diff --git a/cloud-fabric/src/main/java/org/incendo/cloud/fabric/internal/CloudFabricEntrypoint.java b/cloud-fabric/src/main/java/org/incendo/cloud/fabric/internal/CloudFabricEntrypoint.java
index 7ed8bd8e..507f8c84 100644
--- a/cloud-fabric/src/main/java/org/incendo/cloud/fabric/internal/CloudFabricEntrypoint.java
+++ b/cloud-fabric/src/main/java/org/incendo/cloud/fabric/internal/CloudFabricEntrypoint.java
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
 //
 package org.incendo.cloud.fabric.internal;
 
+import java.util.Objects;
 import net.fabricmc.api.EnvType;
 import net.fabricmc.api.ModInitializer;
 import net.fabricmc.fabric.api.event.lifecycle.v1.ServerLifecycleEvents;
@@ -36,13 +37,21 @@
 @DefaultQualifier(NonNull.class)
 public final class CloudFabricEntrypoint implements ModInitializer {
 
+    @SuppressWarnings("EmptyCatch")
     @Override
     public void onInitialize() {
         if (FabricLoader.getInstance().isModLoaded("adventure-platform-fabric")) {
-            ServerLifecycleEvents.SERVER_STARTING.register(AdventureSupport.get()::setupServer);
-            ServerLifecycleEvents.SERVER_STOPPED.register(AdventureSupport.get()::removeServer);
-            if (FabricLoader.getInstance().getEnvironmentType() == EnvType.CLIENT) {
-                AdventureSupport.get().setupClient();
+            try {
+                Objects.requireNonNull(
+                    Class.forName("net.kyori.adventure.platform.modcommon.MinecraftAudiences").getName()
+                );
+
+                ServerLifecycleEvents.SERVER_STARTING.register(AdventureSupport.get()::setupServer);
+                ServerLifecycleEvents.SERVER_STOPPED.register(AdventureSupport.get()::removeServer);
+                if (FabricLoader.getInstance().getEnvironmentType() == EnvType.CLIENT) {
+                    AdventureSupport.get().setupClient();
+                }
+            } catch (final ClassNotFoundException ignored) {
             }
         }
     }
diff --git a/cloud-minecraft-modded-common/build.gradle.kts b/cloud-minecraft-modded-common/build.gradle.kts
index 6397f7a2..fa3f8bcc 100644
--- a/cloud-minecraft-modded-common/build.gradle.kts
+++ b/cloud-minecraft-modded-common/build.gradle.kts
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ dependencies {
     mappings(loom.officialMojangMappings())
     compileOnly(libs.fabricLoader)
 
+    // todo: depend on common when deps fixed
     modCompileOnly(libs.adventureFabric)
 
     compileOnly(libs.cloud.minecraft.extras)
diff --git a/cloud-minecraft-modded-common/src/main/java/org/incendo/cloud/minecraft/modded/internal/AdventureSupport.java b/cloud-minecraft-modded-common/src/main/java/org/incendo/cloud/minecraft/modded/internal/AdventureSupport.java
index a1911e91..4ef27648 100644
--- a/cloud-minecraft-modded-common/src/main/java/org/incendo/cloud/minecraft/modded/internal/AdventureSupport.java
+++ b/cloud-minecraft-modded-common/src/main/java/org/incendo/cloud/minecraft/modded/internal/AdventureSupport.java
@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@ private void setupConverter() {
         try {
             ComponentMessageThrowableConverter.setup(this);
         } catch (final LinkageError ignored) {
+            // cloud-minecraft-extras not present
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/cloud-neoforge/src/main/resources/META-INF/neoforge.mods.toml b/cloud-neoforge/src/main/resources/META-INF/neoforge.mods.toml
index 82a733f7..cb280aca 100644
--- a/cloud-neoforge/src/main/resources/META-INF/neoforge.mods.toml
+++ b/cloud-neoforge/src/main/resources/META-INF/neoforge.mods.toml
@@ -27,5 +27,11 @@ versionRange = "[1.20.5,)"
 ordering = "NONE"
 side = "BOTH"
 
+[[dependencies.cloud]]
+modId = "adventure_platform_neoforge"
+type = "optional"
+ordering = "AFTER"
+side = "BOTH"
+
 [[mixins]]
 config = "cloud.mixins.json"