diff --git a/osu.Game.Tests/Visual/SongSelectV2/BeatmapCarouselTestScene.cs b/osu.Game.Tests/Visual/SongSelectV2/BeatmapCarouselTestScene.cs
index 9c109bc782..1920647e38 100644
--- a/osu.Game.Tests/Visual/SongSelectV2/BeatmapCarouselTestScene.cs
+++ b/osu.Game.Tests/Visual/SongSelectV2/BeatmapCarouselTestScene.cs
@@ -149,6 +149,8 @@ namespace osu.Game.Tests.Visual.SongSelectV2
                         TextAnchor = Anchor.CentreLeft,
                     },
                 };
+
+                Carousel.Filter(new FilterCriteria());
             });
 
             // Prefer title sorting so that order of carousel panels match order of BeatmapSets bindable.
@@ -171,7 +173,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Tests.Visual.SongSelectV2
         {
             AddStep(description, () =>
             {
-                var criteria = Carousel.Criteria;
+                var criteria = Carousel.Criteria ?? new FilterCriteria();
                 apply?.Invoke(criteria);
                 Carousel.Filter(criteria);
             });
@@ -362,7 +364,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Tests.Visual.SongSelectV2
                                 """);
             createHeader("carousel");
             stats.AddParagraph($"""
-                                sorting: {Carousel.IsFiltering}
+                                filtering: {Carousel.IsFiltering} (total {Carousel.FilterCount} times)
                                 tracked: {Carousel.ItemsTracked}
                                 displayable: {Carousel.DisplayableItems}
                                 displayed: {Carousel.VisibleItems}
diff --git a/osu.Game.Tests/Visual/SongSelectV2/TestSceneSongSelect.cs b/osu.Game.Tests/Visual/SongSelectV2/TestSceneSongSelect.cs
index b81484d3da..dcd745395b 100644
--- a/osu.Game.Tests/Visual/SongSelectV2/TestSceneSongSelect.cs
+++ b/osu.Game.Tests/Visual/SongSelectV2/TestSceneSongSelect.cs
@@ -78,6 +78,15 @@ namespace osu.Game.Tests.Visual.SongSelectV2
             AddUntilStep("wait for results screen", () => Stack.CurrentScreen is ResultsScreen);
         }
 
+        [Test]
+        public void TestSingleFilterWhenEntering()
+        {
+            ImportBeatmapForRuleset(0);
+            LoadSongSelect();
+
+            AddAssert("single filter", () => Carousel.FilterCount, () => Is.EqualTo(1));
+        }
+
         [Test]
         public void TestCookieDoesNothingIfNothingSelected()
         {
diff --git a/osu.Game/Graphics/Carousel/Carousel.cs b/osu.Game/Graphics/Carousel/Carousel.cs
index 18395dfa12..85419a8009 100644
--- a/osu.Game/Graphics/Carousel/Carousel.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/Graphics/Carousel/Carousel.cs
@@ -71,6 +71,11 @@ namespace osu.Game.Graphics.Carousel
         /// </summary>
         public bool IsFiltering => !filterTask.IsCompleted;
 
+        /// <summary>
+        /// The number of times filter operations have been triggered.
+        /// </summary>
+        internal int FilterCount { get; private set; }
+
         /// <summary>
         /// The number of displayable items currently being tracked (before filtering).
         /// </summary>
@@ -187,6 +192,8 @@ namespace osu.Game.Graphics.Carousel
         /// <param name="clearExistingPanels">Whether all existing drawable panels should be reset post filter.</param>
         protected virtual Task<IEnumerable<CarouselItem>> FilterAsync(bool clearExistingPanels = false)
         {
+            FilterCount++;
+
             if (clearExistingPanels)
                 filterReusesPanels.Invalidate();
 
diff --git a/osu.Game/Screens/SelectV2/BeatmapCarousel.cs b/osu.Game/Screens/SelectV2/BeatmapCarousel.cs
index 6ee780b603..e9a8148d5a 100644
--- a/osu.Game/Screens/SelectV2/BeatmapCarousel.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/Screens/SelectV2/BeatmapCarousel.cs
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ using System.Collections.Specialized;
 using System.Diagnostics;
 using System.Linq;
 using System.Threading;
+using System.Threading.Tasks;
 using osu.Framework.Allocation;
 using osu.Framework.Audio;
 using osu.Framework.Audio.Sample;
@@ -90,9 +91,9 @@ namespace osu.Game.Screens.SelectV2
 
             Filters = new ICarouselFilter[]
             {
-                matching = new BeatmapCarouselFilterMatching(() => Criteria),
-                new BeatmapCarouselFilterSorting(() => Criteria),
-                grouping = new BeatmapCarouselFilterGrouping(() => Criteria),
+                matching = new BeatmapCarouselFilterMatching(() => Criteria!),
+                new BeatmapCarouselFilterSorting(() => Criteria!),
+                grouping = new BeatmapCarouselFilterGrouping(() => Criteria!),
             };
 
             AddInternal(loading = new LoadingLayer());
@@ -483,7 +484,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Screens.SelectV2
 
         #region Filtering
 
-        public FilterCriteria Criteria { get; private set; } = new FilterCriteria();
+        public FilterCriteria? Criteria { get; private set; }
 
         private ScheduledDelegate? loadingDebounce;
 
@@ -509,6 +510,14 @@ namespace osu.Game.Screens.SelectV2
             }));
         }
 
+        protected override Task<IEnumerable<CarouselItem>> FilterAsync(bool clearExistingPanels = false)
+        {
+            if (Criteria == null)
+                return Task.FromResult(Enumerable.Empty<CarouselItem>());
+
+            return base.FilterAsync(clearExistingPanels);
+        }
+
         #endregion
 
         #region Drawable pooling
diff --git a/osu.Game/Screens/SelectV2/SongSelect.cs b/osu.Game/Screens/SelectV2/SongSelect.cs
index 44f3984c64..097abc7da8 100644
--- a/osu.Game/Screens/SelectV2/SongSelect.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/Screens/SelectV2/SongSelect.cs
@@ -562,12 +562,18 @@ namespace osu.Game.Screens.SelectV2
 
         private void criteriaChanged(FilterCriteria criteria)
         {
+            // The first filter needs to be applied immediately as this triggers the initial carousel load.
+            double filterDelay = filterDebounce == null ? 0 : filter_delay;
+
             filterDebounce?.Cancel();
-            filterDebounce = Scheduler.AddDelayed(() => { carousel.Filter(criteria); }, filter_delay);
+            filterDebounce = Scheduler.AddDelayed(() => { carousel.Filter(criteria); }, filterDelay);
         }
 
         private void newItemsPresented(IEnumerable<CarouselItem> carouselItems)
         {
+            if (carousel.Criteria == null)
+                return;
+
             int count = carousel.MatchedBeatmapsCount;
 
             if (count == 0)