diff --git a/common/src/main/java/us/myles/ViaVersion/api/minecraft/chunks/BaseChunk.java b/common/src/main/java/us/myles/ViaVersion/api/minecraft/chunks/BaseChunk.java
index 82dd09429..fa5e66e67 100644
--- a/common/src/main/java/us/myles/ViaVersion/api/minecraft/chunks/BaseChunk.java
+++ b/common/src/main/java/us/myles/ViaVersion/api/minecraft/chunks/BaseChunk.java
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ public class BaseChunk implements Chunk {
 	protected boolean groundUp;
 	protected int bitmask;
 	protected ChunkSection[] sections;
-	protected byte[] biomeData;
+	protected int[] biomeData;
 	protected List<CompoundTag> blockEntities;
 
 	@Override
diff --git a/common/src/main/java/us/myles/ViaVersion/api/minecraft/chunks/Chunk.java b/common/src/main/java/us/myles/ViaVersion/api/minecraft/chunks/Chunk.java
index f5b078748..7b2589dfb 100644
--- a/common/src/main/java/us/myles/ViaVersion/api/minecraft/chunks/Chunk.java
+++ b/common/src/main/java/us/myles/ViaVersion/api/minecraft/chunks/Chunk.java
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ public interface Chunk {
 
     ChunkSection[] getSections();
 
-    byte[] getBiomeData();
+    int[] getBiomeData();
 
     List<CompoundTag> getBlockEntities();
 
diff --git a/common/src/main/java/us/myles/ViaVersion/api/minecraft/chunks/Chunk1_8.java b/common/src/main/java/us/myles/ViaVersion/api/minecraft/chunks/Chunk1_8.java
index 4bfe7f3ed..1a79c1891 100644
--- a/common/src/main/java/us/myles/ViaVersion/api/minecraft/chunks/Chunk1_8.java
+++ b/common/src/main/java/us/myles/ViaVersion/api/minecraft/chunks/Chunk1_8.java
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ public class Chunk1_8 extends BaseChunk {
     @Getter
     private boolean unloadPacket = false;
 
-    public Chunk1_8(int x, int z, boolean groundUp, int bitmask, ChunkSection[] sections, byte[] biomeData, List<CompoundTag> blockEntities) {
+    public Chunk1_8(int x, int z, boolean groundUp, int bitmask, ChunkSection[] sections, int[] biomeData, List<CompoundTag> blockEntities) {
         super(x, z, groundUp, bitmask, sections, biomeData, blockEntities);
     }
 
diff --git a/common/src/main/java/us/myles/ViaVersion/protocols/protocol1_13to1_12_2/packets/WorldPackets.java b/common/src/main/java/us/myles/ViaVersion/protocols/protocol1_13to1_12_2/packets/WorldPackets.java
index 3182f63e3..5c9486c42 100644
--- a/common/src/main/java/us/myles/ViaVersion/protocols/protocol1_13to1_12_2/packets/WorldPackets.java
+++ b/common/src/main/java/us/myles/ViaVersion/protocols/protocol1_13to1_12_2/packets/WorldPackets.java
@@ -334,7 +334,7 @@ public class WorldPackets {
                         if (chunk.isBiomeData()) {
                             int latestBiomeWarn = Integer.MIN_VALUE;
                             for (int i = 0; i < 256; i++) {
-                                int biome = chunk.getBiomeData()[i] & 0xFF;
+                                int biome = chunk.getBiomeData()[i];
                                 if (!validBiomes.contains(biome)) {
                                     if (biome != 255 // is it generated naturally? *shrug*
                                             && latestBiomeWarn != biome) {
diff --git a/common/src/main/java/us/myles/ViaVersion/protocols/protocol1_13to1_12_2/types/Chunk1_13Type.java b/common/src/main/java/us/myles/ViaVersion/protocols/protocol1_13to1_12_2/types/Chunk1_13Type.java
index 3d4e40154..ac030d099 100644
--- a/common/src/main/java/us/myles/ViaVersion/protocols/protocol1_13to1_12_2/types/Chunk1_13Type.java
+++ b/common/src/main/java/us/myles/ViaVersion/protocols/protocol1_13to1_12_2/types/Chunk1_13Type.java
@@ -52,11 +52,10 @@ public class Chunk1_13Type extends PartialType<Chunk, ClientWorld> {
             }
         }
 
-        byte[] biomeData = groundUp ? new byte[256] : null;
+        int[] biomeData = groundUp ? new int[256] : null;
         if (groundUp) {
             for (int i = 0; i < 256; i++) {
-                // todo use int in Chunk?
-                biomeData[i] = (byte) input.readInt();;
+                biomeData[i] = input.readInt();
             }
         }
 
@@ -99,8 +98,8 @@ public class Chunk1_13Type extends PartialType<Chunk, ClientWorld> {
 
