diff --git a/plugin/bukkit/src/main/java/org/screamingsandals/bedwars/bukkit/BukkitPlatformService.java b/plugin/bukkit/src/main/java/org/screamingsandals/bedwars/bukkit/BukkitPlatformService.java
index 24ef3aac1..65bb53bab 100644
--- a/plugin/bukkit/src/main/java/org/screamingsandals/bedwars/bukkit/BukkitPlatformService.java
+++ b/plugin/bukkit/src/main/java/org/screamingsandals/bedwars/bukkit/BukkitPlatformService.java
@@ -39,19 +39,15 @@
 import org.screamingsandals.bedwars.api.game.GameStatus;
 import org.screamingsandals.bedwars.bukkit.hooks.BukkitBStatsMetrics;
 import org.screamingsandals.bedwars.bukkit.hooks.PerWorldInventoryCompatibilityFix;
-import org.screamingsandals.bedwars.config.MainConfig;
 import org.screamingsandals.bedwars.game.GameImpl;
 import org.screamingsandals.bedwars.game.GameManagerImpl;
 import org.screamingsandals.bedwars.lang.LangKeys;
-import org.screamingsandals.lib.Server;
 import org.screamingsandals.lib.block.BlockPlacement;
 import org.screamingsandals.lib.block.snapshot.BlockSnapshot;
 import org.screamingsandals.lib.event.player.PlayerBlockBreakEvent;
 import org.screamingsandals.lib.event.player.PlayerBlockPlaceEvent;
 import org.screamingsandals.lib.impl.bukkit.event.player.BukkitPlayerBlockBreakEvent;
 import org.screamingsandals.lib.impl.bukkit.event.player.BukkitPlayerBlockPlaceEvent;
-import org.screamingsandals.lib.impl.bukkit.spectator.bossbar.BukkitBossBar1_8;
-import org.screamingsandals.lib.impl.bukkit.spectator.bossbar.GlobalBossBarBackend1_8;
 import org.screamingsandals.lib.lang.Message;
 import org.screamingsandals.lib.sender.CommandSender;
 import org.screamingsandals.lib.spectator.Component;
@@ -61,7 +57,6 @@
 import org.screamingsandals.lib.tasker.task.TaskBase;
 import org.screamingsandals.lib.utils.annotations.Service;
 import org.screamingsandals.lib.utils.annotations.ServiceDependencies;
-import org.screamingsandals.lib.utils.annotations.methods.OnPostEnable;
 import org.screamingsandals.lib.utils.reflect.Reflect;
 
 import java.util.Locale;
@@ -73,21 +68,6 @@
         BukkitBStatsMetrics.class
 })
 public class BukkitPlatformService extends PlatformService {
-    @OnPostEnable
-    public void onPostEnable() {
-        if (!Server.isVersion(1, 9)) {
-            var backend = MainConfig.getInstance().node("bossbar", "backend-entity").getString("dragon");
-            if ("dragon".equalsIgnoreCase(backend)) {
-                backend = "ender_dragon";
-            }
-            try {
-                GlobalBossBarBackend1_8.setBackend(BukkitBossBar1_8.Backend.valueOf(backend.toUpperCase(Locale.ROOT)));
-            } catch (Throwable ignored) {
-                // invalid value
-            }
-        }
-    }
-
     @Override
     public void reloadPlugin(@NotNull CommandSender sender) {
         sender.sendMessage(Message.of(LangKeys.SAFE_RELOAD).defaultPrefix());
diff --git a/plugin/common/src/main/java/org/screamingsandals/bedwars/BedWarsPlugin.java b/plugin/common/src/main/java/org/screamingsandals/bedwars/BedWarsPlugin.java
index 37d52f383..816998fd2 100644
--- a/plugin/common/src/main/java/org/screamingsandals/bedwars/BedWarsPlugin.java
+++ b/plugin/common/src/main/java/org/screamingsandals/bedwars/BedWarsPlugin.java
@@ -401,6 +401,12 @@ public void enable() {
         Server.getConsoleSender().sendMessage(Component.text("https://www.patreon.com/screamingsandals", Color.WHITE));
 
         HologramManager.setPreferDisplayEntities(MainConfig.getInstance().node("prefer-1-19-4-display-entities").getBoolean());
+        if (!Server.isVersion(1, 9)) {
+            // 1.8.8 boss bars
+            var backend = MainConfig.getInstance().node("bossbar", "backend-entity").getString("dragon");
+            Server.preferEnderDragonBossBar("dragon".equalsIgnoreCase(backend) || "ender_dragon".equalsIgnoreCase(backend));
+            Server.enableViaHooksForBossBar(MainConfig.getInstance().node("bossbar", "allow-via-hooks").getBoolean());
+        }
     }
 
     @OnDisable
diff --git a/plugin/common/src/main/java/org/screamingsandals/bedwars/config/MainConfig.java b/plugin/common/src/main/java/org/screamingsandals/bedwars/config/MainConfig.java
index 376ce9528..eb6bc5ea9 100644
--- a/plugin/common/src/main/java/org/screamingsandals/bedwars/config/MainConfig.java
+++ b/plugin/common/src/main/java/org/screamingsandals/bedwars/config/MainConfig.java
@@ -648,6 +648,7 @@ public void load() {
 
             if (!Server.isVersion(1, 9)) {
                 generator.start().key("bossbar", "backend-entity").defValue("dragon");
+                generator.start().key("bossbar", "allow-via-hooks").defValue(true);
             }
 
             generator.start()
diff --git a/plugin/common/src/main/java/org/screamingsandals/bedwars/listener/PlayerListener.java b/plugin/common/src/main/java/org/screamingsandals/bedwars/listener/PlayerListener.java
index cb0c01a8e..8de764f20 100644
--- a/plugin/common/src/main/java/org/screamingsandals/bedwars/listener/PlayerListener.java
+++ b/plugin/common/src/main/java/org/screamingsandals/bedwars/listener/PlayerListener.java
@@ -88,6 +88,10 @@ public class PlayerListener {
 
     @OnEvent(order = EventExecutionOrder.LAST)
     public void onPlayerDeath(PlayerDeathEvent event) {
+        if (event.cancelled()) {
+            return;
+        }
+
         final var victim = event.player();
 
         // TODO: check for cancellation state if possible (need adjustments in slib)