diff --git a/osu.Game.Tests/Visual/Menus/TestSceneToolbar.cs b/osu.Game.Tests/Visual/Menus/TestSceneToolbar.cs
index 22c7bb64b2..471700988c 100644
--- a/osu.Game.Tests/Visual/Menus/TestSceneToolbar.cs
+++ b/osu.Game.Tests/Visual/Menus/TestSceneToolbar.cs
@@ -250,6 +250,8 @@ namespace osu.Game.Tests.Visual.Menus
             }
 
             public virtual IBindable<int> UnreadCount => null;
+
+            public bool HasOngoingOperations => false;
         }
     }
 }
diff --git a/osu.Game.Tests/Visual/UserInterface/TestSceneFirstRunSetupOverlay.cs b/osu.Game.Tests/Visual/UserInterface/TestSceneFirstRunSetupOverlay.cs
index 77ed97e3ed..0b0c29acf6 100644
--- a/osu.Game.Tests/Visual/UserInterface/TestSceneFirstRunSetupOverlay.cs
+++ b/osu.Game.Tests/Visual/UserInterface/TestSceneFirstRunSetupOverlay.cs
@@ -214,6 +214,8 @@ namespace osu.Game.Tests.Visual.UserInterface
             }
 
             public virtual IBindable<int> UnreadCount => null;
+
+            public bool HasOngoingOperations => false;
         }
 
         // interface mocks break hot reload, mocking this stub implementation instead works around it.
diff --git a/osu.Game/OsuGame.cs b/osu.Game/OsuGame.cs
index 7bfe88f248..160dc26790 100644
--- a/osu.Game/OsuGame.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/OsuGame.cs
@@ -778,18 +778,8 @@ namespace osu.Game
 
         public override void AttemptExit()
         {
-            bool requiresConfirmationToExit = Notifications.HasOngoingOperations;
-
-            PerformFromScreen(menu =>
-            {
-                var mainMenu = ((MainMenu)menu);
-
-                // The main menu exit implementation gives the user a chance to interrupt the exit process if needed.
-                if (requiresConfirmationToExit)
-                    mainMenu.Exit();
-                else
-                    mainMenu.ExitWithoutConfirmation();
-            }, new[] { typeof(MainMenu) });
+            // The main menu exit implementation gives the user a chance to interrupt the exit process if needed.
+            PerformFromScreen(menu => menu.Exit(), new[] { typeof(MainMenu) });
         }
 
         /// <summary>
diff --git a/osu.Game/Overlays/INotificationOverlay.cs b/osu.Game/Overlays/INotificationOverlay.cs
index b9ac466229..0d8f73a1d7 100644
--- a/osu.Game/Overlays/INotificationOverlay.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/Overlays/INotificationOverlay.cs
@@ -30,5 +30,10 @@ namespace osu.Game.Overlays
         /// Current number of unread notifications.
         /// </summary>
         IBindable<int> UnreadCount { get; }
+
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Whether there are any ongoing operations, such as imports or downloads.
+        /// </summary>
+        bool HasOngoingOperations { get; }
     }
 }
diff --git a/osu.Game/Screens/Menu/MainMenu.cs b/osu.Game/Screens/Menu/MainMenu.cs
index 998e36c2be..5078751823 100644
--- a/osu.Game/Screens/Menu/MainMenu.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/Screens/Menu/MainMenu.cs
@@ -53,6 +53,9 @@ namespace osu.Game.Screens.Menu
         [Resolved]
         private GameHost host { get; set; }
 
+        [Resolved]
+        private INotificationOverlay notifications { get; set; }
+
         [Resolved]
         private MusicController musicController { get; set; }
 
@@ -74,6 +77,9 @@ namespace osu.Game.Screens.Menu
 
         private ExitConfirmOverlay exitConfirmOverlay;
 
+        private bool exitConfirmedViaDialog;
+        private bool exitConfirmedViaHoldOrClick;
+
         private ParallaxContainer buttonsContainer;
         private SongTicker songTicker;
 
@@ -89,10 +95,8 @@ namespace osu.Game.Screens.Menu
                 {
                     Action = () =>
                     {
-                        if (holdDelay.Value > 0)
-                            confirmAndExit();
-                        else
-                            this.Exit();
+                        exitConfirmedViaHoldOrClick = holdDelay.Value > 0;
+                        this.Exit();
                     }
                 });
             }
@@ -114,7 +118,11 @@ namespace osu.Game.Screens.Menu
                             OnSolo = loadSoloSongSelect,
                             OnMultiplayer = () => this.Push(new Multiplayer()),
                             OnPlaylists = () => this.Push(new Playlists()),
-                            OnExit = confirmAndExit,
+                            OnExit = () =>
+                            {
+                                exitConfirmedViaHoldOrClick = true;
+                                this.Exit();
+                            }
                         }
                     }
                 },
@@ -154,13 +162,11 @@ namespace osu.Game.Screens.Menu
 
         public void ReturnToOsuLogo() => Buttons.State = ButtonSystemState.Initial;
 
-        public void ExitWithoutConfirmation() => confirmAndExit();
-
         private void confirmAndExit()
         {
-            if (exitConfirmed) return;
+            if (exitConfirmedViaDialog) return;
 
-            exitConfirmed = true;
+            exitConfirmedViaDialog = true;
             performer?.PerformFromScreen(menu => menu.Exit());
         }
 
@@ -203,8 +209,6 @@ namespace osu.Game.Screens.Menu
                 dialogOverlay?.Push(new StorageErrorDialog(osuStorage, osuStorage.Error));
         }
 
-        private bool exitConfirmed;
-
         protected override void LogoArriving(OsuLogo logo, bool resuming)
         {
             base.LogoArriving(logo, resuming);
@@ -281,12 +285,29 @@ namespace osu.Game.Screens.Menu
 
         public override bool OnExiting(ScreenExitEvent e)
         {
-            if (!exitConfirmed && dialogOverlay != null)
+            bool requiresConfirmation =
+                // we need to have a dialog overlay to confirm in the first place.
+                dialogOverlay != null
+                // if the dialog has already displayed and been accepted by the user, we are good.
+                && !exitConfirmedViaDialog
+                // Only require confirmation if there is either an ongoing operation or the user exited via a non-hold escape press.
+                && (notifications.HasOngoingOperations || !exitConfirmedViaHoldOrClick);
+
+            if (requiresConfirmation)
             {
                 if (dialogOverlay.CurrentDialog is ConfirmExitDialog exitDialog)
                     exitDialog.PerformOkAction();
                 else
-                    dialogOverlay.Push(new ConfirmExitDialog(confirmAndExit, () => exitConfirmOverlay.Abort()));
+                {
+                    dialogOverlay.Push(new ConfirmExitDialog(() =>
+                    {
+                        exitConfirmedViaDialog = true;
+                        this.Exit();
+                    }, () =>
+                    {
+                        exitConfirmOverlay.Abort();
+                    }));
+                }
 
                 return true;
             }