diff --git a/internal/api/room/control.go b/internal/api/room/control.go
index ed90cd41..133af610 100644
--- a/internal/api/room/control.go
+++ b/internal/api/room/control.go
@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@ import (
 	"github.com/go-chi/chi"
 
 	"github.com/demodesk/neko/pkg/auth"
+	"github.com/demodesk/neko/pkg/types/event"
+	"github.com/demodesk/neko/pkg/types/message"
 	"github.com/demodesk/neko/pkg/utils"
 )
 
@@ -33,12 +35,21 @@ func (h *RoomHandler) controlStatus(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) erro
 }
 
 func (h *RoomHandler) controlRequest(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) error {
-	_, hasHost := h.sessions.GetHost()
+	session, _ := auth.GetSession(r)
+	host, hasHost := h.sessions.GetHost()
 	if hasHost {
-		return utils.HttpUnprocessableEntity("there is already a host")
+		// TODO: Some throttling mechanism to prevent spamming.
+
+		// let host know that someone wants to take control
+		host.Send(
+			event.CONTROL_REQUEST,
+			message.SessionID{
+				ID: session.ID(),
+			})
+
+		return utils.HttpError(http.StatusAccepted, "control request sent")
 	}
 
-	session, _ := auth.GetSession(r)
 	if h.sessions.Settings().LockedControls && !session.Profile().IsAdmin {
 		return utils.HttpForbidden("controls are locked")
 	}
diff --git a/internal/websocket/handler/control.go b/internal/websocket/handler/control.go
index 2eb8f989..80e90c66 100644
--- a/internal/websocket/handler/control.go
+++ b/internal/websocket/handler/control.go
@@ -44,23 +44,29 @@ func (h *MessageHandlerCtx) controlRequest(session types.Session) error {
 		return ErrIsNotAllowedToHost
 	}
 
-	if !h.sessions.Settings().ImplicitHosting {
-		// tell session if there is a host
-		if host, hasHost := h.sessions.GetHost(); hasHost {
-			session.Send(
-				event.CONTROL_HOST,
-				message.ControlHost{
-					HasHost: true,
-					HostID:  host.ID(),
-				})
-
-			return ErrIsAlreadyHosted
-		}
+	// if implicit hosting is enabled, set session as host without asking
+	if h.sessions.Settings().ImplicitHosting {
+		session.SetAsHost()
+		return nil
 	}
 
-	session.SetAsHost()
+	// if there is no host, set session as host
+	host, hasHost := h.sessions.GetHost()
+	if !hasHost {
+		session.SetAsHost()
+		return nil
+	}
 
-	return nil
+	// TODO: Some throttling mechanism to prevent spamming.
+
+	// let host know that someone wants to take control
+	host.Send(
+		event.CONTROL_REQUEST,
+		message.SessionID{
+			ID: session.ID(),
+		})
+
+	return ErrIsAlreadyHosted
 }
 
 func (h *MessageHandlerCtx) controlMove(session types.Session, payload *message.ControlPos) error {