diff --git a/Ruby/ReadMe.md b/Ruby/ReadMe.md
index c6f4b56..61bf892 100644
--- a/Ruby/ReadMe.md
+++ b/Ruby/ReadMe.md
@@ -59,6 +59,25 @@ Attempt all SLP protocols, disable debug mode, and disable DNS SRV resolution:
 ms = MineStat.new("minecraft.frag.land", 25565, 3, MineStat::Request::SLP, false, false)
 ```
 
+### JSON status protocol selection
+
+Use `status_protocol` when you need to control the protocol sent in the >=1.7 JSON status handshake:
+
+```ruby
+# Explicit protocol
+ms = MineStat.new("frag.land", 25565, request_type: MineStat::Request::JSON, status_protocol: 774)
+
+# Auto/default mode (same as nil)
+ms = MineStat.new("frag.land", 25565, request_type: MineStat::Request::JSON, status_protocol: :auto)
+```
+
+After polling:
+- `requested_protocol`: protocol sent in handshake
+- `response_protocol`: protocol from `version.protocol` in response JSON (if present)
+- `protocol_mismatch`: whether request/response protocol values differ
+
+In proxy stacks (Velocity/Bungee) and ViaVersion setups, `version.protocol` may be rewritten or shaped by requester protocol. Do not assume `response_protocol` is always the backend server's real version.
+
 ### Support
 * Discord: https://discord.frag.land
 * GitHub: https://github.com/FragLand/minestat
diff --git a/Ruby/lib/minestat.rb b/Ruby/lib/minestat.rb
index 2f804ef..ca0d04f 100644
--- a/Ruby/lib/minestat.rb
+++ b/Ruby/lib/minestat.rb
@@ -50,6 +50,10 @@ class MineStat
   # Default TCP/UDP timeout in seconds
   DEFAULT_TIMEOUT = 5
 
+  # Default protocol version used for JSON status handshakes in auto mode.
+  # This preserves the current behavior while keeping future protocol bumps centralized.
+  DEFAULT_JSON_STATUS_PROTOCOL = 760
+
   # Bedrock/Pocket Edition packet offset in bytes (1 + 8 + 8 + 16 + 2)
   #   Unconnected pong (0x1C) = 1 byte
   #   Timestamp as a long = 8 bytes
@@ -128,6 +132,8 @@ module Request
   # @param timeout [Integer] TCP/UDP timeout in seconds
   # @param request_type [Request] Protocol used to poll a Minecraft server
   # @param debug [Boolean] Enable or disable error output
+  # @param status_protocol [Integer, Symbol, nil] JSON status handshake protocol
+  #   (`Integer` to force a specific value, `:auto`/`nil` to use the default)
   # @return [MineStat] A MineStat object
   # @example Simply connect to an address
   #   ms = MineStat.new("frag.land")
@@ -159,6 +165,9 @@ def initialize(address, port, options = {})
     @player_list               # list of players (UT3/GS4 query only)
     @plugin_list               # list of plugins (UT3/GS4 query only)
     @protocol                  # protocol level
+    @requested_protocol        # protocol used in JSON status handshake
+    @response_protocol         # protocol returned by JSON status response
+    @protocol_mismatch         # protocol mismatch between request and response?
     @json_data                 # JSON data for 1.7 queries
     @latency                   # ping time to server in milliseconds
     # TCP/UDP timeout
@@ -168,6 +177,11 @@ def initialize(address, port, options = {})
     @request_type = options[:request_type] || Request::NONE
     @connection_status         # status of connection ("Success", "Fail", "Timeout", or "Unknown")
     @try_all = false           # try all protocols?
+    # JSON status protocol mode (:auto or Integer)
+    @status_protocol = normalize_status_protocol(options[:status_protocol])
+    @requested_protocol = nil
+    @response_protocol = nil
+    @protocol_mismatch = false
     # debug mode
     @debug = options[:debug].nil? ? false : options[:debug]
     # enable SRV resolution?
@@ -605,6 +619,10 @@ def extended_legacy_request()
   #     {'players': {'max': 20, 'online': 0},
   #     'version': {'protocol': 404, 'name': '1.13.2'},
   #     'description': {'text': 'A Minecraft Server'}}
+  #
+  #   The response protocol is not always the real backend server protocol.
