diff --git a/core/src/main/java/org/geysermc/geyser/entity/EntityDefinitions.java b/core/src/main/java/org/geysermc/geyser/entity/EntityDefinitions.java
index f48cf4053..8e485e14b 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/org/geysermc/geyser/entity/EntityDefinitions.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/org/geysermc/geyser/entity/EntityDefinitions.java
@@ -238,6 +238,8 @@ public final class EntityDefinitions {
     public static final EntityDefinition<ChestBoatEntity> OAK_CHEST_BOAT;
     public static final EntityDefinition<OcelotEntity> OCELOT;
     public static final EntityDefinition<PaintingEntity> PAINTING;
+    public static final EntityDefinition<BoatEntity> PALE_OAK_BOAT;
+    public static final EntityDefinition<ChestBoatEntity> PALE_OAK_CHEST_BOAT;
     public static final EntityDefinition<PandaEntity> PANDA;
     public static final EntityDefinition<ParrotEntity> PARROT;
     public static final EntityDefinition<PhantomEntity> PHANTOM;
@@ -593,6 +595,7 @@ public final class EntityDefinitions {
             MANGROVE_BOAT = buildBoat(boatBase, EntityType.MANGROVE_BOAT, BoatEntity.BoatVariant.MANGROVE);
             OAK_BOAT = buildBoat(boatBase, EntityType.OAK_BOAT, BoatEntity.BoatVariant.OAK);
             SPRUCE_BOAT = buildBoat(boatBase, EntityType.SPRUCE_BOAT, BoatEntity.BoatVariant.SPRUCE);
+            PALE_OAK_BOAT = buildBoat(boatBase, EntityType.PALE_OAK_BOAT, BoatEntity.BoatVariant.PALE_OAK);
 
             EntityDefinition<ChestBoatEntity> chestBoatBase = EntityDefinition.<ChestBoatEntity>inherited(null, boatBase)
                 .build();
@@ -606,6 +609,7 @@ public final class EntityDefinitions {
             MANGROVE_CHEST_BOAT = buildChestBoat(chestBoatBase, EntityType.MANGROVE_CHEST_BOAT, BoatEntity.BoatVariant.MANGROVE);
             OAK_CHEST_BOAT = buildChestBoat(chestBoatBase, EntityType.OAK_CHEST_BOAT, BoatEntity.BoatVariant.OAK);
             SPRUCE_CHEST_BOAT = buildChestBoat(chestBoatBase, EntityType.SPRUCE_CHEST_BOAT, BoatEntity.BoatVariant.SPRUCE);
+            PALE_OAK_CHEST_BOAT = buildChestBoat(chestBoatBase, EntityType.PALE_OAK_CHEST_BOAT, BoatEntity.BoatVariant.PALE_OAK);
         }
 
         EntityDefinition<LivingEntity> livingEntityBase = EntityDefinition.inherited(LivingEntity::new, entityBase)
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/org/geysermc/geyser/entity/type/BoatEntity.java b/core/src/main/java/org/geysermc/geyser/entity/type/BoatEntity.java
index 86accea17..6c7b6e122 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/org/geysermc/geyser/entity/type/BoatEntity.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/org/geysermc/geyser/entity/type/BoatEntity.java
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ import org.geysermc.geyser.entity.EntityDefinition;
 import org.geysermc.geyser.entity.EntityDefinitions;
 import org.geysermc.geyser.item.Items;
 import org.geysermc.geyser.item.type.Item;
+import org.geysermc.geyser.network.GameProtocol;
 import org.geysermc.geyser.session.GeyserSession;
 import org.geysermc.geyser.util.InteractionResult;
 import org.geysermc.geyser.util.InteractiveTag;
@@ -77,6 +78,11 @@ public class BoatEntity extends Entity implements Leashable, Tickable {
         super(session, entityId, geyserId, uuid, definition, position.add(0d, definition.offset(), 0d), motion, yaw + 90, 0, yaw + 90);
         this.variant = variant;
 