         // Write biome data
         if (chunk.isBiomeData()) {
-            for (byte value : chunk.getBiomeData()) {
-                output.writeInt(value & 0xFF); // This is a temporary workaround, we'll look into fixing this soon :)
+            for (int value : chunk.getBiomeData()) {
+                output.writeInt(value);
             }
         }
 
diff --git a/common/src/main/java/us/myles/ViaVersion/protocols/protocol1_9_1_2to1_9_3_4/types/Chunk1_9_3_4Type.java b/common/src/main/java/us/myles/ViaVersion/protocols/protocol1_9_1_2to1_9_3_4/types/Chunk1_9_3_4Type.java
index 5f7188ca4..d40bf219a 100644
--- a/common/src/main/java/us/myles/ViaVersion/protocols/protocol1_9_1_2to1_9_3_4/types/Chunk1_9_3_4Type.java
+++ b/common/src/main/java/us/myles/ViaVersion/protocols/protocol1_9_1_2to1_9_3_4/types/Chunk1_9_3_4Type.java
@@ -53,9 +53,11 @@ public class Chunk1_9_3_4Type extends PartialType<Chunk, ClientWorld> {
             }
         }
 
-        byte[] biomeData = groundUp ? new byte[256] : null;
+        int[] biomeData = groundUp ? new int[256] : null;
         if (groundUp) {
-            input.readBytes(biomeData);
+            for (int i = 0; i < 256; i++) {
+                biomeData[i] = input.readByte() & 0xFF;
+            }
         }
 
         List<CompoundTag> nbtData = new ArrayList<>(Arrays.asList(Type.NBT_ARRAY.read(input)));
@@ -97,7 +99,9 @@ public class Chunk1_9_3_4Type extends PartialType<Chunk, ClientWorld> {
 
         // Write biome data
         if (chunk.isBiomeData()) {
-            output.writeBytes(chunk.getBiomeData());
+            for (int biome : chunk.getBiomeData()) {
+                buf.writeByte((byte) biome);
+            }
         }
 
         // Write Block Entities
diff --git a/common/src/main/java/us/myles/ViaVersion/protocols/protocol1_9_3to1_9_1_2/types/Chunk1_9_1_2Type.java b/common/src/main/java/us/myles/ViaVersion/protocols/protocol1_9_3to1_9_1_2/types/Chunk1_9_1_2Type.java
index 64a0bc949..9dcc6e5e6 100644
--- a/common/src/main/java/us/myles/ViaVersion/protocols/protocol1_9_3to1_9_1_2/types/Chunk1_9_1_2Type.java
+++ b/common/src/main/java/us/myles/ViaVersion/protocols/protocol1_9_3to1_9_1_2/types/Chunk1_9_1_2Type.java
@@ -59,9 +59,11 @@ public class Chunk1_9_1_2Type extends PartialType<Chunk, ClientWorld> {
             }
         }
 
-        byte[] biomeData = groundUp ? new byte[256] : null;
+        int[] biomeData = groundUp ? new int[256] : null;
         if (groundUp) {
-            input.readBytes(biomeData);
+            for (int i = 0; i < 256; i++) {
+                biomeData[i] = input.readByte() & 0xFF;
+            }
         }
 
         return new BaseChunk(chunkX, chunkZ, groundUp, primaryBitmask, sections, biomeData, new ArrayList<CompoundTag>());
@@ -93,7 +95,9 @@ public class Chunk1_9_1_2Type extends PartialType<Chunk, ClientWorld> {
 
         // Write biome data
         if (chunk.isBiomeData()) {
-            output.writeBytes(chunk.getBiomeData());
+            for (int biome : chunk.getBiomeData()) {
+                output.writeByte((byte) biome);
+            }
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/common/src/main/java/us/myles/ViaVersion/protocols/protocol1_9to1_8/types/Chunk1_9to1_8Type.java b/common/src/main/java/us/myles/ViaVersion/protocols/protocol1_9to1_8/types/Chunk1_9to1_8Type.java
index 4f2d47b18..7f681d69e 100644
--- a/common/src/main/java/us/myles/ViaVersion/protocols/protocol1_9to1_8/types/Chunk1_9to1_8Type.java
+++ b/common/src/main/java/us/myles/ViaVersion/protocols/protocol1_9to1_8/types/Chunk1_9to1_8Type.java
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ public class Chunk1_9to1_8Type extends PartialType<Chunk, ClientChunks> {
         // Data to be read
         BitSet usedSections = new BitSet(16);
         ChunkSection[] sections = new ChunkSection[16];
-        byte[] biomeData = null;
+        int[] biomeData = null;
 
         // Calculate section count from bitmask
         for (int i = 0; i < 16; i++) {
@@ -112,8 +112,10 @@ public class Chunk1_9to1_8Type extends PartialType<Chunk, ClientChunks> {
 
         // Read biome data
         if (bytesLeft >= BIOME_DATA_LENGTH) {
-            biomeData = new byte[BIOME_DATA_LENGTH];
-            input.readBytes(biomeData);
+            biomeData = new int[BIOME_DATA_LENGTH];
+            for (int i = 0; i < BIOME_DATA_LENGTH; i++){
+                biomeData[i] = input.readByte() & 0xFF;
+            }
             bytesLeft -= BIOME_DATA_LENGTH;
         }
 
@@ -156,7 +158,9 @@ public class Chunk1_9to1_8Type extends PartialType<Chunk, ClientChunks> {
 
         // Write biome data
         if (chunk.hasBiomeData()) {
-            output.writeBytes(chunk.getBiomeData());
+            for (int biome : chunk.getBiomeData()) {
+                buf.writeByte((byte) biome);
+            }
         }
     }
 }