+  #   Proxy stacks such as Velocity/Bungee may shape status responses from the
+  #   requester protocol, and ViaVersion may rewrite `version.protocol`.
   # @return [Retval] Return value
   # @since 0.3.0
   # @see https://wiki.vg/Server_List_Ping#Current_.281.7.2B.29
@@ -616,7 +634,8 @@ def json_request()
         return retval unless retval == Retval::SUCCESS
         # Perform handshake
         payload = pack_varint(0)
-        payload << pack_varint(760)
+        @requested_protocol = selected_status_protocol
+        payload << pack_varint(@requested_protocol)
         payload += [@srv_succeeded ? @srv_address.length : @address.length].pack('c') << (@srv_succeeded ? @srv_address : @address)
         payload += [@srv_succeeded ? @srv_port : @port].pack('n')
         payload += "\x01"
@@ -636,7 +655,12 @@ def json_request()
         json_data = JSON.parse(json_data)
         @online = true
         @json_data = json_data
-        @protocol = json_data['version']['protocol'].to_i
+        @response_protocol = nil
+        if json_data['version'].is_a?(Hash) && !json_data['version']['protocol'].nil?
+          @response_protocol = json_data['version']['protocol'].to_i
+        end
+        @protocol = @response_protocol
+        @protocol_mismatch = !@response_protocol.nil? && @requested_protocol != @response_protocol
         @version = json_data['version']['name']
         @motd = json_data['description']
         strip_motd()
@@ -722,6 +746,25 @@ def pack_varint(value)
   end
   private :pack_varint
 
+  # Normalizes JSON status protocol selection mode
+  # @param protocol [Integer, Symbol, nil] Protocol selection value
+  # @return [Integer, Symbol] Integer protocol or :auto
+  def normalize_status_protocol(protocol)
+    return :auto if protocol.nil? || protocol == :auto
+    return protocol if protocol.is_a?(Integer)
+
+    raise ArgumentError, "status_protocol must be an Integer, :auto, or nil"
+  end
+  private :normalize_status_protocol
+
+  # Resolves the protocol to use for JSON status handshake
+  # @return [Integer] Protocol version for the handshake
+  def selected_status_protocol
+    return DEFAULT_JSON_STATUS_PROTOCOL if @status_protocol == :auto
+    @status_protocol
+  end
+  private :selected_status_protocol
+
   # Bedrock/Pocket Edition (unconnected ping request)
   # @note
   #   1. Client sends:
@@ -907,6 +950,17 @@ def query_request()
   # @note This is arbitrary and varies by Minecraft version (may also be shared by multiple Minecraft versions)
   attr_reader :protocol
 
+  # Protocol used in the JSON status handshake request
+  # @note `:auto`/`nil` mode uses {DEFAULT_JSON_STATUS_PROTOCOL}
+  attr_reader :requested_protocol
+
+  # Protocol observed in JSON status response (`version.protocol`)
+  # @note In proxy environments (Velocity/Bungee/ViaVersion), this may not match backend server protocol
+  attr_reader :response_protocol
+
+  # Whether requested and response protocols are different
+  attr_reader :protocol_mismatch
+
   # Complete JSON response data
   # @note Received using SLP 1.7 (JSON) queries
   # @since 0.3.0
diff --git a/Ruby/test/test_status_protocol.rb b/Ruby/test/test_status_protocol.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0726414
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Ruby/test/test_status_protocol.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,159 @@
+require 'json'
+require 'minitest/autorun'
+require_relative '../lib/minestat'
+
+class FakeJsonSocket
+  attr_reader :writes
+
+  def initialize(json_payload)
+    @writes = []
+    @read_buffer = +""
+    @recv_buffer = json_payload.dup
+
+    packet_id = pack_varint(0)
+    json_len = pack_varint(json_payload.bytesize)
+    total_len = pack_varint(packet_id.bytesize + json_len.bytesize + json_payload.bytesize)
+
+    @read_buffer << total_len
+    @read_buffer << packet_id
+    @read_buffer << json_len
+  end
+
+  def write(data)
+    @writes << data
+    data.bytesize
+  end
+
+  def flush
+  end
+
+  def close
+  end
+
+  def read(length)
+    return nil if @read_buffer.empty?
