diff --git a/gradle/libs.versions.toml b/gradle/libs.versions.toml
index 892803f3a..54524138e 100644
--- a/gradle/libs.versions.toml
+++ b/gradle/libs.versions.toml
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ configurate3 = "3.7.3"
 configurate4 = "4.1.2"
 flare = "2.0.1"
 log4j = "2.22.1"
-netty = "4.2.0.Alpha4"
+netty = "4.2.0.Alpha5"
 
 [plugins]
 indra-publishing = "net.kyori.indra.publishing:2.0.6"
diff --git a/proxy/src/main/java/com/velocitypowered/proxy/network/TransportType.java b/proxy/src/main/java/com/velocitypowered/proxy/network/TransportType.java
index 543c85824..3bece5e87 100644
--- a/proxy/src/main/java/com/velocitypowered/proxy/network/TransportType.java
+++ b/proxy/src/main/java/com/velocitypowered/proxy/network/TransportType.java
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ import io.netty.channel.uring.IoUringIoHandler;
 import io.netty.channel.uring.IoUringServerSocketChannel;
 import io.netty.channel.uring.IoUringSocketChannel;
 import java.util.concurrent.ThreadFactory;
+import java.util.function.Supplier;
 
 /**
  * Enumerates the supported transports for Velocity.
@@ -53,36 +54,37 @@ public enum TransportType {
   NIO("NIO", NioServerSocketChannel::new,
       NioSocketChannel::new,
       NioDatagramChannel::new,
-      NioIoHandler.newFactory()),
+      NioIoHandler::newFactory),
   EPOLL("epoll", EpollServerSocketChannel::new,
       EpollSocketChannel::new,
       EpollDatagramChannel::new,
-      EpollIoHandler.newFactory()),
+      EpollIoHandler::newFactory),
   KQUEUE("kqueue", KQueueServerSocketChannel::new,
       KQueueSocketChannel::new,
       KQueueDatagramChannel::new,
-      KQueueIoHandler.newFactory()),
+      KQueueIoHandler::newFactory),
   IO_URING("io_uring", IoUringServerSocketChannel::new,
       IoUringSocketChannel::new,
       IoUringDatagramChannel::new,
-      IoUringIoHandler.newFactory());
+      IoUringIoHandler::newFactory);
 
   final String name;
   final ChannelFactory<? extends ServerSocketChannel> serverSocketChannelFactory;
   final ChannelFactory<? extends SocketChannel> socketChannelFactory;
   final ChannelFactory<? extends DatagramChannel> datagramChannelFactory;
-  final IoHandlerFactory ioHandlerFactory;
+  final Supplier<IoHandlerFactory> ioHandlerFactorySupplier;
+  volatile IoHandlerFactory ioHandlerFactory;
 
   TransportType(final String name,
       final ChannelFactory<? extends ServerSocketChannel> serverSocketChannelFactory,
       final ChannelFactory<? extends SocketChannel> socketChannelFactory,
       final ChannelFactory<? extends DatagramChannel> datagramChannelFactory,
-      final IoHandlerFactory ioHandlerFactory) {
+      final Supplier<IoHandlerFactory> ioHandlerFactorySupplier) {
     this.name = name;
     this.serverSocketChannelFactory = serverSocketChannelFactory;
     this.socketChannelFactory = socketChannelFactory;
     this.datagramChannelFactory = datagramChannelFactory;
-    this.ioHandlerFactory = ioHandlerFactory;
+    this.ioHandlerFactorySupplier = ioHandlerFactorySupplier;
   }
 
   @Override
@@ -90,7 +92,17 @@ public enum TransportType {
     return this.name;
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Creates a new event loop group for the given type.
+   *
+   * @param type the type of event loop group to create
+   * @return the event loop group
+   */
   public EventLoopGroup createEventLoopGroup(final Type type) {
+    if (this.ioHandlerFactory == null) {
+      this.ioHandlerFactory = this.ioHandlerFactorySupplier.get();
+    }
+    assert this.ioHandlerFactory != null;
     return new MultiThreadIoEventLoopGroup(
         0, createThreadFactory(this.name, type), this.ioHandlerFactory);
   }