diff --git a/api/src/main/java/net/md_5/bungee/api/connection/ProxiedPlayer.java b/api/src/main/java/net/md_5/bungee/api/connection/ProxiedPlayer.java
index f39c34731..4304b1e9a 100644
--- a/api/src/main/java/net/md_5/bungee/api/connection/ProxiedPlayer.java
+++ b/api/src/main/java/net/md_5/bungee/api/connection/ProxiedPlayer.java
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import java.util.Locale;
 import java.util.Map;
 import java.util.UUID;
 import net.md_5.bungee.api.Callback;
+import net.md_5.bungee.api.ChatMessageType;
 import net.md_5.bungee.api.CommandSender;
 import net.md_5.bungee.api.Title;
 import net.md_5.bungee.api.chat.BaseComponent;
@@ -31,6 +32,22 @@ public interface ProxiedPlayer extends Connection, CommandSender
      */
     void setDisplayName(String name);
 
+    /**
+     * Send a message to the specified screen position of this player.
+     *
+     * @param position the screen position
+     * @param message the message to send
+     */
+    public void sendMessage(ChatMessageType position, BaseComponent... message);
+
+    /**
+     * Send a message to the specified screen position of this player.
+     *
+     * @param position the screen position
+     * @param message the message to send
+     */
+    public void sendMessage(ChatMessageType position, BaseComponent message);
+
     /**
      * Connects / transfers this user to the specified connection, gracefully
      * closing the current one. Depending on the implementation, this method
diff --git a/chat/src/main/java/net/md_5/bungee/api/ChatMessageType.java b/chat/src/main/java/net/md_5/bungee/api/ChatMessageType.java
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..1d126a91f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/chat/src/main/java/net/md_5/bungee/api/ChatMessageType.java
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+package net.md_5.bungee.api;
+
+/**
+ * Represents the position on the screen where a message will appear.
+ */
+public enum ChatMessageType
+{
+    CHAT,
+    SYSTEM,
+    ACTION_BAR
+}
diff --git a/proxy/src/main/java/net/md_5/bungee/UserConnection.java b/proxy/src/main/java/net/md_5/bungee/UserConnection.java
index 6a89b52a4..e69544d1e 100644
--- a/proxy/src/main/java/net/md_5/bungee/UserConnection.java
+++ b/proxy/src/main/java/net/md_5/bungee/UserConnection.java
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ import lombok.NonNull;
 import lombok.RequiredArgsConstructor;
 import lombok.Setter;
 import net.md_5.bungee.api.Callback;
+import net.md_5.bungee.api.ChatMessageType;
 import net.md_5.bungee.api.ProxyServer;
 import net.md_5.bungee.api.Title;
 import net.md_5.bungee.api.chat.BaseComponent;
@@ -370,13 +371,44 @@ public final class UserConnection implements ProxiedPlayer
     @Override
     public void sendMessage(BaseComponent... message)
     {
-        unsafe().sendPacket( new Chat( ComponentSerializer.toString( message ) ) );
+        sendMessage( ChatMessageType.CHAT, message );
     }
 
     @Override
     public void sendMessage(BaseComponent message)
     {
-        unsafe().sendPacket( new Chat( ComponentSerializer.toString( message ) ) );
+        sendMessage( ChatMessageType.CHAT, message );
+    }
+
+    private void sendMessage(ChatMessageType position, String message)
+    {
+        unsafe().sendPacket( new Chat( message, (byte) position.ordinal() ) );
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public void sendMessage(ChatMessageType position, BaseComponent... message)
+    {
+        // Action bar doesn't display the new JSON formattings, legacy works - send it using this for now
+        if ( position == ChatMessageType.ACTION_BAR && pendingConnection.getVersion() >= ProtocolConstants.MINECRAFT_SNAPSHOT )
+        {
+            sendMessage( position, ComponentSerializer.toString( new TextComponent( TextComponent.toLegacyText( message ) ) ) );
+        } else
+        {
+            sendMessage( position, ComponentSerializer.toString( message ) );
+        }
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public void sendMessage(ChatMessageType position, BaseComponent message)
+    {
+        // Action bar doesn't display the new JSON formattings, legacy works - send it using this for now
+        if ( position == ChatMessageType.ACTION_BAR && pendingConnection.getVersion() >= ProtocolConstants.MINECRAFT_SNAPSHOT )
+        {
+            sendMessage( position, ComponentSerializer.toString( new TextComponent( TextComponent.toLegacyText( message ) ) ) );
+        } else
+        {
+            sendMessage( position, ComponentSerializer.toString( message ) );
+        }
     }
 
     @Override