NetPlayManager.kt
index 1437e438b..1fdd9acfe 100644
--- a/src/android/app/src/main/java/org/citron/citron_emu/utils/NetPlayManager.kt
+++ b/src/android/app/src/main/java/org/citron/citron_emu/utils/NetPlayManager.kt
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
-// Copyright 2024 Mandarine Project
-// Licensed under GPLv2 or any later version
-// Refer to the license.txt file included.
+// SPDX-FileCopyrightText: Copyright 2024 Mandarine Project
+// SPDX-FileCopyrightText: Copyright 2025 citron Emulator Project
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0-or-later
 
 package org.citron.citron_emu.utils
 
@@ -95,15 +95,21 @@ object NetPlayManager {
 
         when (type) {
             NetPlayStatus.CHAT_MESSAGE -> {
-                val parts = msg.split(":", limit = 2)
-                if (parts.size == 2) {
-                    val nickname = parts[0].trim()
-                    val chatMessage = parts[1].trim()
-                    addChatMessage(ChatMessage(
-                        nickname = nickname,
-                        username = "",
-                        message = chatMessage
-                    ))
+                try {
+                    val parts = msg.split(":", limit = 2)
+                    if (parts.size == 2) {
+                        val nickname = parts[0].trim()
+                        val chatMessage = parts[1].trim()
+                        addChatMessage(ChatMessage(
+                            nickname = nickname,
+                            username = "",
+                            message = chatMessage
+                        ))
+                    } else {
+                        Log.e("NetPlayManager", "Invalid chat message format: $msg")
+                    }
+                } catch (e: Exception) {
+                    Log.e("NetPlayManager", "Error processing chat message", e)
                 }
             }
             NetPlayStatus.MEMBER_JOIN,
@@ -118,13 +124,12 @@ object NetPlayManager {
             }
         }
 
-
-            Handler(Looper.getMainLooper()).post {
-                if (!isChatOpen) {
-                    Toast.makeText(context, message, Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show()
-                }
+        // Show toast on UI thread if chat isn't open
+        Handler(Looper.getMainLooper()).post {
+            if (!isChatOpen) {
+                Toast.makeText(context, message, Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show()
             }
-
+        }
 
         messageListener?.invoke(type, msg)
         adapterRefreshListener?.invoke(type, msg)
diff --git a/src/android/app/src/main/jni/multiplayer.cpp b/src/android/app/src/main/jni/multiplayer.cpp
index 1b41ca1f1..84c1c27ac 100644
--- a/src/android/app/src/main/jni/multiplayer.cpp
+++ b/src/android/app/src/main/jni/multiplayer.cpp
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
-// Copyright 2025 Citra Project / Mandarine Project
-// Licensed under GPLv2 or any later version
-// Refer to the license.txt file included.
+// SPDX-FileCopyrightText: Copyright 2025 citra Emulator Project
+// SPDX-FileCopyrightText: Copyright 2025 mandarine Emulator Project
+// SPDX-FileCopyrightText: Copyright 2025 citron Emulator Project
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0-or-later
 #include "multiplayer.h"
 #include "core/core.h"
 #include "network/network.h"
@@ -139,6 +140,11 @@ const AnnounceMultiplayerRoom::GameInfo game{
 NetPlayStatus NetPlayCreateRoom(const std::string& ipaddress, int port, const std::string& username,
                                 const std::string& password, const std::string& room_name,
                                 int max_players) {
+    // Validate input parameters
+    if (ipaddress.empty() || port <= 0 || port > 65535 || username.empty() ||
+        room_name.length() < 3 || room_name.length() > 20 || max_players < 2 || max_players > 16) {
+        return NetPlayStatus::CREATE_ROOM_ERROR;
+    }
 
     auto member = Network::RoomNetwork().GetRoomMember().lock();
     if (!member) {
@@ -163,13 +169,9 @@ NetPlayStatus NetPlayCreateRoom(const std::string& ipaddress, int port, const st
         return NetPlayStatus::CREATE_ROOM_ERROR;
     }
 
-    // Failsafe timer to avoid joining before creation
-    std::this_thread::sleep_for(std::chrono::milliseconds(100));
-
-    member->Join(username, ipaddress.c_str(), port, 0, Network::NoPreferredIP, password);
-
-    // Failsafe timer to avoid joining before creation
-    for (int i = 0; i < 5; i++) {
+    // Add timeout for room creation
+    const int MAX_CREATION_ATTEMPTS = 10;
+    for (int i = 0; i < MAX_CREATION_ATTEMPTS; i++) {
         std::this_thread::sleep_for(std::chrono::milliseconds(100));
         if (member->GetState() == Network::RoomMember::State::Joined ||
             member->GetState() == Network::RoomMember::State::Moderator) {
@@ -177,7 +179,7 @@ NetPlayStatus NetPlayCreateRoom(const std::string& ipaddress, int port, const st
         }
     }
 
-    // If join failed while room is created, clean up the room
+    // Cleanup on failure
     room->Destroy();
     return NetPlayStatus::CREATE_ROOM_ERROR;
 }
@@ -289,14 +291,18 @@ bool NetPlayIsHostedRoom() {
 
 void NetPlayLeaveRoom() {
     if (auto room = Network::RoomNetwork().GetRoom().lock()) {
-        // if you are in a room, leave it
-        if (auto member = Network::RoomNetwork().GetRoomMember().lock()) {
-            member->Leave();
-        }
-
+        // Clear chat before leaving to prevent memory leaks
         ClearChat();
 
-        // if you are hosting a room, also stop hosting
+        // Leave room first if connected
+        if (auto member = Network::RoomNetwork().GetRoomMember().lock()) {
+            member->Leave();
+
+            // Wait for leave to complete
+            std::this_thread::sleep_for(std::chrono::milliseconds(100));
+        }
+
+        // Then destroy room if hosting
         if (room->GetState() == Network::Room::State::Open) {
             room->Destroy();
         }
diff --git a/src/common/android/id_cache.cpp b/src/common/android/id_cache.cpp
index cffaef637..935c5b9df 100644
--- a/src/common/android/id_cache.cpp
+++ b/src/common/android/id_cache.cpp
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 // SPDX-FileCopyrightText: Copyright 2023 yuzu Emulator Project
+// SPDX-FileCopyrightText: Copyright 2025 citron Emulator Project
 // SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0-or-later
 
 #include <jni.h>
@@ -569,8 +570,11 @@ jint JNI_OnLoad(JavaVM* vm, void* reserved) {
     // Initialize applets
     Common::Android::SoftwareKeyboard::InitJNI(env);
 
-    // Init network for multiplayer
-    NetworkInit();
+    // Initialize network for multiplayer - add error handling
+    if (!NetworkInit()) {
+        LOG_ERROR(Network, "Failed to initialize network for multiplayer");
+        // Don't fail JNI_OnLoad completely, just log the error
+    }
 
     return JNI_VERSION;
 }