diff --git a/server/modules/GameManager.js b/server/modules/GameManager.js
index 3befba6..3910704 100644
--- a/server/modules/GameManager.js
+++ b/server/modules/GameManager.js
@@ -175,12 +175,14 @@ class GameManager {
             : accessCode;
     };
 
-    transferModeratorPowers = (game, person, logger) => {
+    transferModeratorPowers = (game, person, namespace, logger) => {
         if (person && (person.out || person.userType === globals.USER_TYPES.SPECTATOR)) {
             logger.debug('game ' + game.accessCode + ': transferring mod powers to ' + person.name);
             if (game.moderator === person) {
                 person.userType = globals.USER_TYPES.MODERATOR;
+                this.namespace.to(person.socketId).emit(globals.EVENTS.SYNC_GAME_STATE);
             } else {
+                const oldModerator = game.moderator;
                 if (game.moderator.userType === globals.USER_TYPES.TEMPORARY_MODERATOR) {
                     game.moderator.userType = globals.USER_TYPES.PLAYER;
                 } else if (game.moderator.gameRole) { // the current moderator was at one point a dealt-in player.
@@ -196,9 +198,9 @@ class GameManager {
                 }
                 person.userType = globals.USER_TYPES.MODERATOR;
                 game.moderator = person;
+                this.namespace.to(person.socketId).emit(globals.EVENTS.SYNC_GAME_STATE);
+                this.namespace.to(oldModerator.socketId).emit(globals.EVENTS.SYNC_GAME_STATE);
             }
-
-            this.namespace.in(game.accessCode).emit(globals.EVENTS.SYNC_GAME_STATE);
         }
     };
 
@@ -212,7 +214,7 @@ class GameManager {
             namespace.in(game.accessCode).emit(globals.EVENT_IDS.KILL_PLAYER, person.id);
             // temporary moderators will transfer their powers automatically to the first person they kill.
             if (game.moderator.userType === globals.USER_TYPES.TEMPORARY_MODERATOR) {
-                this.transferModeratorPowers(game, person, logger);
+                this.transferModeratorPowers(game, person, namespace, logger);
             }
         }
     };
diff --git a/server/modules/SocketManager.js b/server/modules/SocketManager.js
index 515431c..c540dbf 100644
--- a/server/modules/SocketManager.js
+++ b/server/modules/SocketManager.js
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ class SocketManager {
                         if (!person) {
                             person = game.spectators.find((spectator) => spectator.id === args.personId);
                         }
-                        gameManager.transferModeratorPowers(game, person, this.logger);
+                        gameManager.transferModeratorPowers(game, person, namespace, this.logger);
                         break;
                     case EVENT_IDS.CHANGE_NAME:
                         gameManager.changeName(game, args.data, ackFn);
diff --git a/spec/unit/server/modules/GameManager_Spec.js b/spec/unit/server/modules/GameManager_Spec.js
index 14d6343..96b33a3 100644
--- a/spec/unit/server/modules/GameManager_Spec.js
+++ b/spec/unit/server/modules/GameManager_Spec.js
@@ -16,19 +16,22 @@ describe('GameManager', () => {
         spyOn(logger, 'error');
 
         const inObj = { emit: () => {} };
-        namespace = { in: () => { return inObj; } };
+        namespace = { in: () => { return inObj; }, to: () => { return inObj; } };
         gameManager = new GameManager(logger, globals.ENVIRONMENT.PRODUCTION).getInstance();
         gameManager.setGameSocketNamespace(namespace);
     });
 
     beforeEach(() => {
+        spyOn(namespace, 'to').and.callThrough();
     });
 
     describe('#transferModerator', () => {
         it('Should transfer successfully from a dedicated moderator to a killed player', () => {
             const personToTransferTo = new Person('1', '123', 'Joe', USER_TYPES.KILLED_PLAYER);
+            personToTransferTo.socketId = 'socket1';
             personToTransferTo.out = true;
             const moderator = new Person('3', '789', 'Jack', USER_TYPES.MODERATOR);
+            moderator.socketId = 'socket2';
             const game = new Game(
                 'abc',
                 globals.STATUS.IN_PROGRESS,
@@ -40,16 +43,20 @@ describe('GameManager', () => {
                 moderator.id,
                 new Date().toJSON()
             );
-            gameManager.transferModeratorPowers(game, personToTransferTo, logger);
+            gameManager.transferModeratorPowers(game, personToTransferTo, namespace, logger);
 
