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Quick recovery checklist
- Record the Minecraft client version, Velocity build, backend software and version, ViaVersion version, and every proxy plugin that handles chat, moderation, commands, or staff messaging.
- Update Velocity, the Paper or Purpur backend, ViaVersion, and all proxy plugins to builds that explicitly support your Minecraft version.
- Disable chat-related proxy plugins one at a time. Reconnect after each change until the kick stops; the last plugin removed is your primary suspect.
- If you maintain that plugin, replace proxy-side cancellation of signed chat (for example,
ChatResult.denied()) with a pass-through or unsigned replacement such asChatResult.message(text). - For a documented drop-in workaround, evaluate ChatPatcher for Minecraft 1.21.5. For CrossChat, install its backend companion where required and apply the secure-profile setting only after checking your server version.
- Restart the proxy after the corrected build or configuration is installed, then test ordinary chat, commands, private messages, and moderation features separately.
What the illegal protocol state message means
Velocity sits between the player and the Paper or Purpur server. A chat packet is signed by the client, and newer Minecraft protocol rules require the signature and message contents to remain consistent as the packet crosses that boundary. A proxy plugin that cancels the packet, substitutes text, or otherwise changes the signed payload can leave the connection in a state that the client or backend rejects. Velocity then disconnects the player with wording such as “A proxy plugin caused an illegal protocol state.”
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The error therefore usually originates on the server network. Changing your keyboard, reinstalling the Minecraft launcher, or switching home networks will not repair a plugin that is violating the proxy protocol.
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Why Minecraft 1.19.1 changed plugin compatibility
Signed-chat enforcement substantially changed the compatibility surface beginning with Minecraft 1.19.1. Before that change, a proxy plugin could often block or rewrite a chat packet without having to account for a cryptographic signature. Afterward, the recipient can detect that the text no longer matches what the client signed. A plugin written for older protocol behavior may still load successfully and appear to work for commands or server switching, but fail the moment a player sends chat.
Mixed-version networks make this harder to diagnose. A common reproduction reported by PaperMC involved a Minecraft 1.19.1 or 1.19.2 client, ViaVersion, Velocity 3.1.2-SNAPSHOT, and a Paper 1.18.2 backend. That combination illustrates why every layer matters: the client protocol, proxy build, translation layer, backend version, and intercepting plugin must agree on how chat is represented.
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Capture the exact software stack before changing it
Write down the versions from the affected server, not just the version shown in a launcher. Include:
- Minecraft client version and whether the player connects through ViaVersion or another protocol translator.
- Velocity version and whether it is a stable release, development build, or snapshot.
- Paper or Purpur backend version on every server the player can join.
- ViaVersion version and any companion protocol plugins.
- Proxy plugins that touch public chat, staff chat, moderation, mute or vanish functions, command interception, chat formatting, cross-server messaging, or anti-spam checks.
- The complete disconnect text and the proxy console lines immediately before it.
Keep this record with a timestamp. If the issue began after one plugin update, that timing is valuable, but do not assume the newest file is automatically the cause: a proxy update can expose an older plugin’s unsupported behavior.
Step-by-step repair procedure
1. Update every protocol-sensitive component
Install current, mutually compatible builds of Velocity, the backend software, ViaVersion, and the plugins listed above. Read each plugin’s release notes for the Minecraft and Velocity range it supports. Do not update only the chat plugin while leaving a snapshot proxy or an old ViaVersion build in place.
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Take a backup of the proxy configuration and plugin directory first. Replace one component at a time when possible, recording the old file name and version so you can roll back a failed combination. A successful startup is not proof that chat is compatible; perform an actual connection and send a test message.
2. Isolate the conflicting plugin
Stop the proxy cleanly before moving files. Temporarily disable plugins in these categories, in roughly this order:
- Cross-server chat, chat formatting, and staff-chat tools.
- Moderation plugins that mute, censor, filter, or cancel messages.
- Command and chat interceptors that inspect a message before it reaches the backend.
- Vanish, anti-spam, or proxy-wide messaging tools that may silently cancel a packet.
Disable one plugin, start the proxy, connect with a test account, and send ordinary chat. If the kick remains, restore that plugin and test the next one. When the kick disappears, re-enable the other plugins individually to check for a pairwise conflict. Keep a short matrix of plugin state versus result; it prevents a restart cycle from turning into guesswork.
3. Test each direction and message type
Use a controlled account and test more than one message:
- Plain public chat on the first backend.
- Public chat after switching servers through the proxy.
- A command such as
/listto verify that only chat handling is affected. - A private or staff message if a plugin provides one.
- A filtered or muted message, if you are testing moderation behavior.
If plain chat works but a staff channel or filtered phrase still disconnects the player, the responsible code path is narrower than the plugin itself. Record the exact message type and reproduce it with only the suspected plugin enabled.
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4. Repair plugin code that denies signed messages
If you develop or can rebuild the offending plugin, do not cancel a signed chat packet at the Velocity layer. The problematic pattern is a denial result for a message that still carries the client’s signature:
// Problematic for signed chat at the proxy layer
return ChatResult.denied();When policy requires changing the text, construct an unsigned replacement using the API pattern documented in CrossChat’s 1.2.0 release notes:
// Replace the signed payload with unsigned text
return ChatResult.message(text);Use the actual API signature and event flow for your installed Velocity build; the snippets show the important behavior, not a complete plugin. If the message should be allowed unchanged, pass it through rather than reconstructing it. If it must be blocked, use the current Velocity event and moderation API designed for your version instead of returning a denial result against a signed packet.
