ProjectileLaunchEvent ProjectileSource is null when shot by a dispenser.

[danielcanodev]

Expected behavior

declaring an "@eventhandler ProjectileLaunchEvent" and reading "event.getEntity().getShooter()" should return a BlockProjectileSource source.

Observed/Actual behavior

declaring an "@eventhandler ProjectileLaunchEvent" and reading "event.getEntity().getShooter()" returns null

Steps/models to reproduce

Create an Events class that implements Listener, register it in the plugin class and add this method to the Listener:

@eventhandler
public void ProjectileLaunch(ProjectileLaunchEvent event){
ProjectileSource shooter = event.getEntity().getShooter();
Combat.PLUGIN.getServer().getPlayer("YOUR_USERNAME").sendPlainMessage(
"Shoot, shooter class: " + (shooter == null ? "null" : shooter.getClass().getName())
);
}
when shooting from a dispenser, shooter is null.

Plugin and Datapack List

Tested in an empty paper instance.

Paper version

Paper version 26.2-112-main@c9e894d (2026-08-11T05:18:39Z) (Implementing API version 26.2.build.112-stable)

Other

No response

[charlierichards13]

Hello,

I would like to try working on this. From looking at it, it seems like projectileSource is being assigned after the projectile has already been spawned, causing ProjectileLaunchEvent to fire before the shooter is set.

If nobody else is working on this and the testing looks good, I will submit a PR.