             expect(game.moderator).toEqual(personToTransferTo);
             expect(personToTransferTo.userType).toEqual(USER_TYPES.MODERATOR);
             expect(moderator.userType).toEqual(USER_TYPES.SPECTATOR);
+            expect(namespace.to).toHaveBeenCalledWith(personToTransferTo.socketId);
+            expect(namespace.to).toHaveBeenCalledWith(game.moderator.socketId);
         });
 
         it('Should transfer successfully from a dedicated moderator to a spectator', () => {
             const personToTransferTo = new Person('1', '123', 'Joe', USER_TYPES.SPECTATOR);
+            personToTransferTo.socketId = 'socket1';
             const moderator = new Person('3', '789', 'Jack', USER_TYPES.MODERATOR);
+            moderator.socketId = 'socket2';
             const game = new Game(
                 'abc',
                 globals.STATUS.IN_PROGRESS,
@@ -62,17 +69,21 @@ describe('GameManager', () => {
                 new Date().toJSON()
             );
             game.spectators.push(personToTransferTo);
-            gameManager.transferModeratorPowers(game, personToTransferTo, logger);
+            gameManager.transferModeratorPowers(game, personToTransferTo, namespace, logger);
 
             expect(game.moderator).toEqual(personToTransferTo);
             expect(personToTransferTo.userType).toEqual(USER_TYPES.MODERATOR);
             expect(moderator.userType).toEqual(USER_TYPES.SPECTATOR);
+            expect(namespace.to).toHaveBeenCalledWith(personToTransferTo.socketId);
+            expect(namespace.to).toHaveBeenCalledWith(game.moderator.socketId);
         });
 
         it('Should transfer successfully from a temporary moderator to a killed player', () => {
             const personToTransferTo = new Person('1', '123', 'Joe', USER_TYPES.KILLED_PLAYER);
             personToTransferTo.out = true;
+            personToTransferTo.socketId = 'socket1';
             const tempMod = new Person('3', '789', 'Jack', USER_TYPES.TEMPORARY_MODERATOR);
+            tempMod.socketId = 'socket2';
             const game = new Game(
                 'abc',
                 globals.STATUS.IN_PROGRESS,
@@ -84,15 +95,18 @@ describe('GameManager', () => {
                 tempMod.id,
                 new Date().toJSON()
             );
-            gameManager.transferModeratorPowers(game, personToTransferTo, logger);
+            gameManager.transferModeratorPowers(game, personToTransferTo, namespace, logger);
 
             expect(game.moderator).toEqual(personToTransferTo);
             expect(personToTransferTo.userType).toEqual(USER_TYPES.MODERATOR);
             expect(tempMod.userType).toEqual(USER_TYPES.PLAYER);
+            expect(namespace.to).toHaveBeenCalledWith(personToTransferTo.socketId);
+            expect(namespace.to).toHaveBeenCalledWith(game.moderator.socketId);
         });
 
         it('Should make the temporary moderator a dedicated moderator when they take themselves out of the game', () => {
             const tempMod = new Person('3', '789', 'Jack', USER_TYPES.TEMPORARY_MODERATOR);
+            tempMod.socketId = 'socket1';
             const personToTransferTo = tempMod;
             tempMod.out = true;
             const game = new Game(
@@ -106,11 +120,12 @@ describe('GameManager', () => {
                 tempMod.id,
                 new Date().toJSON()
             );
-            gameManager.transferModeratorPowers(game, personToTransferTo, logger);
+            gameManager.transferModeratorPowers(game, personToTransferTo, namespace, logger);
 
             expect(game.moderator).toEqual(personToTransferTo);
             expect(personToTransferTo.userType).toEqual(USER_TYPES.MODERATOR);
             expect(tempMod.userType).toEqual(USER_TYPES.MODERATOR);
+            expect(namespace.to).toHaveBeenCalledOnceWith(personToTransferTo.socketId);
         });
     });