diff --git a/src/pocketmine/inventory/ArmorInventory.php b/src/pocketmine/inventory/ArmorInventory.php
index c646b7246..b8aa855ab 100644
--- a/src/pocketmine/inventory/ArmorInventory.php
+++ b/src/pocketmine/inventory/ArmorInventory.php
@@ -94,11 +94,12 @@ class ArmorInventory extends BaseInventory{
 			$target = [$target];
 		}
 
-		$armor = $this->getContents(true);
-
 		$pk = new MobArmorEquipmentPacket();
 		$pk->entityRuntimeId = $this->getHolder()->getId();
-		$pk->slots = $armor;
+		$pk->head = $this->getHelmet();
+		$pk->chest = $this->getChestplate();
+		$pk->legs = $this->getLeggings();
+		$pk->feet = $this->getBoots();
 		$pk->encode();
 
 		foreach($target as $player){
@@ -121,18 +122,19 @@ class ArmorInventory extends BaseInventory{
 			$target = [$target];
 		}
 
-		$armor = $this->getContents(true);
-
 		$pk = new MobArmorEquipmentPacket();
 		$pk->entityRuntimeId = $this->getHolder()->getId();
-		$pk->slots = $armor;
+		$pk->head = $this->getHelmet();
+		$pk->chest = $this->getChestplate();
+		$pk->legs = $this->getLeggings();
+		$pk->feet = $this->getBoots();
 		$pk->encode();
 
 		foreach($target as $player){
 			if($player === $this->getHolder()){
 				$pk2 = new InventoryContentPacket();
 				$pk2->windowId = $player->getWindowId($this);
-				$pk2->items = $armor;
+				$pk2->items = $this->getContents(true);
 				$player->dataPacket($pk2);
 			}else{
 				$player->dataPacket($pk);
diff --git a/src/pocketmine/network/mcpe/protocol/MobArmorEquipmentPacket.php b/src/pocketmine/network/mcpe/protocol/MobArmorEquipmentPacket.php
index f0e8335ee..af4a25867 100644
--- a/src/pocketmine/network/mcpe/protocol/MobArmorEquipmentPacket.php
+++ b/src/pocketmine/network/mcpe/protocol/MobArmorEquipmentPacket.php
@@ -34,21 +34,32 @@ class MobArmorEquipmentPacket extends DataPacket{
 
 	/** @var int */
 	public $entityRuntimeId;
-	/** @var Item[] */
-	public $slots = [];
+
+	//this intentionally doesn't use an array because we don't want any implicit dependencies on internal order
+
+	/** @var Item */
+	public $head;
+	/** @var Item */
+	public $chest;
+	/** @var Item */
+	public $legs;
+	/** @var Item */
+	public $feet;
 
 	protected function decodePayload(){
 		$this->entityRuntimeId = $this->getEntityRuntimeId();
-		for($i = 0; $i < 4; ++$i){
-			$this->slots[$i] = $this->getSlot();
-		}
+		$this->head = $this->getSlot();
+		$this->chest = $this->getSlot();
+		$this->legs = $this->getSlot();
+		$this->feet = $this->getSlot();
 	}
 
 	protected function encodePayload(){
 		$this->putEntityRuntimeId($this->entityRuntimeId);
-		for($i = 0; $i < 4; ++$i){
-			$this->putSlot($this->slots[$i]);
-		}
+		$this->putSlot($this->head);
+		$this->putSlot($this->chest);
+		$this->putSlot($this->legs);
+		$this->putSlot($this->feet);
 	}
 
 	public function handle(NetworkSession $session) : bool{