diff --git a/api/src/main/java/net/md_5/bungee/api/ServerPing.java b/api/src/main/java/net/md_5/bungee/api/ServerPing.java
index 19337a55..f3e7a56e 100644
--- a/api/src/main/java/net/md_5/bungee/api/ServerPing.java
+++ b/api/src/main/java/net/md_5/bungee/api/ServerPing.java
@@ -5,8 +5,11 @@ import java.util.List;
 import java.util.UUID;
 import lombok.AllArgsConstructor;
 import lombok.Data;
+import lombok.Getter;
 import lombok.NoArgsConstructor;
 import net.md_5.bungee.Util;
+import net.md_5.bungee.api.chat.BaseComponent;
+import net.md_5.bungee.api.chat.TextComponent;
 
 /**
  * Represents the standard list data returned by opening a server in the
@@ -73,7 +76,8 @@ public class ServerPing
             return uniqueId.toString().replaceAll( "-", "" );
         }
     }
-    private String description;
+
+    private BaseComponent description;
     private Favicon favicon;
 
     @Data
@@ -100,7 +104,13 @@ public class ServerPing
     @Deprecated
     public ServerPing(Protocol version, Players players, String description, String favicon)
     {
-        this( version, players, description, favicon == null ? null : Favicon.create( favicon ) );
+        this( version, players, new TextComponent( TextComponent.fromLegacyText(description) ), favicon == null ? null : Favicon.create( favicon ) );
+    }
+
+    @Deprecated
+    public ServerPing(Protocol version, Players players, String description, Favicon favicon)
+    {
+        this( version, players, new TextComponent( TextComponent.fromLegacyText(description) ), favicon );
     }
 
     @Deprecated
@@ -124,4 +134,18 @@ public class ServerPing
     {
         this.favicon = favicon;
     }
+
+    @Deprecated
+    public void setDescription(String description) {
+        this.description = new TextComponent( TextComponent.fromLegacyText( description ) );
+    }
+
+    @Deprecated
+    public String getDescription() {
+        return BaseComponent.toLegacyText( description );
+    }
+
+    public BaseComponent getDescriptionComponent() {
+        return description;
+    }
 }
diff --git a/proxy/src/main/java/net/md_5/bungee/BungeeCord.java b/proxy/src/main/java/net/md_5/bungee/BungeeCord.java
index 176c71cf..e5afb89e 100644
--- a/proxy/src/main/java/net/md_5/bungee/BungeeCord.java
+++ b/proxy/src/main/java/net/md_5/bungee/BungeeCord.java
@@ -11,6 +11,9 @@ import com.google.gson.GsonBuilder;
 import net.md_5.bungee.api.Favicon;
 import net.md_5.bungee.api.ServerPing;
 import net.md_5.bungee.api.Title;
+import net.md_5.bungee.api.chat.TranslatableComponent;
+import net.md_5.bungee.chat.TextComponentSerializer;
+import net.md_5.bungee.chat.TranslatableComponentSerializer;
 import net.md_5.bungee.module.ModuleManager;
 import com.google.common.io.ByteStreams;
 import net.md_5.bungee.api.chat.BaseComponent;
@@ -140,6 +143,9 @@ public class BungeeCord extends ProxyServer
     @Getter
     private final Logger logger;
     public final Gson gson = new GsonBuilder()
+            .registerTypeAdapter( BaseComponent.class, new ComponentSerializer() )
+            .registerTypeAdapter( TextComponent.class, new TextComponentSerializer() )
+            .registerTypeAdapter( TranslatableComponent.class, new TranslatableComponentSerializer() )
             .registerTypeAdapter( ServerPing.PlayerInfo.class, new PlayerInfoSerializer() )
             .registerTypeAdapter( Favicon.class, Favicon.getFaviconTypeAdapter() ).create();
     @Getter
diff --git a/proxy/src/main/java/net/md_5/bungee/connection/InitialHandler.java b/proxy/src/main/java/net/md_5/bungee/connection/InitialHandler.java
index f972e42d..34b1a4bc 100644
--- a/proxy/src/main/java/net/md_5/bungee/connection/InitialHandler.java
+++ b/proxy/src/main/java/net/md_5/bungee/connection/InitialHandler.java
@@ -142,7 +142,8 @@ public class InitialHandler extends PacketHandler implements PendingConnection
         final boolean v1_5 = ping.isV1_5();
 
         ServerPing legacy = new ServerPing( new ServerPing.Protocol( bungee.getName() + " " + bungee.getGameVersion(), bungee.getProtocolVersion() ),
-                new ServerPing.Players( listener.getMaxPlayers(), bungee.getOnlineCount(), null ), listener.getMotd(), (Favicon) null );
+                new ServerPing.Players( listener.getMaxPlayers(), bungee.getOnlineCount(), null ),
+                new TextComponent( TextComponent.fromLegacyText( listener.getMotd() ) ), (Favicon) null );
 
         Callback<ProxyPingEvent> callback = new Callback<ProxyPingEvent>()
         {