diff --git a/osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu/Objects/Drawables/DrawableSlider.cs b/osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu/Objects/Drawables/DrawableSlider.cs
index 5c7f4a42b3..b017eacf70 100644
--- a/osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu/Objects/Drawables/DrawableSlider.cs
+++ b/osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu/Objects/Drawables/DrawableSlider.cs
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu.Objects.Drawables
                 case SliderTailCircle tail:
                     return new DrawableSliderTail(slider, tail);
 
-                case HitCircle head:
+                case SliderHeadCircle head:
                     return new DrawableSliderHead(slider, head) { OnShake = Shake };
 
                 case SliderTick tick:
diff --git a/osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu/Objects/Drawables/DrawableSliderHead.cs b/osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu/Objects/Drawables/DrawableSliderHead.cs
index c5609b01e0..563282e18f 100644
--- a/osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu/Objects/Drawables/DrawableSliderHead.cs
+++ b/osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu/Objects/Drawables/DrawableSliderHead.cs
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu.Objects.Drawables
 
         private readonly Slider slider;
 
-        public DrawableSliderHead(Slider slider, HitCircle h)
+        public DrawableSliderHead(Slider slider, SliderHeadCircle h)
             : base(h)
         {
             this.slider = slider;
diff --git a/osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu/Objects/Slider.cs b/osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu/Objects/Slider.cs
index db1f46d8e2..e5d6c20738 100644
--- a/osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu/Objects/Slider.cs
+++ b/osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu/Objects/Slider.cs
@@ -155,7 +155,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu.Objects
                         break;
 
                     case SliderEventType.Head:
-                        AddNested(HeadCircle = new SliderCircle
+                        AddNested(HeadCircle = new SliderHeadCircle
                         {
                             StartTime = e.Time,
                             Position = Position,
diff --git a/osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu/Objects/SliderHeadCircle.cs b/osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu/Objects/SliderHeadCircle.cs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..f6d46aeef5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu/Objects/SliderHeadCircle.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+// Copyright (c) ppy Pty Ltd <contact@ppy.sh>. Licensed under the MIT Licence.
+// See the LICENCE file in the repository root for full licence text.
+
+namespace osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu.Objects
+{
+    public class SliderHeadCircle : HitCircle
+    {
+    }
+}
diff --git a/osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu/UI/OsuPlayfield.cs b/osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu/UI/OsuPlayfield.cs
index e36d32d01a..97e002edd0 100644
--- a/osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu/UI/OsuPlayfield.cs
+++ b/osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu/UI/OsuPlayfield.cs
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ using osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu.Objects.Drawables;
 using osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu.Objects.Drawables.Connections;
 using osu.Game.Rulesets.UI;
 using osu.Game.Rulesets.Judgements;
+using osu.Game.Rulesets.Objects;
 using osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu.UI.Cursor;
 using osu.Game.Skinning;
 
@@ -126,10 +127,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu.UI
         /// <param name="result">The <see cref="JudgementResult"/> of the judged <see cref="OsuHitObject"/>.</param>
         private void missAllEarlier(JudgementResult result)
         {
-            // Hitobjects that count as bonus should not cause other hitobjects to get missed.
-            // E.g. For the sequence slider-head -> circle -> slider-tick, hitting the tick before the circle should not cause the circle to be missed.
-            // E.g. For the sequence spinner -> circle -> spinner-bonus, hitting the bonus before the circle should not cause the circle to be missed.
-            if (result.Judgement.IsBonus)
+            if (!contributesToNoteLock(result.HitObject))
                 return;
 
             // The minimum start time required for hitobjects so that they aren't missed.
@@ -140,35 +138,44 @@ namespace osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu.UI
                 if (obj.HitObject.StartTime >= minimumTime)
                     break;
 
-                attemptMiss(obj);
+                performMiss(obj);
 
                 foreach (var n in obj.NestedHitObjects)
                 {
                     if (n.HitObject.StartTime >= minimumTime)
                         break;
 
-                    attemptMiss(n);
+                    performMiss(n);
                 }
             }
-
-            static void attemptMiss(DrawableHitObject obj)
-            {
-                if (!(obj is DrawableOsuHitObject osuObject))
-                    throw new InvalidOperationException($"{obj.GetType()} is not a {nameof(DrawableOsuHitObject)}.");
-
-                // Hitobjects that have already been judged cannot be missed.
-                if (osuObject.Judged)
-                    return;
-
-                // Hitobjects that count as bonus should not be missed.
-                // For the sequence slider-head -> slider-tick -> circle, hitting the circle before the tick should not cause the tick to be missed.
-                if (osuObject.Result.Judgement.IsBonus)
-                    return;
-
-                osuObject.MissForcefully();
-            }
         }
 
+        private void performMiss(DrawableHitObject obj)
+        {
+            if (!(obj is DrawableOsuHitObject osuObject))
+                throw new InvalidOperationException($"{obj.GetType()} is not a {nameof(DrawableOsuHitObject)}.");
+
+            // Hitobjects that have already been judged cannot be missed.
+            if (osuObject.Judged)
+                return;
+
+            // Hitobjects that count as bonus should not be missed.
+            // For the sequence slider-head -> slider-tick -> circle, hitting the circle before the tick should not cause the tick to be missed.
+            if (!contributesToNoteLock(obj.HitObject))
+                return;
+
+            osuObject.MissForcefully();
+        }
+
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Whether a hitobject contributes to notelock.
+        /// Only hit circles and slider start circles contribute to notelock.
+        /// </summary>
+        /// <param name="hitObject">The hitobject to test.</param>
+        /// <returns>Whether <paramref name="hitObject"/> contributes to notelock.</returns>
+        private bool contributesToNoteLock(HitObject hitObject)
+            => hitObject is HitCircle && !(hitObject is SliderTailCircle);
+
         public override bool ReceivePositionalInputAt(Vector2 screenSpacePos) => HitObjectContainer.ReceivePositionalInputAt(screenSpacePos);
 
         private class ApproachCircleProxyContainer : LifetimeManagementContainer