diff --git a/Essentials/src/main/java/com/earth2me/essentials/EssentialsEntityListener.java b/Essentials/src/main/java/com/earth2me/essentials/EssentialsEntityListener.java
index ee0d998e253..1d1fbff1eec 100644
--- a/Essentials/src/main/java/com/earth2me/essentials/EssentialsEntityListener.java
+++ b/Essentials/src/main/java/com/earth2me/essentials/EssentialsEntityListener.java
@@ -156,7 +156,7 @@ public void onEntityCombustByEntity(final EntityCombustByEntityEvent event) {
         }
     }
 
-    @EventHandler(priority = EventPriority.LOWEST)
+    @EventHandler(priority = EventPriority.HIGH, ignoreCancelled = true)
     public void onPlayerDeathEvent(final PlayerDeathEvent event) {
         final Entity entity = event.getEntity();
         if (entity.hasMetadata("NPC")) {