diff --git a/Gems/Multiplayer/Code/Source/AutoGen/AutoComponent_Source.jinja b/Gems/Multiplayer/Code/Source/AutoGen/AutoComponent_Source.jinja
index 92ad524711..56fa769517 100644
--- a/Gems/Multiplayer/Code/Source/AutoGen/AutoComponent_Source.jinja
+++ b/Gems/Multiplayer/Code/Source/AutoGen/AutoComponent_Source.jinja
@@ -1673,12 +1673,18 @@ namespace {{ Component.attrib['Namespace'] }}
 
     void {{ ComponentBaseName }}::ActivateController(Multiplayer::EntityIsMigrating entityIsMigrating)
     {
-        m_controller.get()->Activate(entityIsMigrating);
+        if (m_controller)
+        {
+            m_controller->Activate(entityIsMigrating);
+        }
     }
 
     void {{ ComponentBaseName }}::DeactivateController(Multiplayer::EntityIsMigrating entityIsMigrating)
     {
-        m_controller.get()->Deactivate(entityIsMigrating);
+        if (m_controller)
+        {
+            m_controller->Deactivate(entityIsMigrating);
+        }
     }
 
     void {{ ComponentBaseName }}::NetworkAttach(Multiplayer::NetBindComponent* netBindComponent, Multiplayer::ReplicationRecord& currentEntityRecord, Multiplayer::ReplicationRecord& predictableEntityRecord)
diff --git a/Gems/Multiplayer/Code/Source/ConnectionData/ServerToClientConnectionData.cpp b/Gems/Multiplayer/Code/Source/ConnectionData/ServerToClientConnectionData.cpp
index f93109e3ed..18370c0f09 100644
--- a/Gems/Multiplayer/Code/Source/ConnectionData/ServerToClientConnectionData.cpp
+++ b/Gems/Multiplayer/Code/Source/ConnectionData/ServerToClientConnectionData.cpp
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
  */
 
 #include <Source/ConnectionData/ServerToClientConnectionData.h>
+#include <Multiplayer/IMultiplayer.h>
 
 namespace Multiplayer
 {
@@ -13,6 +14,7 @@ namespace Multiplayer
     AZ_CVAR(uint32_t, sv_ClientMaxRemoteEntitiesPendingCreationCount, AZStd::numeric_limits<uint32_t>::max(), nullptr, AZ::ConsoleFunctorFlags::DontReplicate, "Maximum number of entities that we have sent to the client, but have not had a confirmation back from the client");
     AZ_CVAR(uint32_t, sv_ClientMaxRemoteEntitiesPendingCreationCountPostInit, AZStd::numeric_limits<uint32_t>::max(), nullptr, AZ::ConsoleFunctorFlags::DontReplicate, "Maximum number of entities that we will send to clients after gameplay has begun");
     AZ_CVAR(AZ::TimeMs, sv_ClientEntityReplicatorPendingRemovalTimeMs, AZ::TimeMs{ 10000 }, nullptr, AZ::ConsoleFunctorFlags::DontReplicate, "How long should wait prior to removing an entity for the client through a change in the replication window, entity deletes are still immediate");
+    AZ_CVAR(bool, sv_removeDefaultPlayerSpawnableOnDisconnect, true, nullptr, AZ::ConsoleFunctorFlags::DontReplicate, "Whether to remove player's default spawnable when a player disconnects");
 
     ServerToClientConnectionData::ServerToClientConnectionData
     (
@@ -39,6 +41,11 @@ namespace Multiplayer
 
     ServerToClientConnectionData::~ServerToClientConnectionData()
     {
+        if (sv_removeDefaultPlayerSpawnableOnDisconnect)
+        {
+            AZ::Interface<IMultiplayer>::Get()->GetNetworkEntityManager()->MarkForRemoval(m_controlledEntity);
+        }
+
         m_entityReplicationManager.Clear(false);
         m_controlledEntityRemovedHandler.Disconnect();
     }
diff --git a/Gems/Multiplayer/Code/Source/NetworkEntity/EntityReplication/EntityReplicationManager.h b/Gems/Multiplayer/Code/Source/NetworkEntity/EntityReplication/EntityReplicationManager.h
index e63eeb43e9..2565b81eb4 100644
--- a/Gems/Multiplayer/Code/Source/NetworkEntity/EntityReplication/EntityReplicationManager.h
+++ b/Gems/Multiplayer/Code/Source/NetworkEntity/EntityReplication/EntityReplicationManager.h
@@ -34,7 +34,9 @@ namespace Multiplayer
 {
     class IEntityDomain;
     class EntityReplicator;
-
+    
+    //! @class EntityReplicationManager
+    //! @brief Handles replication of relevant entities for one connection.
     class EntityReplicationManager final
     {
     public:
diff --git a/Gems/Multiplayer/Code/Source/NetworkEntity/NetworkEntityManager.cpp b/Gems/Multiplayer/Code/Source/NetworkEntity/NetworkEntityManager.cpp
index 4a27ceab03..1468e034c0 100644
--- a/Gems/Multiplayer/Code/Source/NetworkEntity/NetworkEntityManager.cpp
+++ b/Gems/Multiplayer/Code/Source/NetworkEntity/NetworkEntityManager.cpp
@@ -277,15 +277,6 @@ namespace Multiplayer
     {
         //RewindableObjectState::ClearRewoundEntities();
 
