diff --git a/proxy/src/main/java/com/velocitypowered/proxy/connection/client/ClientPlaySessionHandler.java b/proxy/src/main/java/com/velocitypowered/proxy/connection/client/ClientPlaySessionHandler.java
index 8880233bb3..ad5ba0684d 100644
--- a/proxy/src/main/java/com/velocitypowered/proxy/connection/client/ClientPlaySessionHandler.java
+++ b/proxy/src/main/java/com/velocitypowered/proxy/connection/client/ClientPlaySessionHandler.java
@@ -37,7 +37,6 @@
 import com.velocitypowered.proxy.connection.backend.BackendConnectionPhases;
 import com.velocitypowered.proxy.connection.backend.BungeeCordMessageResponder;
 import com.velocitypowered.proxy.connection.backend.VelocityServerConnection;
-import com.velocitypowered.proxy.connection.forge.legacy.LegacyForgeConstants;
 import com.velocitypowered.proxy.connection.player.resourcepack.ResourcePackResponseBundle;
 import com.velocitypowered.proxy.protocol.MinecraftPacket;
 import com.velocitypowered.proxy.protocol.StateRegistry;
@@ -341,13 +340,9 @@ public boolean handle(TabCompleteRequestPacket packet) {
 
   @Override
   public boolean handle(PluginMessagePacket packet) {
-    // Handling edge case when packet with FML client handshake (state COMPLETE)
-    // arrives after JoinGame packet from destination server
-    VelocityServerConnection serverConn =
-        (player.getConnectedServer() == null
-            && packet.getChannel().equals(
-            LegacyForgeConstants.FORGE_LEGACY_HANDSHAKE_CHANNEL))
-            ? player.getConnectionInFlight() : player.getConnectedServer();
+    final VelocityServerConnection connected = player.getConnectedServer();
+    final VelocityServerConnection serverConn =
+        connected != null ? connected : player.getConnectionInFlight();
 
     MinecraftConnection backendConn = serverConn != null ? serverConn.getConnection() : null;
     if (serverConn != null && backendConn != null) {
diff --git a/proxy/src/main/java/com/velocitypowered/proxy/protocol/netty/LegacyPingDecoder.java b/proxy/src/main/java/com/velocitypowered/proxy/protocol/netty/LegacyPingDecoder.java
index a6c2c065f5..061d2cb229 100644
--- a/proxy/src/main/java/com/velocitypowered/proxy/protocol/netty/LegacyPingDecoder.java
+++ b/proxy/src/main/java/com/velocitypowered/proxy/protocol/netty/LegacyPingDecoder.java
@@ -57,13 +57,20 @@ protected void decode(ChannelHandlerContext ctx, ByteBuf in, List<Object> out) t
       }
 
       short next = in.readUnsignedByte();
-      if (next == 1 && !in.isReadable()) {
-        out.add(new LegacyPingPacket(LegacyMinecraftPingVersion.MINECRAFT_1_4));
-        return;
+      if (next == 1) {
+        if (!in.isReadable()) {
+          out.add(new LegacyPingPacket(LegacyMinecraftPingVersion.MINECRAFT_1_4));
+          return;
+        }
+        if (in.getUnsignedByte(in.readerIndex()) == 0xFA) {
+          out.add(readExtended16Data(in));
+          return;
+        }
       }
 
-      // We got a 1.6.x ping. Let's chomp off the stuff we don't need.
-      out.add(readExtended16Data(in));
+      // Not a legacy ping. Reset and let the modern decoder handle it.
+      in.readerIndex(originalReaderIndex);
+      ctx.pipeline().remove(this);
     } else if (first == 0x02 && in.isReadable()) {
       in.skipBytes(in.readableBytes());
       out.add(new LegacyHandshakePacket());
diff --git a/proxy/src/main/java/com/velocitypowered/proxy/protocol/packet/HandshakePacket.java b/proxy/src/main/java/com/velocitypowered/proxy/protocol/packet/HandshakePacket.java
index 88cb3688bd..3f65f3c0ab 100644
--- a/proxy/src/main/java/com/velocitypowered/proxy/protocol/packet/HandshakePacket.java
+++ b/proxy/src/main/java/com/velocitypowered/proxy/protocol/packet/HandshakePacket.java
@@ -17,8 +17,6 @@
 
 package com.velocitypowered.proxy.protocol.packet;
 
-import static com.velocitypowered.proxy.connection.forge.legacy.LegacyForgeConstants.HANDSHAKE_HOSTNAME_TOKEN;
-
 import com.velocitypowered.api.network.HandshakeIntent;
 import com.velocitypowered.api.network.ProtocolVersion;
 import com.velocitypowered.proxy.connection.MinecraftSessionHandler;
@@ -29,9 +27,6 @@
 
 public class HandshakePacket implements MinecraftPacket {
 
-  // This size was chosen to ensure Forge clients can still connect even with very long hostnames.
-  // While DNS technically allows any character to be used, in practice ASCII is used.
-  private static final int MAXIMUM_HOSTNAME_LENGTH = 255 + HANDSHAKE_HOSTNAME_TOKEN.length() + 1;
   private ProtocolVersion protocolVersion;
   private String serverAddress = "";
   private int port;
@@ -89,7 +84,7 @@ public String toString() {
   public void decode(ByteBuf buf, ProtocolUtils.Direction direction, ProtocolVersion ignored) {
     int realProtocolVersion = ProtocolUtils.readVarInt(buf);
     this.protocolVersion = ProtocolVersion.getProtocolVersion(realProtocolVersion);
-    this.serverAddress = ProtocolUtils.readString(buf, MAXIMUM_HOSTNAME_LENGTH);
+    this.serverAddress = ProtocolUtils.readString(buf, Short.MAX_VALUE);
     this.port = buf.readUnsignedShort();
     this.nextStatus = ProtocolUtils.readVarInt(buf);
     this.intent = HandshakeIntent.getById(nextStatus);
@@ -117,7 +112,7 @@ public int decodeExpectedMinLength(ByteBuf buf, ProtocolUtils.Direction directio
   @Override
   public int decodeExpectedMaxLength(ByteBuf buf, ProtocolUtils.Direction direction,
                                ProtocolVersion version) {
-    return 9 + (MAXIMUM_HOSTNAME_LENGTH * 3);
+    return 9 + (Short.MAX_VALUE * 3);
   }
 
   @Override