diff --git a/.github/workflows/build-0-2-x.yml b/.github/workflows/build-0-2-x.yml
index c3e2f0275..998c9cfaf 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build-0-2-x.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build-0-2-x.yml
@@ -11,6 +11,8 @@ jobs:
 
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+      - name: Validate Gradle Wrapper
+        uses: gradle/actions/wrapper-validation@v4
       - name: Set the Build number
         id: calculated_build_number
         env:
diff --git a/build.gradle b/build.gradle
index dfa5ad3be..410586055 100644
--- a/build.gradle
+++ b/build.gradle
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 plugins {
-    id 'org.screamingsandals.plugin-builder' version '1.0.85' apply false
+    id 'org.screamingsandals.plugin-builder' version '1.0.87' apply false
     id 'me.kcra.takenaka.accessor' version '1.2.0' apply false
     id 'com.github.gmazzo.buildconfig' version '3.0.0' apply false
 }
diff --git a/gradle.properties b/gradle.properties
index d3c0820f4..fea92aec5 100644
--- a/gradle.properties
+++ b/gradle.properties
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-version=0.2.36
+version=0.2.36.1
 
 org.gradle.caching=true
 org.gradle.parallel=true
diff --git a/plugin/src/main/java/org/screamingsandals/bedwars/boss/BossBar18.java b/plugin/src/main/java/org/screamingsandals/bedwars/boss/BossBar18.java
index c70bacbd5..e7e105951 100644
--- a/plugin/src/main/java/org/screamingsandals/bedwars/boss/BossBar18.java
+++ b/plugin/src/main/java/org/screamingsandals/bedwars/boss/BossBar18.java
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ public class BossBar18 implements org.screamingsandals.bedwars.api.boss.BossBar1
     public final FakeEntityNMS<?> bossbarEntity;
     public final boolean viaActive;
     public BossBar viaBossBar; // can't be final
+    public boolean viaAfterJsonUpdate;
 
     public BossBar18(Location location) {
         String backend = Main.getConfigurator().config.getString("bossbar.backend-entity");
@@ -51,9 +52,12 @@ public BossBar18(Location location) {
             bossbarEntity = new BossBarWither(location);
         }
         boolean viaActive = false;
-        if (Bukkit.getPluginManager().isPluginEnabled("ViaVersion")) {
+        if (Main.getConfigurator().config.getBoolean("bossbar.allow-via-hooks") && Bukkit.getPluginManager().isPluginEnabled("ViaVersion")) {
             try {
-                viaBossBar = Via.getAPI().legacyAPI().createLegacyBossBar("", 1, BossColor.PURPLE, BossStyle.SOLID);
+                String version = Bukkit.getPluginManager().getPlugin("ViaVersion").getDescription().getVersion();
+                // due to Via now accepting both, many strings including an empty string fails
+                viaAfterJsonUpdate = Integer.parseInt(version.split("\\.", 2)[0]) >= 5 && !version.equals("5.0.0") && !version.equals("5.0.1");
+                viaBossBar = Via.getAPI().legacyAPI().createLegacyBossBar(viaAfterJsonUpdate ? "{text: \"\"}" : "", 1, BossColor.PURPLE, BossStyle.SOLID);
                 viaActive = true;
             } catch (Throwable ignored) {
                 // Too old ViaVersion is installed
@@ -71,7 +75,7 @@ public String getMessage() {
     public void setMessage(String message) {
         bossbarEntity.setCustomName(message);
         if (viaActive) {
-            viaBossBar.setTitle(message);
+            viaBossBar.setTitle(viaAfterJsonUpdate ? "{text: \"" + message.replace("\"", "\\\"") + "\"}" : message);
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/plugin/src/main/java/org/screamingsandals/bedwars/config/Configurator.java b/plugin/src/main/java/org/screamingsandals/bedwars/config/Configurator.java
index f7aa6c475..f465ac168 100644
--- a/plugin/src/main/java/org/screamingsandals/bedwars/config/Configurator.java
+++ b/plugin/src/main/java/org/screamingsandals/bedwars/config/Configurator.java
@@ -475,6 +475,7 @@ public void createFiles() {
         checkOrSetConfig(modify, "bossbar.game.style", "SEGMENTED_20");
         if (Main.getVersionNumber() <= 108) {
             checkOrSetConfig(modify, "bossbar.backend-entity", "dragon");
+            checkOrSetConfig(modify, "bossbar.allow-via-hooks", true);
         }
 
         checkOrSetConfig(modify, "holograms.enabled", true);