diff --git a/azalea-protocol/src/packets/game/c_sound.rs b/azalea-protocol/src/packets/game/c_sound.rs
index 771617698..8ec028a70 100755
--- a/azalea-protocol/src/packets/game/c_sound.rs
+++ b/azalea-protocol/src/packets/game/c_sound.rs
@@ -1,11 +1,13 @@
 use azalea_buf::AzBuf;
+use azalea_core::resource_location::ResourceLocation;
 use azalea_protocol_macros::ClientboundGamePacket;
 use azalea_registry::SoundEvent;
 
 #[derive(Clone, Debug, AzBuf, ClientboundGamePacket)]
 pub struct ClientboundSound {
-    pub sound: SoundEvent,
+    pub sound: azalea_registry::Holder<SoundEvent, CustomSound>,
     pub source: SoundSource,
+    // this can't be a BlockPos because it serializes differently :(
     pub x: i32,
     pub y: i32,
     pub z: i32,
@@ -14,6 +16,12 @@ pub struct ClientboundSound {
     pub seed: u64,
 }
 
+#[derive(Clone, Debug, AzBuf)]
+pub struct CustomSound {
+    pub location: ResourceLocation,
+    pub fixed_range: Option<f32>,
+}
+
 #[derive(AzBuf, Clone, Copy, Debug)]
 pub enum SoundSource {
     Master = 0,
@@ -27,3 +35,30 @@ pub enum SoundSource {
     Ambient = 8,
     Voice = 9,
 }
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use std::io::Cursor;
+
+    use azalea_buf::AzaleaRead;
+
+    use crate::packets::game::ClientboundSound;
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_read_write_custom_sound() {
+        let contents = [
+            0, 21, 109, 105, 110, 101, 99, 114, 97, 102, 116, 58, 97, 115, 102, 97, 115, 100, 102,
+            115, 100, 102, 103, 0, 8, 0, 0, 0, 63, 255, 255, 254, 32, 0, 0, 0, 82, 66, 200, 0, 0,
+            63, 128, 0, 0, 71, 94, 219, 133, 200, 13, 150, 31,
+        ];
+        let mut buf = Cursor::new(contents.as_slice());
+        let packet = ClientboundSound::azalea_read(&mut buf).unwrap();
+        println!("{:?}", packet);
+
+        assert_eq!(buf.position(), contents.len() as u64);
+
+        let mut buf = Vec::new();
+        packet.write(&mut buf).unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(buf, contents);
+    }
+}
diff --git a/azalea-registry/src/lib.rs b/azalea-registry/src/lib.rs
index ffead5b48..4a6df6aa0 100755
--- a/azalea-registry/src/lib.rs
+++ b/azalea-registry/src/lib.rs
@@ -90,7 +90,6 @@ pub enum HolderSet<D: Registry, ResourceLocation: AzaleaRead + AzaleaWrite> {
         contents: Vec<ResourceLocation>,
     },
 }
-
 impl<D: Registry, ResourceLocation: AzaleaRead + AzaleaWrite> AzaleaRead
     for HolderSet<D, ResourceLocation>
 {
@@ -145,6 +144,55 @@ impl<D: Registry + Debug, ResourceLocation: AzaleaRead + AzaleaWrite + Debug> De
     }
 }
 
+/// A reference to either a registry or a custom value (usually something with a
+/// ResourceLocation).
+pub enum Holder<R: Registry, Direct: AzaleaRead + AzaleaWrite> {
+    Reference(R),
+    Direct(Direct),
+}
+impl<R: Registry, Direct: AzaleaRead + AzaleaWrite> AzaleaRead for Holder<R, Direct> {
+    fn azalea_read(buf: &mut Cursor<&[u8]>) -> Result<Self, BufReadError> {
+        let id = u32::azalea_read_var(buf)?;
+        if id == 0 {
+            Ok(Self::Direct(Direct::azalea_read(buf)?))
+        } else {
+            let Some(value) = R::from_u32(id - 1) else {
+                return Err(BufReadError::UnexpectedEnumVariant {
+                    id: (id - 1) as i32,
+                });
+            };
+            Ok(Self::Reference(value))
+        }
+    }
+}
+impl<R: Registry, Direct: AzaleaRead + AzaleaWrite> AzaleaWrite for Holder<R, Direct> {
+    fn azalea_write(&self, buf: &mut impl Write) -> Result<(), std::io::Error> {
+        match self {
+            Self::Reference(value) => (value.to_u32() + 1).azalea_write_var(buf),
+            Self::Direct(value) => {
+                0u32.azalea_write_var(buf)?;
+                value.azalea_write(buf)
+            }
+        }
+    }
+}
+impl<R: Registry + Debug, Direct: AzaleaRead + AzaleaWrite + Debug> Debug for Holder<R, Direct> {
+    fn fmt(&self, f: &mut fmt::Formatter<'_>) -> fmt::Result {
+        match self {
+            Self::Reference(value) => f.debug_tuple("Reference").field(value).finish(),
+            Self::Direct(value) => f.debug_tuple("Direct").field(value).finish(),
+        }
+    }
+}
+impl<R: Registry + Clone, Direct: AzaleaRead + AzaleaWrite + Clone> Clone for Holder<R, Direct> {
+    fn clone(&self) -> Self {
+        match self {
+            Self::Reference(value) => Self::Reference(value.clone()),
+            Self::Direct(value) => Self::Direct(value.clone()),
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 registry! {
 /// The AI code that's currently being executed for the entity.
 enum Activity {