diff --git a/src/main/java/com/garbagemule/MobArena/signs/LoadsTemplateStore.java b/src/main/java/com/garbagemule/MobArena/signs/LoadsTemplateStore.java
index b2c0c9a..bb7b13d 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/garbagemule/MobArena/signs/LoadsTemplateStore.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/garbagemule/MobArena/signs/LoadsTemplateStore.java
@@ -72,6 +72,7 @@ class LoadsTemplateStore {
     private boolean hasStateSuffix(String id) {
         return id.endsWith("-idle")
             || id.endsWith("-joining")
+            || id.endsWith("-ready")
             || id.endsWith("-running");
     }
 
@@ -79,12 +80,14 @@ class LoadsTemplateStore {
         String[] base = getLines(yaml, id);
         String[] idle = getLines(yaml, id + "-idle");
         String[] joining = getLines(yaml, id + "-joining");
+        String[] ready = getLines(yaml, id + "-ready");
         String[] running = getLines(yaml, id + "-running");
 
         return new Template.Builder(id)
             .withBase(base)
             .withIdle(idle)
             .withJoining(joining)
+            .withReady(ready)
             .withRunning(running)
             .build();
     }
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/garbagemule/MobArena/signs/RendersTemplate.java b/src/main/java/com/garbagemule/MobArena/signs/RendersTemplate.java
index 0ff040f..50a51f8 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/garbagemule/MobArena/signs/RendersTemplate.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/garbagemule/MobArena/signs/RendersTemplate.java
@@ -37,6 +37,9 @@ class RendersTemplate {
             return template.running;
         }
         if (arena.getPlayersInLobby().size() > 0) {
+            if (arena.getNonreadyPlayers().size() == 0) {
+                return template.ready;
+            }
             return template.joining;
         }
         return template.idle;
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/garbagemule/MobArena/signs/Template.java b/src/main/java/com/garbagemule/MobArena/signs/Template.java
index 3d88767..f540c46 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/garbagemule/MobArena/signs/Template.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/garbagemule/MobArena/signs/Template.java
@@ -4,11 +4,13 @@ class Template {
 
     final String[] idle;
     final String[] joining;
+    final String[] ready;
     final String[] running;
 
-    private Template(String[] idle, String[] joining, String[] running) {
+    private Template(String[] idle, String[] joining, String[] ready, String[] running) {
         this.idle = idle;
         this.joining = joining;
+        this.ready = ready;
         this.running = running;
     }
 
@@ -18,6 +20,7 @@ class Template {
         private String[] base;
         private String[] idle;
         private String[] joining;
+        private String[] ready;
         private String[] running;
 
         Builder(String id) {
@@ -39,12 +42,21 @@ class Template {
             return this;
         }
 
+        Builder withReady(String[] lines) {
+            this.ready = lines;
+            return this;
+        }
+
         Builder withRunning(String[] lines) {
             this.running = lines;
             return this;
         }
 
         Template build() {
+            // If the base template has not been defined, there must be
+            // templates for the idle, joining, and running states.
+            // A template for the ready state is optional; If not defined,
+            // it will inherit from the joining template.
             if (base == null) {
                 if (idle == null) {
                     missing("idle");
@@ -62,10 +74,13 @@ class Template {
             if (joining == null) {
                 joining = base;
             }
+            if (ready == null) {
+                ready = joining;
+            }
             if (running == null) {
                 running = base;
             }
-            return new Template(idle, joining, running);
+            return new Template(idle, joining, ready, running);
         }
 
         private void missing(String state) {
diff --git a/src/test/java/com/garbagemule/MobArena/signs/RendersTemplateTest.java b/src/test/java/com/garbagemule/MobArena/signs/RendersTemplateTest.java
index 5a15b2c..788427b 100644
--- a/src/test/java/com/garbagemule/MobArena/signs/RendersTemplateTest.java
+++ b/src/test/java/com/garbagemule/MobArena/signs/RendersTemplateTest.java
@@ -95,6 +95,47 @@ public class RendersTemplateTest {
         assertThat(result, equalTo(joining));
     }
 
+    @Test
+    public void readyOverridesLobbyIfPlayersReady() {
+        Player ready = mock(Player.class);
+        Arena arena = mock(Arena.class);
+        when(arena.configName()).thenReturn("castle");
+        when(arena.isRunning()).thenReturn(false);
+        when(arena.getPlayersInLobby()).thenReturn(Collections.singleton(ready));
+        when(arena.getNonreadyPlayers()).thenReturn(Collections.emptyList());
+        when(arena.getReadyPlayersInLobby()).thenReturn(Collections.singleton(ready));
+        String[] readyTemplate = {"we", "are", "all", "ready"};
+        Template template = new Template.Builder("template")
+            .withBase(new String[]{"this", "is", "the", "base"})
+            .withJoining(new String[]{"joining", "template", "is", "here"})
+            .withReady(readyTemplate)
+            .build();
+
+        String[] result = subject.render(template, arena);
+
+        assertThat(result, equalTo(readyTemplate));
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    public void readyPlayersReturnsJoiningIfNotDefined() {
+        Player ready = mock(Player.class);
+        Arena arena = mock(Arena.class);
+        when(arena.configName()).thenReturn("castle");
+        when(arena.isRunning()).thenReturn(false);
+        when(arena.getPlayersInLobby()).thenReturn(Collections.singleton(ready));
+        when(arena.getNonreadyPlayers()).thenReturn(Collections.emptyList());
+        when(arena.getReadyPlayersInLobby()).thenReturn(Collections.singleton(ready));
+        String[] joining = {"we", "in", "da", "lobby"};
+        Template template = new Template.Builder("template")
+            .withBase(new String[]{"this", "is", "the", "base"})
+            .withJoining(joining)
+            .build();
+
+        String[] result = subject.render(template, arena);
+
+        assertThat(result, equalTo(joining));
+    }
+
     @Test
     public void rendersReadyListEntries() {
         Player ready = mock(Player.class);