diff --git a/src/main/java/uulm/teamname/marvelous/gamelibrary/gamelogic/GameInstance.java b/src/main/java/uulm/teamname/marvelous/gamelibrary/gamelogic/GameInstance.java
index 52b1722..5c06777 100644
--- a/src/main/java/uulm/teamname/marvelous/gamelibrary/gamelogic/GameInstance.java
+++ b/src/main/java/uulm/teamname/marvelous/gamelibrary/gamelogic/GameInstance.java
@@ -57,6 +57,13 @@ public class GameInstance {
         return manager.processRequests(requests, false);
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Initializes and starts the game.
+     */
+    public void startGame() {
+        emit(manager.startGame());
+    }
+
     /**
      * Produces a {@link EventType#GamestateEvent} for the current {@link GameState}.
      * @return The resulting event
diff --git a/src/main/java/uulm/teamname/marvelous/gamelibrary/gamelogic/GameLogic.java b/src/main/java/uulm/teamname/marvelous/gamelibrary/gamelogic/GameLogic.java
index 99f2caa..9f72431 100644
--- a/src/main/java/uulm/teamname/marvelous/gamelibrary/gamelogic/GameLogic.java
+++ b/src/main/java/uulm/teamname/marvelous/gamelibrary/gamelogic/GameLogic.java
@@ -490,7 +490,7 @@ class GameLogic {
      * @param state The game state to work on
      * @return The list of resulting {@link Event}s
      */
-    private static ArrayList<Event> handleTurnEnd(GameState state) {
+    public static ArrayList<Event> handleTurnEnd(GameState state) {
         ArrayList<Event> result = new ArrayList<>();
 
         ArrayList<EntityID> order = state.turnOrder;
@@ -521,8 +521,8 @@ class GameLogic {
 
         }else {
 
-            int activeIndex = alive.indexOf(state.activeCharacter);
-            if(activeIndex == alive.size() - 1) {
+            int activeIndex = state.activeCharacter != null ? alive.indexOf(state.activeCharacter) : -1;
+            if(activeIndex == -1 || activeIndex == alive.size() - 1) {
                 state.activeCharacter = alive.get(0);
                 //reached end of turn order, new round
                 state.roundNumber++;
diff --git a/src/main/java/uulm/teamname/marvelous/gamelibrary/gamelogic/GameStateManager.java b/src/main/java/uulm/teamname/marvelous/gamelibrary/gamelogic/GameStateManager.java
index 8b6f33b..cc6117c 100644
--- a/src/main/java/uulm/teamname/marvelous/gamelibrary/gamelogic/GameStateManager.java
+++ b/src/main/java/uulm/teamname/marvelous/gamelibrary/gamelogic/GameStateManager.java
@@ -53,6 +53,14 @@ class GameStateManager {
         return (Event[])GameLogic.checkTurnEnd(state).toArray();
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Starts the game.
+     * @return The resulting {@link Event}s
+     */
+    public Event[] startGame() {
+        return (Event[])GameLogic.handleTurnEnd(state).toArray();
+    }
+
     /**
      * Applies an array of {@link Event}s to the game state.
      * @param events The events to apply