diff --git a/console_cmds.c b/console_cmds.c
index 5543ccb8d4..8a44054e3a 100644
--- a/console_cmds.c
+++ b/console_cmds.c
@@ -1373,7 +1373,12 @@ DEF_CONSOLE_CMD(ConPatch)
 		IConsoleGetPatchSetting(argv[1]);
 	} else {
 		uint32 val;
-		if (GetArgumentInteger(&val, argv[2])) IConsoleSetPatchSetting(argv[1], val);
+
+		if (GetArgumentInteger(&val, argv[2])) {
+			if (!IConsoleSetPatchSetting(argv[1], val)) {
+				IConsoleError("This command/variable is only available to a network server.");
+			}
+		}
 	}
 
 	return true;
@@ -1459,6 +1464,7 @@ void IConsoleStdLibRegister(void)
 	IConsoleCmdRegister("cd",           ConChangeDirectory);
 	IConsoleCmdRegister("pwd",          ConPrintWorkingDirectory);
 	IConsoleCmdRegister("clear",        ConClearBuffer);
+	IConsoleCmdRegister("patch",        ConPatch);
 
 	IConsoleAliasRegister("dir",      "ls");
 	IConsoleAliasRegister("del",      "rm %+");
@@ -1514,8 +1520,6 @@ void IConsoleStdLibRegister(void)
 	IConsoleCmdRegister("unpause",         ConUnPauseGame);
 	IConsoleCmdHookAdd("unpause",          ICONSOLE_HOOK_ACCESS, ConHookServerOnly);
 
-	IConsoleCmdRegister("patch",           ConPatch);
-
 	/*** Networking variables ***/
 	IConsoleVarRegister("net_frame_freq",        &_network_frame_freq, ICONSOLE_VAR_BYTE, "The amount of frames before a command will be (visibly) executed. Default value: 1");
 	IConsoleVarHookAdd("net_frame_freq",         ICONSOLE_HOOK_ACCESS, ConHookServerOnly);
diff --git a/settings.c b/settings.c
index 31b8e26b48..46c51b19b5 100644
--- a/settings.c
+++ b/settings.c
@@ -1579,7 +1579,7 @@ int32 CmdChangePatchSetting(TileIndex tile, uint32 flags, uint32 p1, uint32 p2)
  * This only affects patch-members that are not needed to be the same on all
  * clients in a network game.
  * @param value new value of the patch */
-void SetPatchValue(uint index, const Patches *object, int32 value)
+bool SetPatchValue(uint index, const Patches *object, int32 value)
 {
 	const SettingDesc *sd = &_patch_settings[index];
 	/* If an item is player-based, we do not send it over the network
@@ -1591,12 +1591,18 @@ void SetPatchValue(uint index, const Patches *object, int32 value)
 		Write_ValidateSetting(var, sd, value);
 
 		if (_game_mode != GM_MENU) {
-			void* var2 = ini_get_variable(&sd->save, &_patches_newgame);
+			void *var2 = ini_get_variable(&sd->save, &_patches_newgame);
 			Write_ValidateSetting(var2, sd, value);
 		}
-	} else {
-		DoCommandP(0, index, value, NULL, CMD_CHANGE_PATCH_SETTING);
+		InvalidateWindow(WC_GAME_OPTIONS, 0);
+		return true;
 	}
+
+	/* send non-player-based settings over the network */
+	if (!_networking || (_networking && _network_server)) {
+		return DoCommandP(0, index, value, NULL, CMD_CHANGE_PATCH_SETTING);
+	}
+	return false;
 }
 
 const SettingDesc *GetPatchFromName(const char *name, uint *i)
@@ -1613,8 +1619,9 @@ const SettingDesc *GetPatchFromName(const char *name, uint *i)
 
 /* Those 2 functions need to be here, else we have to make some stuff non-static
  * and besides, it is also better to keep stuff like this at the same place */
-void IConsoleSetPatchSetting(const char *name, int32 value)
+bool IConsoleSetPatchSetting(const char *name, int32 value)
 {
+	bool success;
 	uint index;
 	const SettingDesc *sd = GetPatchFromName(name, &index);
 	const Patches *patches_ptr;
@@ -1622,14 +1629,15 @@ void IConsoleSetPatchSetting(const char *name, int32 value)
 
 	if (sd == NULL) {
 		IConsolePrintF(_icolour_warn, "'%s' is an unknown patch setting.", name);
-		return;
+		return true;
 	}
 
 	patches_ptr = (_game_mode == GM_MENU) ? &_patches_newgame : &_patches;
 	ptr = ini_get_variable(&sd->save, patches_ptr);
 
-	SetPatchValue(index, patches_ptr, value);
-	if (sd->desc.proc != NULL) sd->desc.proc(value);
+	success = SetPatchValue(index, patches_ptr, value);
+	if (success && sd->desc.proc != NULL) sd->desc.proc(value);
+	return success;
 }
 
 void IConsoleGetPatchSetting(const char *name)
diff --git a/settings.h b/settings.h
index d1f9f71986..1eb26e2a07 100644
--- a/settings.h
+++ b/settings.h
@@ -78,9 +78,9 @@ static inline void *ini_get_variable(const SaveLoad *sld, const void *object)
 /** The patch values that are used for new games and/or modified in config file */
 extern Patches _patches_newgame;
 
-void IConsoleSetPatchSetting(const char *name, int32 value);
+bool IConsoleSetPatchSetting(const char *name, int32 value);
 void IConsoleGetPatchSetting(const char *name);
 const SettingDesc *GetPatchFromName(const char *name, uint *i);
-void SetPatchValue(uint index, const Patches *object, int32 value);
+bool SetPatchValue(uint index, const Patches *object, int32 value);
 
 #endif /* SETTINGS_H */