diff --git a/com.unity.netcode.gameobjects/CHANGELOG.md b/com.unity.netcode.gameobjects/CHANGELOG.md
index 22bef68281..ca910b8ed6 100644
--- a/com.unity.netcode.gameobjects/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/com.unity.netcode.gameobjects/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ Additional documentation and release notes are available at [Multiplayer Documen
 
 ### Fixed
 
+- Fixed issue where spawning a player using `NetworkObject.InstantiateAndSpawn` or `NetworkSpawnManager.InstantiateAndSpawn` would not update the `NetworkSpawnManager.PlayerObjects` or assign the newly spawned player to the `NetworkClient.PlayerObject`. (#3122)
 - Fixed issue where queued UnitTransport (NetworkTransport) message batches were being sent on the next frame. They are now sent at the end of the frame during `PostLateUpdate`.  (#3113)
 - Fixed issue where `NotOwnerRpcTarget` or `OwnerRpcTarget` were not using their replacements `NotAuthorityRpcTarget` and `AuthorityRpcTarget` which would invoke a warning. (#3111)
 - Fixed issue where client is removed as an observer from spawned objects when their player instance is despawned. (#3110)
diff --git a/com.unity.netcode.gameobjects/Runtime/Spawning/NetworkSpawnManager.cs b/com.unity.netcode.gameobjects/Runtime/Spawning/NetworkSpawnManager.cs
index 61442eb08a..910b1b55e1 100644
--- a/com.unity.netcode.gameobjects/Runtime/Spawning/NetworkSpawnManager.cs
+++ b/com.unity.netcode.gameobjects/Runtime/Spawning/NetworkSpawnManager.cs
@@ -751,7 +751,15 @@ internal NetworkObject InstantiateAndSpawnNoParameterChecks(NetworkObject networ
             networkObject.IsPlayerObject = isPlayerObject;
             networkObject.transform.position = position;
             networkObject.transform.rotation = rotation;
-            networkObject.SpawnWithOwnership(ownerClientId, destroyWithScene);
+            // If spawning as a player, then invoke SpawnAsPlayerObject
+            if (isPlayerObject)
+            {
+                networkObject.SpawnAsPlayerObject(ownerClientId, destroyWithScene);
+            }
+            else // Otherwise just spawn with ownership
+            {
+                networkObject.SpawnWithOwnership(ownerClientId, destroyWithScene);
+            }
             return networkObject;
         }
 
diff --git a/com.unity.netcode.gameobjects/Tests/Runtime/DistributedAuthority/NetworkClientAndPlayerObjectTests.cs b/com.unity.netcode.gameobjects/Tests/Runtime/DistributedAuthority/NetworkClientAndPlayerObjectTests.cs
index d7890c202f..699b82d636 100644
--- a/com.unity.netcode.gameobjects/Tests/Runtime/DistributedAuthority/NetworkClientAndPlayerObjectTests.cs
+++ b/com.unity.netcode.gameobjects/Tests/Runtime/DistributedAuthority/NetworkClientAndPlayerObjectTests.cs
@@ -216,6 +216,21 @@ private bool ValidatePlayerObjectOnClients(NetworkManager clientToValidate)
                     m_ErrorLogLevel2.Append($"[Client-{client.LocalClientId} Prefab Mismatch][Expected GlobalObjectIdHash: {expectedGlobalObjectIdHash} but was {remoteNetworkClient.PlayerObject.GlobalObjectIdHash}]");
                     success = false;
                 }
+
+                var foundPlayer = false;
+                foreach (var playerObject in client.SpawnManager.PlayerObjects)
+                {
+                    if (playerObject.NetworkObjectId == clientToValidate.LocalClient.PlayerObject.NetworkObjectId)
+                    {
+                        foundPlayer = true;
+                        break;
+                    }
+                }
+                if (!foundPlayer)
+                {
+                    m_ErrorLogLevel1.AppendLine($"[Client-{client.LocalClientId}] Local {nameof(NetworkSpawnManager.PlayerObjects)} does not contain {clientToValidate.LocalClient.PlayerObject.name}!");
+                    success = false;
+                }
             }
             return success;
         }
@@ -231,6 +246,12 @@ private bool ValidateAllPlayerObjects()
                     m_ErrorLogLevel1.AppendLine($"[Client-{m_ServerNetworkManager.LocalClientId}]{m_ErrorLogLevel2}");
                     success = false;
                 }
+
+                if (m_ServerNetworkManager.LocalClient.PlayerObject == null)
+                {
+                    m_ErrorLogLevel1.AppendLine($"[Client-{m_ServerNetworkManager.LocalClientId}] Local {nameof(NetworkClient.PlayerObject)} is null!");
+                    success = false;
+                }
             }
 
