diff --git a/server/middlewares/auth.js b/server/middlewares/auth.js
index 5fb727f..8cf8bc0 100644
--- a/server/middlewares/auth.js
+++ b/server/middlewares/auth.js
@@ -6,8 +6,8 @@ module.exports = (req, res, next) => {
     res.send(
       JSON.stringify({
         code: 403,
-        message: "Unauthorized",
-      })
+        message: 'Unauthorized',
+      }),
     );
     res.end();
   } else if (req && req.user && req.user.id && banned.includes(req.user.id)) {
@@ -15,8 +15,8 @@ module.exports = (req, res, next) => {
     res.send(
       JSON.stringify({
         code: 403,
-        message: "Unauthorized",
-      })
+        message: 'Unauthorized',
+      }),
     );
     res.end();
   } else {
diff --git a/server/models/room.js b/server/models/room.js
index 7105bdc..a086b22 100644
--- a/server/models/room.js
+++ b/server/models/room.js
@@ -109,6 +109,10 @@ const Room = new mongoose.Schema({
     type: Date,
     default: undefined,
   },
+  hiddenAt: {
+    type: Date,
+    default: undefined,
+  },
   twitchChannel: {
     type: String,
     default: undefined,
@@ -118,11 +122,19 @@ const Room = new mongoose.Schema({
 });
 
 Room.index({
-  expireAt: 1,
-}, {
-  expireAfterSeconds: 0,
+  hiddenAt: 1,
 });
 
+Room.statics.visibleQuery = function visibleQuery(now = new Date()) {
+  return {
+    $or: [
+      { hiddenAt: { $exists: false } },
+      { hiddenAt: null },
+      { hiddenAt: { $gt: now } },
+    ],
+  };
+};
+
 Room.virtual('scrambler').get(function () {
   return new Scrambow().setType(Events.find((e) => e.id === this.event).scrambler);
 });
@@ -147,6 +159,10 @@ Room.virtual('latestAttempt').get(function () {
   return this.attempts[this.attempts.length - 1];
 });
 
+Room.methods.isHidden = function isHidden(now = new Date()) {
+  return this.hiddenAt && this.hiddenAt <= now;
+};
+
 Room.methods.start = function () {
   this.started = true;
 
@@ -166,15 +182,25 @@ Room.methods.pause = function () {
 };
 
 Room.methods.updateStale = function updateStale(stale) {
+  this.expireAt = null;
+
   if (stale) {
-    this.expireAt = moment().add(10, 'minutes');
+    if (!this.hiddenAt) {
+      this.hiddenAt = moment().add(10, 'minutes').toDate();
+    }
   } else {
-    this.expireAt = null;
+    this.hiddenAt = null;
   }
 
   return this.save();
 };
 
+Room.methods.hide = function hide() {
+  this.expireAt = null;
+  this.hiddenAt = new Date();
+  return this.save();
+};
+
 Room.methods.addUser = async function (user, spectating, updateAdmin) {
   if (this.inRoom.get(user.id.toString())) {
     return false;
diff --git a/server/socket/namespaces/rooms.js b/server/socket/namespaces/rooms.js
index 23ddf8b..15e5f24 100644
--- a/server/socket/namespaces/rooms.js
+++ b/server/socket/namespaces/rooms.js
@@ -28,12 +28,13 @@ const joinRoomMask = _.partial(_.pick, _, privateRoomKeys);
 
 const fetchRoom = (id) => Room.findById({ _id: id }).populate('users').populate('admin').populate('owner');
 
-const getRooms = (userId) => Room.find().populate('users').populate('admin').populate('owner')
+const getRooms = (userId) => Room.find(Room.visibleQuery()).populate('users').populate('admin').populate('owner')
   .then((rooms) => rooms.filter((room) => (
     userId ? !room.banned.get(userId.toString()) : true
   )).map(roomMask));
 
 const roomTimerObj = {};
+const roomHideTimerObj = {};
 
 module.exports = (io, middlewares) => {
   const ns = () => io.of('/rooms');
@@ -51,6 +52,36 @@ module.exports = (io, middlewares) => {
     return [...sockets].some((socketId) => socketId !== currentSocketId);
   };
 
