diff --git a/spigot/build.gradle.kts b/spigot/build.gradle.kts
index eef4cf5..a26c029 100644
--- a/spigot/build.gradle.kts
+++ b/spigot/build.gradle.kts
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ dependencies {
         exclude("com.convallyria.languagy.libs")
     }
     implementation("org.bstats:bstats-bukkit:3.0.2")
-    implementation("com.github.retrooper.packetevents:spigot:${properties["packetevents_version"]}")
+    implementation("com.github.retrooper:packetevents-spigot:${properties["packetevents_version"]}")
 }
 
 tasks {
diff --git a/spigot/src/main/java/com/convallyria/forcepack/spigot/util/ProtocolUtil.java b/spigot/src/main/java/com/convallyria/forcepack/spigot/util/ProtocolUtil.java
index de29212..3bb4880 100644
--- a/spigot/src/main/java/com/convallyria/forcepack/spigot/util/ProtocolUtil.java
+++ b/spigot/src/main/java/com/convallyria/forcepack/spigot/util/ProtocolUtil.java
@@ -13,10 +13,19 @@
 public class ProtocolUtil {
 
     public static int getProtocolVersion(Player player) {
-        final boolean viaversion = Bukkit.getPluginManager().isPluginEnabled("ViaVersion");
-        return viaversion
-                ? Via.getAPI().getPlayerVersion(player)
-                : PacketEvents.getAPI().getPlayerManager().getUser(player).getClientVersion().getProtocolVersion();
+        if(Bukkit.getPluginManager().isPluginEnabled("ViaVersion")) {
+            return Via.getAPI().getPlayerVersion(player);
+        }
+
+        final User user = PacketEvents.getAPI().getPlayerManager().getUser(player);
+
+        // PacketEvents will not create users for fake online players
+        // so we can safely assume that if the user is null, the player is fake
+        if(user == null) {
+            return -1;
+        }
+
+        return user.getClientVersion().getProtocolVersion();
     }
 
     private static boolean warnedBadPlugin;