diff --git a/downstream.go b/downstream.go
index 34aa898..ec0bbfc 100644
--- a/downstream.go
+++ b/downstream.go
@@ -1311,6 +1311,18 @@ func (dc *downstreamConn) register(ctx context.Context) error {
 }
 
 func (dc *downstreamConn) loadNetwork(ctx context.Context) error {
+	if dc.networkName == "*" {
+		if !dc.srv.Config().MultiUpstream {
+			return ircError{&irc.Message{
+				Command: irc.ERR_PASSWDMISMATCH,
+				Params:  []string{dc.nick, fmt.Sprintf("Multi-upstream mode is disabled on this server")},
+			}}
+		}
+		dc.networkName = ""
+		dc.isMultiUpstream = true
+		return nil
+	}
+
 	if dc.networkName == "" {
 		return nil
 	}
@@ -1372,17 +1384,6 @@ func (dc *downstreamConn) welcome(ctx context.Context) error {
 	remoteAddr := dc.conn.RemoteAddr().String()
 	dc.logger = &prefixLogger{dc.srv.Logger, fmt.Sprintf("user %q: downstream %q: ", dc.user.Username, remoteAddr)}
 
-	if dc.networkName == "*" {
-		if !dc.srv.Config().MultiUpstream {
-			return ircError{&irc.Message{
-				Command: irc.ERR_PASSWDMISMATCH,
-				Params:  []string{dc.nick, fmt.Sprintf("Multi-upstream mode is disabled on this server")},
-			}}
-		}
-		dc.networkName = ""
-		dc.isMultiUpstream = true
-	}
-
 	// TODO: doing this might take some time. We should do it in dc.register
 	// instead, but we'll potentially be adding a new network and this must be
 	// done in the user goroutine.