             foreach (var client in m_ClientNetworkManagers)
@@ -240,6 +261,17 @@ private bool ValidateAllPlayerObjects()
                     m_ErrorLogLevel1.AppendLine($"[Client-{client.LocalClientId}]{m_ErrorLogLevel2}");
                     success = false;
                 }
+                if (client.LocalClient.PlayerObject == null)
+                {
+                    m_ErrorLogLevel1.AppendLine($"[Client-{client.LocalClientId}] Local {nameof(NetworkClient.PlayerObject)} is null!");
+                    success = false;
+                }
+                else
+                if (!client.SpawnManager.PlayerObjects.Contains(client.LocalClient.PlayerObject))
+                {
+                    m_ErrorLogLevel1.AppendLine($"[Client-{client.LocalClientId}] Local {nameof(NetworkSpawnManager.PlayerObjects)} does not contain {client.LocalClient.PlayerObject.name}!");
+                    success = false;
+                }
             }
 
             return success;
@@ -250,12 +282,19 @@ private NetworkObject GetRandomPlayerPrefab()
             return m_PlayerPrefabs[Random.Range(0, m_PlayerPrefabs.Count() - 1)].GetComponent<NetworkObject>();
         }
 
+        public enum PlayerSpawnTypes
+        {
+            Normal,
+            NetworkObject,
+            SpawnManager
+        }
+
         /// <summary>
         /// Validates that when a client changes their player object that all connected client instances mirror the
         /// client's new player object.
         /// </summary>
         [UnityTest]
-        public IEnumerator ValidatePlayerObjects()
+        public IEnumerator ValidatePlayerObjects([Values] PlayerSpawnTypes playerSpawnType)
         {
             // Just do a quick validation for all connected client's NetworkClients
             yield return WaitForConditionOrTimeOut(AllNetworkClientsValidated);
@@ -268,14 +307,51 @@ public IEnumerator ValidatePlayerObjects()
             if (m_UseHost)
             {
                 playerPrefabToSpawn = GetRandomPlayerPrefab();
-                playerInstance = SpawnPlayerObject(playerPrefabToSpawn.gameObject, m_ServerNetworkManager);
+                switch (playerSpawnType)
+                {
+                    case PlayerSpawnTypes.Normal:
+                        {
+                            playerInstance = SpawnPlayerObject(playerPrefabToSpawn.gameObject, m_ServerNetworkManager);
+                            break;
+                        }
+                    case PlayerSpawnTypes.NetworkObject:
+                        {
+                            playerInstance = NetworkObject.InstantiateAndSpawn(playerPrefabToSpawn.gameObject, m_ServerNetworkManager, isPlayerObject: true).gameObject;
+                            break;
+                        }
+                    case PlayerSpawnTypes.SpawnManager:
+                        {
+                            playerInstance = m_ServerNetworkManager.SpawnManager.InstantiateAndSpawn(playerPrefabToSpawn, isPlayerObject: true).gameObject;
+                            break;
+                        }
+                }
+
                 m_ChangedPlayerPrefabs.Add(m_ServerNetworkManager.LocalClientId, playerPrefabToSpawn.GlobalObjectIdHash);
             }
 
             foreach (var client in m_ClientNetworkManagers)
             {
                 playerPrefabToSpawn = GetRandomPlayerPrefab();
-                playerInstance = SpawnPlayerObject(playerPrefabToSpawn.gameObject, client);
+                var networkManager = m_DistributedAuthority ? client : m_ServerNetworkManager;
+
+                switch (playerSpawnType)
+                {
+                    case PlayerSpawnTypes.Normal:
+                        {
+                            playerInstance = SpawnPlayerObject(playerPrefabToSpawn.gameObject, client);
+                            break;
+                        }
+                    case PlayerSpawnTypes.NetworkObject:
+                        {
+                            playerInstance = NetworkObject.InstantiateAndSpawn(playerPrefabToSpawn.gameObject, networkManager, client.LocalClientId, isPlayerObject: true).gameObject;
+                            break;
+                        }
+                    case PlayerSpawnTypes.SpawnManager:
+                        {
+                            playerInstance = networkManager.SpawnManager.InstantiateAndSpawn(playerPrefabToSpawn, client.LocalClientId, isPlayerObject: true).gameObject;
+                            break;
+                        }
+                }
                 m_ChangedPlayerPrefabs.Add(client.LocalClientId, playerPrefabToSpawn.GlobalObjectIdHash);
             }