diff --git a/connector/src/main/java/org/geysermc/connector/network/session/GeyserSession.java b/connector/src/main/java/org/geysermc/connector/network/session/GeyserSession.java
index a4a124c2176..a5ed47660b6 100644
--- a/connector/src/main/java/org/geysermc/connector/network/session/GeyserSession.java
+++ b/connector/src/main/java/org/geysermc/connector/network/session/GeyserSession.java
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ public class GeyserSession implements CommandSender {
     private InventoryCache inventoryCache;
     private ScoreboardCache scoreboardCache;
     private WindowCache windowCache;
-    private Map<Position, Long> skullCache = new HashMap<>();
+    private Object2LongMap<Position> skullCache = new Object2LongOpenHashMap<Position>() {};
     @Setter
     private TeleportCache teleportCache;
 
diff --git a/connector/src/main/java/org/geysermc/connector/network/translators/world/block/BlockTranslator.java b/connector/src/main/java/org/geysermc/connector/network/translators/world/block/BlockTranslator.java
index b86b64acad6..68fcb734a10 100644
--- a/connector/src/main/java/org/geysermc/connector/network/translators/world/block/BlockTranslator.java
+++ b/connector/src/main/java/org/geysermc/connector/network/translators/world/block/BlockTranslator.java
@@ -159,7 +159,8 @@ public class BlockTranslator {
             }
 
             if (entry.getKey().contains("wall_skull") || entry.getKey().contains("wall_head")) {
-                BlockStateValues.getWallSkullDirection().put(javaBlockState, entry.getKey().substring(entry.getKey().lastIndexOf("facing=") + 7));
+                String direction = entry.getKey().substring(entry.getKey().lastIndexOf("facing=") + 7);
+                BlockStateValues.getWallSkullDirection().put(javaBlockState, direction.substring(0, direction.length() - 1));
             }
 
             if ("minecraft:water[level=0]".equals(javaId)) {
diff --git a/connector/src/main/java/org/geysermc/connector/network/translators/world/block/entity/SkullBlockEntityTranslator.java b/connector/src/main/java/org/geysermc/connector/network/translators/world/block/entity/SkullBlockEntityTranslator.java
index b23c3048df3..1f5ed2f3f5a 100644
--- a/connector/src/main/java/org/geysermc/connector/network/translators/world/block/entity/SkullBlockEntityTranslator.java
+++ b/connector/src/main/java/org/geysermc/connector/network/translators/world/block/entity/SkullBlockEntityTranslator.java
@@ -125,19 +125,19 @@ public static void spawnPlayer(GeyserSession session, com.github.steveice10.open
         if (BlockStateValues.getSkullRotation(blockState) == -1) {
             y += 0.25f;
             switch (BlockStateValues.getWallSkullDirection().get(blockState)) {
-                case "north]":
+                case "north":
                     rotation = 180f;
                     z += 0.24;
                     break;
-                case "south]":
+                case "south":
                     rotation = 0;
                     z -= 0.24f;
                     break;
-                case "west]":
+                case "west":
                     rotation = 90;
                     x += 0.24f;
                     break;
-                case "east]":
+                case "east":
                     rotation = 270;
                     x -= 0.24f;
                     break;