Recompile against the same Velocity API level used by the production proxy, test with both supported client versions and the ViaVersion path, and inspect the proxy log for protocol warnings. A fix that works for a direct 1.21.x connection may still fail for an older client translated through ViaVersion.
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Some deployments need a backend-side change after a proxy converts signed chat to unsigned text. CrossChat’s release notes state that its CrossChatBackend component is compatible with Paper 1.19.1 and later and Java 17 or later. For duplicate local chat suppression, install that companion on each applicable Paper or Purpur backend rather than relying only on the proxy component.
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The same documentation notes that paper-global.yml may require:
enforce-secure-profiles: falseApply this only when your installed software and plugin documentation call for it. Disabling secure-profile enforcement changes a server security setting; it is not a universal cure for every illegal-protocol-state error. Back up the file, edit the correct global configuration for the backend, restart that backend, and verify that your network’s moderation and authentication policies still meet your requirements.
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ChatPatcher is documented as a Velocity plugin for Minecraft 1.21.5 that removes signed-chat handling and requires no setup or additional dependencies. That makes it useful for a quick compatibility test when a legacy plugin cannot yet be rebuilt. Treat it as version-sensitive: verify the exact Minecraft and Velocity versions it supports, inspect its current release status and source, and test it on a staging proxy before deploying it to a busy network.
A workaround that strips signatures may restore connectivity while changing the trust properties of chat. Decide whether that trade-off is acceptable for your server, especially if you depend on signed-chat verification for moderation or audit purposes. Prefer a maintained plugin update or a code-level fix when one is available.
7. Restart and verify the repaired build
Velocity and backend configuration changes should be followed by a full, controlled restart rather than an unverified hot reload. IWPG reported a live incident on July 15, 2026 in which typing any chat message disconnected players; the issue was resolved after the proxy was restarted with a repaired build. After restart, test from a clean client session and repeat the message matrix. Watch both the proxy and backend logs while a test player chats.
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Choosing between the available mitigations
| Mitigation | Intervention point | Compatibility information | Configuration burden | Operational considerations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Update or rebuild the offending plugin | Plugin code and its chat event handling | Must match the installed Velocity API, Minecraft clients, ViaVersion path, and backend | Highest: build, test, and deploy a new plugin | Best long-term option because the behavior is corrected at its source |
| Pass through signed messages | Plugin event handler | Requires an API implementation that supports the current protocol | Low once the code is understood | Preserves signatures when no modification is needed |
Convert to unsigned text with ChatResult.message(text) |
Proxy plugin result | Pattern documented for CrossChat 1.2.0; verify your Velocity API and client range | Moderate: may require backend settings | Prevents the signature mismatch but changes the message’s signed status |
| ChatPatcher | Drop-in Velocity workaround | Documented for Minecraft 1.21.5; check current Velocity support | Low: no setup or dependencies are documented | Useful for testing or legacy plugins; review maintenance and security trade-offs |
| CrossChat plus CrossChatBackend | Proxy chat handling plus Paper/Purpur backend | Backend component documented for Paper 1.19.1+ and Java 17+ | Moderate: companion installation and possible paper-global.yml change |
Designed to avoid duplicate local chat when the proxy handles messaging |
Diagnose by the symptom that remains
The kick occurs on every public message
Disable all proxy plugins that can receive chat and re-enable them one by one. An always-reproducible kick usually indicates a plugin-wide signed-message handler rather than a particular word filter. Check the proxy log for the plugin name and event immediately before the disconnect.
The kick occurs only after switching servers
Compare the backend versions and plugin sets on the source and destination servers. A cross-server chat component may be sending the same signed packet through a second translation path. If using CrossChat, verify that its backend companion is installed where duplicate local chat must be suppressed and that every backend runs a supported Paper or Purpur version.
Only older clients fail
Test a direct connection from a client version that matches the backend, then test the older client through ViaVersion. If only the translated path fails, align ViaVersion, Velocity, and the chat plugin before changing backend security settings. The PaperMC reproduction involving 1.19.1/1.19.2 clients and a 1.18.2 backend demonstrates how mixed versions can expose this class of incompatibility.
Updating did not help
Confirm that the proxy loaded the new jar rather than a duplicate file in another plugin directory. Check the startup log for the plugin version, remove old copies, and restart completely. Then repeat isolation with only the chat-related plugins enabled. If the plugin is abandoned, use a maintained replacement or a temporary workaround while planning a rebuild.
The error appears after changing paper-global.yml
Restore the backup and retest the proxy without the setting. enforce-secure-profiles: false is relevant to deployments that intentionally accept signature-stripped messages; it cannot repair a plugin that still returns an invalid denial result for signed chat. Reapply it only with a compatible backend component and a documented reason.
Preventing another protocol-state incident
- Keep a version inventory for Velocity, every backend, ViaVersion, Java, and each proxy plugin.
- Read release notes for protocol or chat changes before upgrading Minecraft.
- Run a staging proxy with representative client versions, including the oldest version accepted through ViaVersion.
- Include public chat, private chat, staff channels, muted users, filtered phrases, server switching, and command interception in upgrade tests.
- Keep one known-good proxy build available for rollback and document the restart procedure.
- Monitor proxy logs after each update so a warning about signed chat is noticed before players report mass disconnects.
Bottom line
“A Proxy Plugin Caused an Illegal Protocol State” is a signed-chat compatibility failure at the Velocity layer. Find the plugin that cancels or mutates the signed packet, update the complete version stack, and repair its handler to pass the message through or replace it as unsigned text. Use ChatPatcher or a documented CrossChat configuration only after confirming version support and understanding any backend security changes. A clean restart with the repaired build is the final step that puts the fix into service.
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