diff --git a/com.unity.netcode.gameobjects/Runtime/Core/NetworkManager.cs b/com.unity.netcode.gameobjects/Runtime/Core/NetworkManager.cs
index 25b86e3da0..508180ea63 100644
--- a/com.unity.netcode.gameobjects/Runtime/Core/NetworkManager.cs
+++ b/com.unity.netcode.gameobjects/Runtime/Core/NetworkManager.cs
@@ -1071,7 +1071,7 @@ public void SetSingleton()
             OnSingletonReady?.Invoke();
         }
 
-        private void Awake()
+        protected virtual void Awake()
         {
             if (Log == null)
             {
@@ -1088,7 +1088,7 @@ private void Awake()
             OnInstantiated?.Invoke(this);
         }
 
-        private void OnEnable()
+        protected virtual void OnEnable()
         {
             if (RunInBackground)
             {
@@ -1337,6 +1337,11 @@ private bool CanStart(StartType type)
         /// <returns>returns true if <see cref="NetworkManager"/> started in server mode successfully; otherwise false</returns>
         public bool StartServer()
         {
+            if (Log == null)
+            {
+                Log = new ContextualLogger(this, false);
+                Log.Warning(new Context(LogLevel.Normal, "No logger defined. Ensure base.Awake() and base.OnEnable is called in any derived NetworkManager classes."));
+            }
             Log.CaptureFunctionCall();
 
             if (!CanStart(StartType.Server))
@@ -1397,6 +1402,11 @@ public bool StartServer()
         /// <returns>(<see cref="true"/>/<see cref="false"/>) returns true if <see cref="NetworkManager"/> started in client mode successfully.</returns>
         public bool StartClient()
         {
+            if (Log == null)
+            {
+                Log = new ContextualLogger(this, false);
+                Log.Warning(new Context(LogLevel.Normal, "No logger defined. Ensure base.Awake() and base.OnEnable is called in any derived NetworkManager classes."));
+            }
             Log.CaptureFunctionCall();
 
             if (!CanStart(StartType.Client))
@@ -1450,6 +1460,11 @@ public bool StartClient()
         /// <returns>(<see cref="true"/>/<see cref="false"/>) returns true if <see cref="NetworkManager"/> started in host mode successfully.</returns>
         public bool StartHost()
         {
+            if (Log == null)
+            {
+                Log = new ContextualLogger(this, false);
+                Log.Warning(new Context(LogLevel.Normal, "No logger defined. Ensure base.Awake() and base.OnEnable is called in any derived NetworkManager classes."));
+            }
             Log.CaptureFunctionCall();
 
             if (!CanStart(StartType.Host))
@@ -1752,8 +1767,14 @@ private void OnApplicationQuit()
         }
 
         // Note that this gets also called manually by OnSceneUnloaded and OnApplicationQuit
-        private void OnDestroy()
+        protected virtual void OnDestroy()
         {
+            if (Log == null)
+            {
+                Log = new ContextualLogger(this, false);
+                Log.Warning(new Context(LogLevel.Normal, "No logger defined. Ensure base.Awake() and base.OnEnable is called in any derived NetworkManager classes."));
+            }
+
             try
             {
                 ShutdownInternal();
diff --git a/testproject/Assets/Tests/Runtime/NetworkManagerTests.cs b/testproject/Assets/Tests/Runtime/NetworkManagerTests.cs
index ccf46cb61c..e1262bd920 100644
--- a/testproject/Assets/Tests/Runtime/NetworkManagerTests.cs
+++ b/testproject/Assets/Tests/Runtime/NetworkManagerTests.cs
@@ -198,4 +198,45 @@ private void OnServerStopped(bool obj)
             m_ServerNetworkManager.Shutdown();
         }
     }
+
+    internal class DerivedNetworkManagerTests
+    {
+        private class TestNetworkManager : NetworkManager
+        {
+            public void Awake() { }
+            public void OnEnable() { }
+        }
+
+        [UnityTest]
+        public IEnumerator ValidateDerivedNetworkManager()
+        {
+            var gameObject = new GameObject("TestNetworkManager");
+            var server = gameObject.AddComponent<TestNetworkManager>();
+            var mockTransport = server.gameObject.AddComponent<MockTransport>();
+            server.NetworkConfig ??= new NetworkConfig();
+            server.NetworkConfig.NetworkTransport = mockTransport;
+            var client = Object.Instantiate(server);
+
+            var isListening = server.StartServer();
+            Assert.That(isListening, Is.True, "Server failed to start!");
+
+            client.StartClient();
+
+            var timeoutHelper = new TimeoutHelper();
+            yield return NetcodeIntegrationTest.WaitForConditionOrTimeOut(() => client.IsListening,  timeoutHelper);
+            Assert.That(timeoutHelper.TimedOut, Is.False, "Client timed out waiting to connect!");
+
+            Object.Destroy(client.gameObject);
+
+            server.Shutdown();
+            timeoutHelper = new TimeoutHelper();
+            yield return NetcodeIntegrationTest.WaitForConditionOrTimeOut(() => !server.IsListening,  timeoutHelper);
+            Assert.That(timeoutHelper.TimedOut, Is.False, "Timed out waiting for server to shutdown!");
+
+            isListening = server.StartHost();
+            Assert.That(isListening, Is.True, "Host failed to start!");
+
+            Object.Destroy(gameObject);
+        }
+    }
 }