diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 23ee2143..22c72992 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
 
 </div>
 
-> ⚠ **This plugin requires PlaceholderAPI and Vault to run!**
+> ⚠ **This plugin requires Vault to run!** 
 
 ## 🌌 Preview:
 
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
 
 ## ✨ Features:
 
-- PlaceholderAPI Support
+- [PlaceholderAPI](https://github.com/PlaceholderAPI/PlaceholderAPI) Support
 - [MiniMessages Support](https://docs.adventure.kyori.net/minimessage/format.html) with Legacy Colors Support!
 - Template System
 - Custom Placeholders System
diff --git a/chatformatter-core/src/main/java/com/eternalcode/formatter/ChatFormatterApi.java b/chatformatter-core/src/main/java/com/eternalcode/formatter/ChatFormatterApi.java
index 806ff2ae..babe0afd 100644
--- a/chatformatter-core/src/main/java/com/eternalcode/formatter/ChatFormatterApi.java
+++ b/chatformatter-core/src/main/java/com/eternalcode/formatter/ChatFormatterApi.java
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 package com.eternalcode.formatter;
 
+import com.eternalcode.formatter.placeholder.PlaceholderRegistry;
 import com.eternalcode.formatter.rank.ChatRankProvider;
 import com.eternalcode.formatter.template.TemplateService;
-import com.eternalcode.formatter.placeholder.PlaceholderRegistry;
 
 public interface ChatFormatterApi {
 
diff --git a/chatformatter-core/src/main/java/com/eternalcode/formatter/ChatFormatterPlugin.java b/chatformatter-core/src/main/java/com/eternalcode/formatter/ChatFormatterPlugin.java
index 3d4ff69a..025cbdc7 100644
--- a/chatformatter-core/src/main/java/com/eternalcode/formatter/ChatFormatterPlugin.java
+++ b/chatformatter-core/src/main/java/com/eternalcode/formatter/ChatFormatterPlugin.java
@@ -3,8 +3,8 @@
 import com.eternalcode.formatter.config.ConfigManager;
 import com.eternalcode.formatter.config.PluginConfig;
 import com.eternalcode.formatter.placeholder.ConfiguredReplacer;
-import com.eternalcode.formatter.placeholderapi.PlaceholderAPIInitializer;
 import com.eternalcode.formatter.placeholder.PlaceholderRegistry;
+import com.eternalcode.formatter.placeholderapi.PlaceholderAPIInitializer;
 import com.eternalcode.formatter.rank.ChatRankProvider;
 import com.eternalcode.formatter.rank.VaultInitializer;
 import com.eternalcode.formatter.template.TemplateService;
@@ -17,11 +17,13 @@
 import org.bstats.bukkit.Metrics;
 import org.bukkit.Server;
 import org.bukkit.plugin.Plugin;
+import org.jspecify.annotations.Nullable;
 
 import java.util.concurrent.TimeUnit;
 
 public class ChatFormatterPlugin implements ChatFormatterApi {
 
+    @Nullable
     private final PlaceholderRegistry placeholderRegistry;
     private final TemplateService templateService;
     private final ChatRankProvider rankProvider;
@@ -36,9 +38,15 @@ public ChatFormatterPlugin(Plugin plugin) {
 
         PluginConfig pluginConfig = configManager.getPluginConfig();
 
-        this.placeholderRegistry = new PlaceholderRegistry();
-        PlaceholderAPIInitializer.initialize(server, this.placeholderRegistry);
-        this.placeholderRegistry.addReplacer(new ConfiguredReplacer(pluginConfig));
+        if (server.getPluginManager().isPluginEnabled("PlaceholderAPI")) {
+            this.placeholderRegistry = new PlaceholderRegistry();
+            PlaceholderAPIInitializer.initialize(server, this.placeholderRegistry);
+            this.placeholderRegistry.addReplacer(new ConfiguredReplacer(pluginConfig));
+            plugin.getLogger().info("PlaceholderAPI integration enabled");
+        } else {
+            this.placeholderRegistry = null;
+            plugin.getLogger().info("PlaceholderAPI not found - running without placeholder support");
+        }
 
         this.templateService = new TemplateService(pluginConfig);
         this.rankProvider = VaultInitializer.initialize(server);
@@ -64,6 +72,7 @@ public void close() {
     }
 
