diff --git a/osu.Game/Rulesets/UI/FrameStabilityContainer.cs b/osu.Game/Rulesets/UI/FrameStabilityContainer.cs
index e41802808f..ab9558e77d 100644
--- a/osu.Game/Rulesets/UI/FrameStabilityContainer.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/Rulesets/UI/FrameStabilityContainer.cs
@@ -281,7 +281,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Rulesets.UI
             }
         }
 
-        public double? StartTime => parentGameplayClock?.StartTime;
+        public double StartTime => parentGameplayClock?.StartTime ?? 0;
 
         public IEnumerable<double> NonGameplayAdjustments => parentGameplayClock?.NonGameplayAdjustments ?? Enumerable.Empty<double>();
 
diff --git a/osu.Game/Screens/Play/GameplayClockContainer.cs b/osu.Game/Screens/Play/GameplayClockContainer.cs
index de28f86824..33f4f26dfb 100644
--- a/osu.Game/Screens/Play/GameplayClockContainer.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/Screens/Play/GameplayClockContainer.cs
@@ -40,10 +40,10 @@ namespace osu.Game.Screens.Play
         /// The time from which the clock should start. Will be seeked to on calling <see cref="Reset"/>.
         /// </summary>
         /// <remarks>
-        /// If not set, a value of zero will be used.
-        /// Importantly, the value will be inferred from the current ruleset in <see cref="MasterGameplayClockContainer"/> unless specified.
+        /// By default, a value of zero will be used.
+        /// Importantly, the value will be inferred from the current beatmap in <see cref="MasterGameplayClockContainer"/> by default.
         /// </remarks>
-        public double? StartTime { get; set; }
+        public double StartTime { get; set; } = 0;
 
         public virtual IEnumerable<double> NonGameplayAdjustments => Enumerable.Empty<double>();
 
@@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Screens.Play
                 Start();
 
             ensureSourceClockSet();
-            Seek(StartTime ?? 0);
+            Seek(StartTime);
         }
 
         /// <summary>
diff --git a/osu.Game/Screens/Play/HUD/SongProgress.cs b/osu.Game/Screens/Play/HUD/SongProgress.cs
index f368edbfb9..0b6494bd8a 100644
--- a/osu.Game/Screens/Play/HUD/SongProgress.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/Screens/Play/HUD/SongProgress.cs
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Screens.Play.HUD
 
             if (isInIntro)
             {
-                double introStartTime = GameplayClock.StartTime ?? 0;
+                double introStartTime = GameplayClock.StartTime;
 
                 double introOffsetCurrent = currentTime - introStartTime;
                 double introDuration = FirstHitTime - introStartTime;
diff --git a/osu.Game/Screens/Play/IGameplayClock.cs b/osu.Game/Screens/Play/IGameplayClock.cs
index 5f54ce691a..ea567090ad 100644
--- a/osu.Game/Screens/Play/IGameplayClock.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/Screens/Play/IGameplayClock.cs
@@ -19,10 +19,10 @@ namespace osu.Game.Screens.Play
         /// The time from which the clock should start. Will be seeked to on calling <see cref="GameplayClockContainer.Reset"/>.
         /// </summary>
         /// <remarks>
-        /// If not set, a value of zero will be used.
-        /// Importantly, the value will be inferred from the current ruleset in <see cref="MasterGameplayClockContainer"/> unless specified.
+        /// By default, a value of zero will be used.
+        /// Importantly, the value will be inferred from the current beatmap in <see cref="MasterGameplayClockContainer"/> by default.
         /// </remarks>
-        double? StartTime { get; }
+        double StartTime { get; }
 
         /// <summary>
         /// All adjustments applied to this clock which don't come from gameplay or mods.
diff --git a/osu.Game/Screens/Play/MasterGameplayClockContainer.cs b/osu.Game/Screens/Play/MasterGameplayClockContainer.cs
index 51f57f27b8..eca0c92f8f 100644
--- a/osu.Game/Screens/Play/MasterGameplayClockContainer.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/Screens/Play/MasterGameplayClockContainer.cs
@@ -57,20 +57,8 @@ namespace osu.Game.Screens.Play
         {
             this.beatmap = beatmap;
             this.skipTargetTime = skipTargetTime;
-        }
 
-        protected override void LoadComplete()
-        {
-            base.LoadComplete();
-
-            // Reset may have been called externally before LoadComplete.
-            // If it was, and the clock is in a playing state, we want to ensure that it isn't stopped here.
-            bool isStarted = !IsPaused.Value;
-
-            // If a custom start time was not specified, calculate the best value to use.
-            StartTime ??= findEarliestStartTime();
-
-            Reset(startClock: isStarted);
+            StartTime = findEarliestStartTime();
         }
 
         private double findEarliestStartTime()