+
+    chunk = @read_buffer.byteslice(0, length)
+    @read_buffer = @read_buffer.byteslice(length..-1) || +""
+    chunk
+  end
+
+  def recv(length, _flags = nil)
+    chunk = @recv_buffer.byteslice(0, length) || +""
+    @recv_buffer = @recv_buffer.byteslice(length..-1) || +""
+    chunk
+  end
+
+  private
+
+  def pack_varint(value)
+    value &= 0xFFFFFFFF
+    buf = +""
+    loop do
+      byte = value & 0x7F
+      value >>= 7
+      if value != 0
+        buf << (byte | 0x80).chr
+      else
+        buf << byte.chr
+        break
+      end
+    end
+    buf
+  end
+end
+
+class MineStatProtocolHarness < MineStat
+  attr_reader :captured_socket
+
+  def initialize(options = {}, json_response_protocol: 760)
+    @json_response_protocol = json_response_protocol
+    super('example.com', 25565, {
+      timeout: 1,
+      request_type: MineStat::Request::JSON,
+      srv_enabled: false,
+      debug: false
+    }.merge(options))
+  end
+
+  private
+
+  def resolve_a
+    true
+  end
+
+  def resolve_srv
+    false
+  end
+
+  def connect
+    payload = {
+      'version' => { 'name' => '1.21.1', 'protocol' => @json_response_protocol },
+      'players' => { 'online' => 1, 'max' => 20 },
+      'description' => { 'text' => 'Hello world' }
+    }
+    @captured_socket = FakeJsonSocket.new(JSON.generate(payload))
+    @server = @captured_socket
+    MineStat::Retval::SUCCESS
+  end
+end
+
+class MineStatStatusProtocolTest < Minitest::Test
+  def decode_varint(data, offset = 0)
+    result = 0
+    shift = 0
+    consumed = 0
+
+    loop do
+      byte = data.getbyte(offset + consumed)
+      raise 'Invalid varint stream' if byte.nil?
+
+      result |= (byte & 0x7F) << shift
+      consumed += 1
+      break if (byte & 0x80).zero?
+
+      shift += 7
+    end
+
+    [result, consumed]
+  end
+
+  def extract_requested_protocol(handshake_packet)
+    _packet_len, packet_len_size = decode_varint(handshake_packet, 0)
+    packet_id = handshake_packet.getbyte(packet_len_size)
+    raise "Unexpected packet id: #{packet_id}" unless packet_id == 0
+
+    protocol, = decode_varint(handshake_packet, packet_len_size + 1)
+    protocol
+  end
+
+  def test_explicit_status_protocol_is_sent_in_handshake
+    ms = MineStatProtocolHarness.new({ status_protocol: 774 }, json_response_protocol: 774)
+
+    handshake_packet = ms.captured_socket.writes[0]
+    assert_equal 774, extract_requested_protocol(handshake_packet)
+    assert_equal 774, ms.requested_protocol
+    assert_equal 774, ms.response_protocol
+    assert_equal false, ms.protocol_mismatch
+  end
+
+  def test_auto_mode_uses_default_for_auto_and_nil
+    ms_auto = MineStatProtocolHarness.new({ status_protocol: :auto }, json_response_protocol: 760)
+    ms_nil = MineStatProtocolHarness.new({ status_protocol: nil }, json_response_protocol: 760)
+
+    assert_equal 760, extract_requested_protocol(ms_auto.captured_socket.writes[0])
+    assert_equal 760, extract_requested_protocol(ms_nil.captured_socket.writes[0])
+    assert_equal 760, ms_auto.requested_protocol
+    assert_equal 760, ms_nil.requested_protocol
+  end
+
+  def test_mismatch_records_metadata_without_raising_error
+    ms = MineStatProtocolHarness.new({ status_protocol: 760 }, json_response_protocol: 774)
+
+    assert_equal true, ms.online
+    assert_equal 'Success', ms.connection_status
+    assert_equal 760, ms.requested_protocol
+    assert_equal 774, ms.response_protocol
+    assert_equal true, ms.protocol_mismatch
+  end
+end