+        // TODO remove once 1.21.40 is dropped
+        if (variant == BoatVariant.PALE_OAK && GameProtocol.isPreWinterDrop(session)) {
+            variant = BoatVariant.BIRCH;
+        }
+
         dirtyMetadata.put(EntityDataTypes.VARIANT, variant.ordinal());
 
         // Required to be able to move on land 1.16.200+ or apply gravity not in the water 1.16.100+
@@ -238,7 +244,8 @@ public class BoatEntity extends Entity implements Leashable, Tickable {
         DARK_OAK(Items.DARK_OAK_BOAT, Items.DARK_OAK_CHEST_BOAT),
         MANGROVE(Items.MANGROVE_BOAT, Items.MANGROVE_CHEST_BOAT),
         BAMBOO(Items.BAMBOO_RAFT, Items.BAMBOO_CHEST_RAFT),
-        CHERRY(Items.CHERRY_BOAT, Items.CHERRY_CHEST_BOAT);
+        CHERRY(Items.CHERRY_BOAT, Items.CHERRY_CHEST_BOAT),
+        PALE_OAK(Items.PALE_OAK_BOAT, Items.PALE_OAK_CHEST_BOAT);
 
         private final Item pickItem;
         final Item chestPickItem;
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/org/geysermc/geyser/network/GameProtocol.java b/core/src/main/java/org/geysermc/geyser/network/GameProtocol.java
index c762cf5d3..bb7032d25 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/org/geysermc/geyser/network/GameProtocol.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/org/geysermc/geyser/network/GameProtocol.java
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ import org.cloudburstmc.protocol.bedrock.codec.BedrockCodec;
 import org.cloudburstmc.protocol.bedrock.codec.v748.Bedrock_v748;
 import org.cloudburstmc.protocol.bedrock.codec.v766.Bedrock_v766;
 import org.cloudburstmc.protocol.bedrock.netty.codec.packet.BedrockPacketCodec;
+import org.geysermc.geyser.session.GeyserSession;
 import org.geysermc.mcprotocollib.protocol.codec.MinecraftCodec;
 import org.geysermc.mcprotocollib.protocol.codec.PacketCodec;
 
@@ -84,6 +85,10 @@ public final class GameProtocol {
 
     /* Bedrock convenience methods to gatekeep features and easily remove the check on version removal */
 
+    public static boolean isPreWinterDrop(GeyserSession session) {
+        return session.getUpstream().getProtocolVersion() == Bedrock_v748.CODEC.getProtocolVersion();
+    }
+
     /**
      * Gets the {@link PacketCodec} for Minecraft: Java Edition.
      *
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/org/geysermc/geyser/translator/protocol/java/level/JavaBlockEventTranslator.java b/core/src/main/java/org/geysermc/geyser/translator/protocol/java/level/JavaBlockEventTranslator.java
index c94468c17..917075976 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/org/geysermc/geyser/translator/protocol/java/level/JavaBlockEventTranslator.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/org/geysermc/geyser/translator/protocol/java/level/JavaBlockEventTranslator.java
@@ -62,6 +62,11 @@ public class JavaBlockEventTranslator extends PacketTranslator<ClientboundBlockE
         Vector3i position = packet.getPosition();
         BlockValue value = packet.getValue();
 
+        if (value == null) {
+            session.getGeyser().getLogger().debug("Unable to handle packet %s - null value! ".formatted(packet.toString()));
+            return;
+        }
+
         BlockEventPacket blockEventPacket = new BlockEventPacket();
         blockEventPacket.setBlockPosition(position);
 
diff --git a/gradle/libs.versions.toml b/gradle/libs.versions.toml
index 686064926..e9b922eae 100644
--- a/gradle/libs.versions.toml
+++ b/gradle/libs.versions.toml
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ protocol-common = "3.0.0.Beta5-20241203.200249-19"
 protocol-codec = "3.0.0.Beta5-20241203.200249-19"
 raknet = "1.0.0.CR3-20240416.144209-1"
 minecraftauth = "4.1.1"
-mcprotocollib = "1.21.4-SNAPSHOT"
+mcprotocollib = "1.21.4-20241205.121506-8"
 adventure = "4.14.0"
 adventure-platform = "4.3.0"
 junit = "5.9.2"