diff --git a/lib/plugins/health.js b/lib/plugins/health.js
index ba35b73952..45807a0406 100644
--- a/lib/plugins/health.js
+++ b/lib/plugins/health.js
@@ -2,9 +2,26 @@ module.exports = inject
 
 function inject (bot, options) {
   bot.isAlive = true
+  // Set when a dimension-change respawn is received so that the next
+  // update_health packet re-emits spawn, matching the timing used for deaths.
+  let spawnAfterDimensionChange = false
 
   bot._client.on('respawn', (packet) => {
-    bot.isAlive = false
+    // The respawn packet is sent both on death and on dimension change. The
+    // copyMetadata (Data To Keep) field is false on death and true when the
+    // player is simply moving between dimensions. On a real death, mark the
+    // bot dead so the next update_health re-emits spawn. On a dimension change
+    // the bot is still alive, so keep isAlive true (so physics keeps updating
+    // its position, see #3905) and schedule a spawn event for the next
+    // update_health, since consumers (and the nether test) expect spawn to
+    // fire when the bot re-enters a world. On versions before 1.16.1 the field
+    // is absent (undefined), which keeps the previous always-false behaviour.
+    if (packet.copyMetadata) {
+      bot.isAlive = true
+      spawnAfterDimensionChange = true
+    } else {
+      bot.isAlive = false
+    }
     bot.emit('respawn')
   })
 
@@ -26,8 +43,9 @@ function inject (bot, options) {
       }
       if (!options.respawn) return
       bot.respawn()
-    } else if (bot.health > 0 && !bot.isAlive) {
+    } else if (bot.health > 0 && (!bot.isAlive || spawnAfterDimensionChange)) {
       bot.isAlive = true
+      spawnAfterDimensionChange = false
       bot.emit('spawn')
     }
   })