diff --git a/Source/Core/Core/HW/EXI/EXI_DeviceSlippi.cpp b/Source/Core/Core/HW/EXI/EXI_DeviceSlippi.cpp
index 3da8b3ad7f..667c1db2ed 100644
--- a/Source/Core/Core/HW/EXI/EXI_DeviceSlippi.cpp
+++ b/Source/Core/Core/HW/EXI/EXI_DeviceSlippi.cpp
@@ -39,6 +39,10 @@
 extern std::unique_ptr<SlippiPlaybackStatus> g_playbackStatus;
 extern std::unique_ptr<SlippiReplayComm> g_replayComm;
 
+#ifdef LOCAL_TESTING
+bool isLocalConnected = false;
+#endif
+
 namespace ExpansionInterface {
 
 static std::unordered_map<u8, std::string> slippi_names;
@@ -1699,8 +1703,11 @@ void CEXISlippi::prepareOnlineMatchState()
   SlippiMatchmaking::ProcessState mmState = matchmaking->GetMatchmakeState();
 
 #ifdef LOCAL_TESTING
-  if (localSelections.isCharacterSelected)
+  if (localSelections.isCharacterSelected || isLocalConnected)
+  {
     mmState = SlippiMatchmaking::ProcessState::CONNECTION_SUCCESS;
+    isLocalConnected = true;
+  }
 #endif
 
   m_read_queue.push_back(mmState); // Matchmaking State
@@ -2062,6 +2069,10 @@ void CEXISlippi::handleConnectionCleanup()
   // Reset random stage pool
   stagePool.clear();
 
+#ifdef LOCAL_TESTING
+  isLocalConnected = false;
+#endif
+
   ERROR_LOG(SLIPPI_ONLINE, "Connection cleanup completed...");
 }