diff --git a/resources/lang/en.json b/resources/lang/en.json
index 44ebe941a4..6f06528dc1 100644
--- a/resources/lang/en.json
+++ b/resources/lang/en.json
@@ -771,6 +771,8 @@
     "attack_cancelled_retreat": "Attack cancelled, {troops} soldiers killed during retreat",
     "received_gold_from_captured_ship": "Received {gold} gold from ship captured from {name}",
     "received_gold_from_trade": "Received {gold} gold from trade with {name}",
+    "received_gold_from_conquest": "Conquered {name}, received {gold} gold",
+    "conquered_no_gold": "Conquered {name} (didn't play, no gold awarded)",
     "missile_intercepted": "Missile intercepted {unit}",
     "mirv_warheads_intercepted": "{count, plural, one {{count} MIRV warhead intercepted} other {{count} MIRV warheads intercepted}}",
     "sent_troops_to_player": "Sent {troops} troops to {name}",
diff --git a/src/core/game/GameImpl.ts b/src/core/game/GameImpl.ts
index 6d409fc589..1f6a97add4 100644
--- a/src/core/game/GameImpl.ts
+++ b/src/core/game/GameImpl.ts
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import {
 import { AStarWaterHierarchical } from "../pathfinding/algorithms/AStar.WaterHierarchical";
 import { PathFinder } from "../pathfinding/types";
 import { AllPlayersStats, ClientID, Winner } from "../Schemas";
+import { ATTACK_INDEX_SENT } from "../StatsSchemas";
 import { simpleHash } from "../Util";
 import { AllianceImpl } from "./AllianceImpl";
 import { AllianceRequestImpl } from "./AllianceRequestImpl";
@@ -1097,26 +1098,48 @@ export class GameImpl implements Game {
       }
     }
 
-    const gold = conquered.gold();
-    this.displayMessage(
-      `Conquered ${conquered.displayName()} received ${renderNumber(
+    // Don't transfer gold when the conquered player didn't play (never attacked anyone)
+    // This is especially important when starting gold is enabled
+    const stats = this._stats.getPlayerStats(conquered);
+    const attacksSent = stats?.attacks?.[ATTACK_INDEX_SENT] ?? 0n;
+    const skipGoldTransfer =
+      attacksSent === 0n && conquered.type() === PlayerType.Human;
+    const gold = skipGoldTransfer ? 0n : conquered.gold();
+
+    if (skipGoldTransfer) {
+      this.displayMessage(
+        "events_display.conquered_no_gold",
+        MessageType.CONQUERED_PLAYER,
+        conqueror.id(),
+        undefined,
+        {
+          name: conquered.displayName(),
+        },
+      );
+    } else {
+      this.displayMessage(
+        "events_display.received_gold_from_conquest",
+        MessageType.CONQUERED_PLAYER,
+        conqueror.id(),
         gold,
-      )} gold`,
-      MessageType.CONQUERED_PLAYER,
-      conqueror.id(),
-      gold,
-    );
-    conqueror.addGold(gold);
-    conquered.removeGold(gold);
+        {
+          gold: renderNumber(gold),
+          name: conquered.displayName(),
+        },
+      );
+      conqueror.addGold(gold);
+      conquered.removeGold(gold);
+
+      // Record stats
+      this.stats().goldWar(conqueror, conquered, gold);
+    }
+
     this.addUpdate({
       type: GameUpdateType.ConquestEvent,
       conquerorId: conqueror.id(),
       conqueredId: conquered.id(),
       gold,
     });
-
-    // Record stats
-    this.stats().goldWar(conqueror, conquered, gold);
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/tests/AttackStats.test.ts b/tests/AttackStats.test.ts
index 10cb236c3e..23e0ef98f3 100644
--- a/tests/AttackStats.test.ts
+++ b/tests/AttackStats.test.ts
@@ -34,11 +34,36 @@ describe("AttackStats", () => {
 
   test("should increase war gold stat when a player is eliminated", () => {
     expect(player1.sharesBorderWith(player2)).toBeTruthy();
+    // Player2 must attack to be considered active (otherwise gold won't transfer)
+    game.addExecution(
+      new AttackExecution(1, player2, game.terraNullius().id()),
+    );
+    game.executeNextTick();
     performAttack(game, player1, player2);
     expectWarGoldStatIsIncreasedAfterKill(game, player1, player2);
   });
 
+  test("should NOT increase war gold stat when a inactive player is eliminated", () => {
+    expect(player1.sharesBorderWith(player2)).toBeTruthy();
+
+    const attackerStatsBefore = game.stats().stats()[player1.clientID()!];
+    const warGoldBefore = attackerStatsBefore?.gold?.[GOLD_INDEX_WAR] ?? 0n;
+
+    performAttack(game, player1, player2);
+
+    const attackerStatsAfter = game.stats().stats()[player1.clientID()!];
+    const warGoldAfter = attackerStatsAfter?.gold?.[GOLD_INDEX_WAR] ?? 0n;
+
+    expect(warGoldAfter).toBe(warGoldBefore);
+  });
+
   test("should increase war gold stat when elimination occurs via territory annexation", () => {
+    // Player2 must attack to be considered active (otherwise gold won't transfer)
+    game.addExecution(
+      new AttackExecution(1, player2, game.terraNullius().id()),
+    );
+    game.executeNextTick();
+
     // Mark every tile on the map as owned by player1
     for (let x = 0; x < game.map().width(); x++) {
       for (let y = 0; y < game.map().height(); y++) {