diff --git a/app/Models/Multiplayer/Room.php b/app/Models/Multiplayer/Room.php
index fd6e409635f..c310f408a5f 100644
--- a/app/Models/Multiplayer/Room.php
+++ b/app/Models/Multiplayer/Room.php
@@ -597,7 +597,7 @@ public function startPlay(User $user, PlaylistItem $playlistItem)
 
         return $this->getConnection()->transaction(function () use ($user, $playlistItem) {
             $agg = UserScoreAggregate::new($user, $this);
-            if ($agg->isNew) {
+            if ($agg->wasRecentlyCreated) {
                 $this->incrementInstance('participant_count');
             }
 
diff --git a/app/Models/Multiplayer/UserScoreAggregate.php b/app/Models/Multiplayer/UserScoreAggregate.php
index 784682853f2..38dbe095e19 100644
--- a/app/Models/Multiplayer/UserScoreAggregate.php
+++ b/app/Models/Multiplayer/UserScoreAggregate.php
@@ -43,8 +43,6 @@ class UserScoreAggregate extends Model
     ];
     protected $table = 'multiplayer_rooms_high';
 
-    public $isNew = false;
-
     public static function getPlaylistItemUserHighScore(Score $score)
     {
         return PlaylistItemUserHighScore::firstOrNew([
@@ -86,7 +84,6 @@ public static function new(User $user, Room $room): self
         $obj = static::lookupOrDefault($user, $room);
 
         if (!$obj->exists) {
-            $obj->isNew = true;
             $obj->save(); // force a save now to avoid being trolled later.
             $obj->recalculate();
         }
diff --git a/tests/Models/Multiplayer/RoomTest.php b/tests/Models/Multiplayer/RoomTest.php
index 0a174ded628..e10a870fe00 100644
--- a/tests/Models/Multiplayer/RoomTest.php
+++ b/tests/Models/Multiplayer/RoomTest.php
@@ -103,6 +103,22 @@ public function testRoomHasEnded()
         $room->startPlay($user, $playlistItem);
     }
 
+    public function testStartPlay(): void
+    {
+        $user = User::factory()->create();
+        $room = Room::factory()->create();
+        $playlistItem = PlaylistItem::factory()->create(['room_id' => $room]);
+
+        $this->expectCountChange(fn () => $room->participant_count, 1);
+        $this->expectCountChange(fn () => $room->userHighScores()->count(), 1);
+        $this->expectCountChange(fn () => $room->scores()->count(), 1);
+
+        $room->startPlay($user, $playlistItem);
+        $room->refresh();
+
+        $this->assertSame($user->getKey(), $room->scores()->last()->user_id);
+    }
+
     public function testMaxAttemptsReached()
     {
         $user = User::factory()->create();