+  function clearRoomHideTimer(roomId) {
+    clearTimeout(roomHideTimerObj[roomId]);
+    delete roomHideTimerObj[roomId];
+  }
+
+  function scheduleRoomHide(room) {
+    if (!room.hiddenAt) {
+      clearRoomHideTimer(room._id);
+      return;
+    }
+
+    clearRoomHideTimer(room._id);
+
+    const time = new Date(room.hiddenAt).getTime() - Date.now();
+
+    roomHideTimerObj[room._id] = setTimeout(async () => {
+      try {
+        const r = await fetchRoom(room._id);
+
+        if (r && r.isHidden()) {
+          ns().emit(Protocol.ROOM_DELETED, r._id.toString());
+        }
+      } catch (err) {
+        logger.error(err);
+      } finally {
+        clearRoomHideTimer(room._id);
+      }
+    }, Math.max(time, 0));
+  }
+
   async function markNormalRoomsStaleOnStartup() {
     const rooms = await Room.find({ type: 'normal' })
       .populate('users')
@@ -64,7 +95,8 @@ module.exports = (io, middlewares) => {
       });
 
       room.admin = null;
-      await room.updateStale(true);
+      const r = await room.updateStale(true);
+      scheduleRoomHide(r);
     }));
 
     logger.info('Marked normal rooms stale on socket startup', {
@@ -255,6 +287,7 @@ module.exports = (io, middlewares) => {
 
         broadcast(Protocol.USER_LEFT, socket.user.id);
         ns().emit(Protocol.GLOBAL_ROOM_UPDATED, roomMask(room));
+        scheduleRoomHide(room);
 
         if (room.doneWithScramble()) {
           logger.debug('everyone done, sending new scramble');
@@ -294,6 +327,7 @@ module.exports = (io, middlewares) => {
       }
 
       socket.room = r;
+      clearRoomHideTimer(r._id);
       socket.emit(Protocol.JOIN, joinRoomMask(r));
       cb(null, joinRoomMask(r));
 
@@ -317,6 +351,13 @@ module.exports = (io, middlewares) => {
           });
         }
 
+        if (room.isHidden()) {
+          return cb({
+            statusCode: 404,
+            message: `Could not find room with id ${id}`,
+          });
+        }
+
         if (room.private && !password) {
           return cb({
             statusCode: 403,
@@ -408,15 +449,24 @@ module.exports = (io, middlewares) => {
         });
       }
 
-      Room.deleteOne({ _id: id }).then((res) => {
-        if (res.deletedCount > 0) {
-          socket.room = undefined;
-          cb(null);
-          ns().emit(Protocol.ROOM_DELETED, id);
-        } else if (res.deletedCount > 1) {
-          logger.error(168, 'big problemo');
+      try {
+        const room = await Room.findById(id);
+
+        if (!room) {
+          return cb({
+            statusCode: 404,
+            message: `Could not find room with id ${id}`,
+          });
         }
-      });
+
+        await room.hide();
+        clearRoomHideTimer(room._id);
+        socket.room = undefined;
+        cb(null);
+        ns().emit(Protocol.ROOM_DELETED, id);
+      } catch (e) {
+        logger.error(e);
+      }
     });
 
     // Register user for room they are currently in
@@ -621,6 +671,7 @@ module.exports = (io, middlewares) => {
 
         ns().in(socket.room.accessCode).emit(Protocol.USER_LEFT, userId);
         ns().emit(Protocol.GLOBAL_ROOM_UPDATED, roomMask(room));
+        scheduleRoomHide(room);
 
         if (room.doneWithScramble()) {
           logger.debug('everyone done, sending new scramble');
@@ -654,6 +705,7 @@ module.exports = (io, middlewares) => {
 
         ns().in(room.accessCode).emit(Protocol.UPDATE_ROOM, joinRoomMask(room));
         ns().emit(Protocol.GLOBAL_ROOM_UPDATED, roomMask(room));
+        scheduleRoomHide(room);
 
         if (room.doneWithScramble()) {
           logger.debug('everyone done, sending new scramble');