-        // Keystone has refactored these API's, rewrite required
-        //AZ::SliceComponent* rootSlice = nullptr;
-        //{
-        //    AzFramework::EntityContextId gameContextId = AzFramework::EntityContextId::CreateNull();
-        //    AzFramework::GameEntityContextRequestBus::BroadcastResult(gameContextId, &AzFramework::GameEntityContextRequests::GetGameEntityContextId);
-        //    AzFramework::EntityContextRequestBus::BroadcastResult(rootSlice, &AzFramework::EntityContextRequests::GetRootSlice);
-        //    AZ_Assert(rootSlice != nullptr, "Root slice returned was NULL");
-        //}
-
         AZStd::vector<NetEntityId> removeList;
         removeList.swap(m_removeList);
         for (NetEntityId entityId : removeList)
@@ -299,13 +290,12 @@ namespace Multiplayer
                 AZ_Assert(netBindComponent != nullptr, "NetBindComponent not found on networked entity");
                 netBindComponent->StopEntity();
 
-                // Delete Entity, method depends on how it was loaded
-                // Try slice removal first, then force delete
-                //AZ::Entity* rawEntity = removeEntity.GetEntity();
-                //if (!rootSlice->RemoveEntity(rawEntity))
-                //{
-                //    delete rawEntity;
-                //}
+                // At the moment, we spawn one entity at a time and avoid Prefab API calls and never get a spawn ticket,
+                // so this is the right way for now. Once we support prefabs we can use AzFramework::SpawnableEntitiesContainer
+                // Additionally, prefabs spawning is async! Whereas we currently create entities immediately, see:
+                // @NetworkEntityManager::CreateEntitiesImmediate
+                AzFramework::GameEntityContextRequestBus::Broadcast(
+                    &AzFramework::GameEntityContextRequestBus::Events::DestroyGameEntity, netBindComponent->GetEntityId());
             }
 
             m_networkEntityTracker.erase(entityId);
diff --git a/Gems/Multiplayer/Code/Source/NetworkEntity/NetworkEntityUpdateMessage.cpp b/Gems/Multiplayer/Code/Source/NetworkEntity/NetworkEntityUpdateMessage.cpp
index be960ce757..307619bb94 100644
--- a/Gems/Multiplayer/Code/Source/NetworkEntity/NetworkEntityUpdateMessage.cpp
+++ b/Gems/Multiplayer/Code/Source/NetworkEntity/NetworkEntityUpdateMessage.cpp
@@ -59,10 +59,11 @@ namespace Multiplayer
 
     NetworkEntityUpdateMessage::NetworkEntityUpdateMessage(NetEntityId entityId, bool wasMigrated, bool takeOwnership)
         : m_entityId(entityId)
+        , m_isDelete(true)
         , m_wasMigrated(wasMigrated)
         , m_takeOwnership(takeOwnership)
     {
-        ;
+        // this is a delete entity message c-tor
     }
 
     NetworkEntityUpdateMessage& NetworkEntityUpdateMessage::operator =(NetworkEntityUpdateMessage&& rhs)
diff --git a/Gems/Multiplayer/Code/Source/NetworkTime/NetworkTime.cpp b/Gems/Multiplayer/Code/Source/NetworkTime/NetworkTime.cpp
index 867a548001..25455808af 100644
--- a/Gems/Multiplayer/Code/Source/NetworkTime/NetworkTime.cpp
+++ b/Gems/Multiplayer/Code/Source/NetworkTime/NetworkTime.cpp
@@ -123,8 +123,10 @@ namespace Multiplayer
 
         for (NetworkEntityHandle entityHandle : m_rewoundEntities)
         {
-            NetBindComponent* netBindComponent = entityHandle.GetNetBindComponent();
-            netBindComponent->NotifySyncRewindState();
+            if (NetBindComponent* netBindComponent = entityHandle.GetNetBindComponent())
+            {
+                netBindComponent->NotifySyncRewindState();
+            }
         }
         m_rewoundEntities.clear();
     }