     @Override
+    @Nullable
     public PlaceholderRegistry getPlaceholderRegistry() {
         return this.placeholderRegistry;
     }
diff --git a/chatformatter-core/src/main/java/com/eternalcode/formatter/ChatHandlerImpl.java b/chatformatter-core/src/main/java/com/eternalcode/formatter/ChatHandlerImpl.java
index 0b82fb04..76a5c2d5 100644
--- a/chatformatter-core/src/main/java/com/eternalcode/formatter/ChatHandlerImpl.java
+++ b/chatformatter-core/src/main/java/com/eternalcode/formatter/ChatHandlerImpl.java
@@ -1,15 +1,11 @@
 package com.eternalcode.formatter;
 
 import com.eternalcode.formatter.adventure.AdventureUrlPostProcessor;
-import java.util.Optional;
-import net.kyori.adventure.text.serializer.json.JSONOptions;
-import static net.kyori.adventure.text.serializer.legacy.LegacyComponentSerializer.legacySection;
-
 import com.eternalcode.formatter.adventure.TextColorTagResolver;
 import com.eternalcode.formatter.legacy.Legacy;
+import com.eternalcode.formatter.placeholder.PlaceholderRegistry;
 import com.eternalcode.formatter.rank.ChatRankProvider;
 import com.eternalcode.formatter.template.TemplateService;
-import com.eternalcode.formatter.placeholder.PlaceholderRegistry;
 import com.google.common.collect.ImmutableMap;
 import net.kyori.adventure.text.Component;
 import net.kyori.adventure.text.format.NamedTextColor;
@@ -19,11 +15,16 @@
 import net.kyori.adventure.text.minimessage.tag.resolver.TagResolver;
 import net.kyori.adventure.text.minimessage.tag.standard.StandardTags;
 import net.kyori.adventure.text.serializer.gson.GsonComponentSerializer;
+import net.kyori.adventure.text.serializer.json.JSONOptions;
 import org.bukkit.entity.Player;
+import org.jetbrains.annotations.Nullable;
 
 import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Map;
+import java.util.Optional;
+
+import static net.kyori.adventure.text.serializer.legacy.LegacyComponentSerializer.legacySection;
 
 class ChatHandlerImpl implements ChatHandler {
 
@@ -83,10 +84,11 @@ class ChatHandlerImpl implements ChatHandler {
 
     private final ChatSettings settings;
     private final ChatRankProvider rankProvider;
+    @Nullable
     private final PlaceholderRegistry placeholderRegistry;
     private final TemplateService templateService;
 
-    ChatHandlerImpl(MiniMessage miniMessage, ChatSettings settings, ChatRankProvider rankProvider, PlaceholderRegistry placeholderRegistry, TemplateService templateService) {
+    ChatHandlerImpl(MiniMessage miniMessage, ChatSettings settings, ChatRankProvider rankProvider, @Nullable PlaceholderRegistry placeholderRegistry, TemplateService templateService) {
         this.miniMessage = miniMessage;
         this.settings = settings;
         this.rankProvider = rankProvider;
@@ -102,9 +104,12 @@ public ChatRenderedMessage process(ChatMessage chatMessage) {
         String format = this.settings.getRawFormat(this.rankProvider.getRank(sender));
 
         format = this.templateService.applyTemplates(format);
-        format = viewer.isEmpty()
-            ? this.placeholderRegistry.format(format, sender)
-            : this.placeholderRegistry.format(format, sender, viewer.get());
+
+        if (this.placeholderRegistry != null) {
+            format = viewer.isEmpty()
+                ? this.placeholderRegistry.format(format, sender)
+                : this.placeholderRegistry.format(format, sender, viewer.get());
+        }
 
         format = Legacy.legacyToAdventure(format);