diff --git a/pom.xml b/pom.xml
index 611fc8d..e3d7bbf 100644
--- a/pom.xml
+++ b/pom.xml
@@ -35,6 +35,13 @@
         </resources>
     </build>
 
+    <repositories>
+        <repository>
+            <id>placeholderapi</id>
+            <url>http://repo.extendedclip.com/content/repositories/placeholderapi/</url>
+        </repository>
+    </repositories>
+
     <dependencies>
         <dependency>
             <groupId>com.destroystokyo.paper</groupId>
@@ -42,6 +49,12 @@
             <version>1.16.3-R0.1-SNAPSHOT</version>
             <scope>provided</scope>
         </dependency>
+        <dependency>
+            <groupId>me.clip</groupId>
+            <artifactId>placeholderapi</artifactId>
+            <version>2.10.9</version>
+            <scope>provided</scope>
+        </dependency>
     </dependencies>
 
 </project>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/alttd/destro174/custommotd/CustomMOTD.java b/src/main/java/com/alttd/destro174/custommotd/CustomMOTD.java
index 415b672..2148492 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/alttd/destro174/custommotd/CustomMOTD.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/alttd/destro174/custommotd/CustomMOTD.java
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.List;
 
 import com.alttd.destro174.custommotd.commands.custommotdCommand;
+import com.alttd.destro174.custommotd.listener.PapiPingListener;
 import com.alttd.destro174.custommotd.listener.PingListener;
 import com.alttd.destro174.custommotd.storage.MOTDConfig;
 import org.bukkit.Bukkit;
@@ -23,6 +24,7 @@ public class CustomMOTD extends JavaPlugin {
     public int counter;
     public static List<String> motd;
     public static CachedServerIcon icon;
+    public boolean useproxyonlinecount;
 
 
     public List<String> colorList(List<String> list){
@@ -79,6 +81,7 @@ public class CustomMOTD extends JavaPlugin {
                 Options += line + " ";
             }
         }
+        useproxyonlinecount = motdfile.getBoolean("useproxyonline", false);
         //getLogger().info(Options);
     }
 
@@ -97,6 +100,7 @@ public class CustomMOTD extends JavaPlugin {
             for(String line : this.getConfig().getKeys(false)) {
                 Options += line + " ";
             }
+            useproxyonlinecount = motdfile.getBoolean("useproxyonline", false);
         }
         catch (Throwable t) {
             getLogger().severe("MOTD - An error has occured!");
@@ -209,7 +213,15 @@ public class CustomMOTD extends JavaPlugin {
         // TODO add all events
         PluginManager pm = getServer().getPluginManager();
         pm.registerEvents(new PingListener(), this);
-        //pm.registerEvents(blockListener, this);
+        if(useproxyonlinecount) {
+            if (Bukkit.getPluginManager().getPlugin("PlaceholderAPI") != null) {
+                Bukkit.getPluginManager().registerEvents(new PapiPingListener(), this);
+            } else {
+                getLogger().warning("Could not find PlaceholderAPI! This plugin is required.");
+                Bukkit.getPluginManager().disablePlugin(this);
+            }
+        }
+
     }
 
     private void registerCommands() {
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/alttd/destro174/custommotd/listener/PapiPingListener.java b/src/main/java/com/alttd/destro174/custommotd/listener/PapiPingListener.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4cd88a4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/java/com/alttd/destro174/custommotd/listener/PapiPingListener.java
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+package com.alttd.destro174.custommotd.listener;
+
+import com.alttd.destro174.custommotd.CustomMOTD;
+import com.destroystokyo.paper.event.server.PaperServerListPingEvent;
+import me.clip.placeholderapi.PlaceholderAPI;
+import org.bukkit.Bukkit;
+import org.bukkit.event.EventHandler;
+import org.bukkit.event.Listener;
+
+public class PapiPingListener implements Listener {
+
+    public CustomMOTD instance = CustomMOTD.getInstance();
+
+    @EventHandler
+    public void onPing(PaperServerListPingEvent event) {
+        String bungeeonline = PlaceholderAPI.setPlaceholders(Bukkit.getPlayer("test"), "%bungee_total%");
+        int count = 0;
+        try {
+            count = Integer.parseInt(bungeeonline);
+        } catch (NumberFormatException ex) {
+            count = 0;
+        }
+        event.setNumPlayers(count);
+    }
+
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/alttd/destro174/custommotd/listener/PingListener.java b/src/main/java/com/alttd/destro174/custommotd/listener/PingListener.java
index 76403bb..b3f56f9 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/alttd/destro174/custommotd/listener/PingListener.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/alttd/destro174/custommotd/listener/PingListener.java
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ public class PingListener implements Listener {
     public CustomMOTD instance = CustomMOTD.getInstance();
 
     @EventHandler
-    public void onPing(ServerListPingEvent event) throws IllegalArgumentException, UnsupportedOperationException, Exception {
+    public void onPing(ServerListPingEvent event) {
         event.setMotd(CustomMOTD.motd.get(0) + "\n" + CustomMOTD.motd.get(1));
     }
 
diff --git a/src/main/resources/MOTD.yml b/src/main/resources/MOTD.yml
index 40698f9..771c5d4 100644
--- a/src/main/resources/MOTD.yml
+++ b/src/main/resources/MOTD.yml
@@ -1,2 +1,3 @@
 MOTD:
-  default
\ No newline at end of file
+  default
+useproxyonline: false
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/main/resources/plugin.yml b/src/main/resources/plugin.yml
index 341438e..da7b6f3 100644
--- a/src/main/resources/plugin.yml
+++ b/src/main/resources/plugin.yml
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ name: CustomMOTD
 main: com.alttd.destro174.custommotd.CustomMOTD
 version: 1.0
 author: destro174
+softdepend: [PlaceholderAPI]
 commands:
     custommotd:
         aliases: [cmotd]