diff --git a/src/import/OnlinePanel.lua b/src/import/OnlinePanel.lua
index 9d7568aa..d1d042e6 100644
--- a/src/import/OnlinePanel.lua
+++ b/src/import/OnlinePanel.lua
@@ -1763,6 +1763,8 @@ function OnlinePanel.doConnect(imp)
   if not ok then
     st.status = tostring(err or "the relay didn't answer")
     st.statusOk = false
+  else
+    st.status, st.statusOk = nil, false
   end
   return ok
 end
@@ -1776,7 +1778,7 @@ function OnlinePanel.connect(imp)
     st.connectWanted = true
     st.ticketState = "pending"
     local started = OnlinePanel.startJob(imp, "ticket", function(client)
-      return client:lobbyTicket()
+      return client:lobbyTicket(st.name)
     end)
     if started then return true end
     st.ticketState = "unsupported"
diff --git a/src/sync/SyncClient.lua b/src/sync/SyncClient.lua
index 3faa44f6..6883a625 100644
--- a/src/sync/SyncClient.lua
+++ b/src/sync/SyncClient.lua
@@ -74,9 +74,13 @@ function SyncClient:send(method, path, body, opts)
   local headers = { ["Accept"] = "application/json" }
   local payload
   if body ~= nil then
-    local ok, encoded = pcall(Json.encode, body)
-    if not ok then return nil, "could not encode the request" end
-    payload = encoded
+    if type(body) == "table" and next(body) == nil then
+      payload = "{}"
+    else
+      local ok, encoded = pcall(Json.encode, body)
+      if not ok then return nil, "could not encode the request" end
+      payload = encoded
+    end
     headers["Content-Type"] = "application/json"
   end
   if not opts.noAuth then
@@ -190,8 +194,12 @@ function SyncClient:fetchShare(code)
     { noAuth = true, params = { code = trimmed } })
 end
 
-function SyncClient:lobbyTicket()
-  return self:send("POST", "/lobby/ticket", {})
+function SyncClient:lobbyTicket(displayName)
+  local body = {}
+  if type(displayName) == "string" and displayName ~= "" then
+    body.displayName = displayName
+  end
+  return self:send("POST", "/lobby/ticket", body)
 end
 
 function SyncClient:setDisplayName(name)
diff --git a/tests/online_panel.lua b/tests/online_panel.lua
index 0c13f69c..48dba4b8 100644
--- a/tests/online_panel.lua
+++ b/tests/online_panel.lua
@@ -1972,4 +1972,31 @@ do
   ArenaData.speciesIds = savedSpecies
 end
 
+-- ------------------------------------------- lobby ticket request shape
+
+do
+  local SyncClient = require("src.sync.SyncClient")
+  local sent
+  local transport = {
+    begin = function(_, req) sent = req return { req = req } end,
+    poll = function() return { status = "pending" } end,
+    release = function() end,
+  }
+  local client = SyncClient.new({ baseUrl = "http://relay.test",
+    transport = transport })
+  client:setAuth("account", "token")
+
+  client:lobbyTicket("RED#417")
+  T.eq(sent.body, '{"displayName":"RED#417"}',
+    "the ticket request carries the name the relay needs to mint one")
+
+  client:lobbyTicket(nil)
+  T.eq(sent.body, "{}",
+    "a nameless ticket request is still a JSON object, not an empty array")
+
+  client:send("POST", "/sync/unlink", {})
+  T.eq(sent.body, "{}", "any empty body is sent as an object")
+end
+
+
 T.finish("online panel")