diff --git a/src/main/java/com/viaversion/aas/codec/MinecraftCodec.java b/src/main/java/com/viaversion/aas/codec/MinecraftCodec.java
index 68e92c6..11dd4a7 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/viaversion/aas/codec/MinecraftCodec.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/viaversion/aas/codec/MinecraftCodec.java
@@ -25,10 +25,12 @@ public class MinecraftCodec extends MessageToMessageCodec<ByteBuf, Packet> {
 
 		try {
 			var handler = ctx.pipeline().get(MinecraftHandler.class);
+			var version = handler.getData().getFrontVer();
+			if (version == null) version = ProtocolVersion.unknown;
 			PacketRegistry.INSTANCE.encode(
 					msg,
 					buf,
-					handler.getData().getFrontVer(),
+					version,
 					handler.getFrontEnd() ? Direction.CLIENTBOUND : Direction.SERVERBOUND
 			);
 			out.add(buf.retain());
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/viaversion/aas/handler/state/ConfigurationState.java b/src/main/java/com/viaversion/aas/handler/state/ConfigurationState.java
index 5cd49c0..df1d480 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/viaversion/aas/handler/state/ConfigurationState.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/viaversion/aas/handler/state/ConfigurationState.java
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ public class ConfigurationState implements ConnectionState {
 	public void disconnect(@NotNull MinecraftHandler handler, @NotNull String msg) {
 		ConnectionState.DefaultImpls.disconnect(this, handler, msg);
 		var packet = new ConfigurationDisconnect();
-		packet.setMsgForVersion(new JsonPrimitive("[VIAaaS] §c$msg"), handler.getData().getFrontVer());
+		packet.setMsgForVersion(new JsonPrimitive("[VIAaaS] §c" + msg), handler.getData().getFrontVer());
 		UtilKt.writeFlushClose(handler.getData().getFrontChannel(), packet, false);
 	}