diff --git a/osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu/UI/Cursor/OsuCursor.cs b/osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu/UI/Cursor/OsuCursor.cs
index 18351c20ce..710ca9ace7 100644
--- a/osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu/UI/Cursor/OsuCursor.cs
+++ b/osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu/UI/Cursor/OsuCursor.cs
@@ -57,17 +57,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu.UI.Cursor
         [BackgroundDependencyLoader]
         private void load()
         {
-            InternalChild = cursorScaleContainer = new Container
-            {
-                RelativeSizeAxes = Axes.Both,
-                Origin = Anchor.Centre,
-                Anchor = Anchor.Centre,
-                Child = cursorSprite = new SkinnableDrawable(new OsuSkinComponentLookup(OsuSkinComponents.Cursor), _ => new DefaultCursor(), confineMode: ConfineMode.NoScaling)
-                {
-                    Origin = Anchor.Centre,
-                    Anchor = Anchor.Centre,
-                }
-            };
+            InternalChild = CreateCursorContent();
 
             userCursorScale = config.GetBindable<float>(OsuSetting.GameplayCursorSize);
             userCursorScale.ValueChanged += _ => cursorScale.Value = CalculateCursorScale();
@@ -84,6 +74,18 @@ namespace osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu.UI.Cursor
             cursorScale.Value = CalculateCursorScale();
         }
 
+        protected virtual Drawable CreateCursorContent() => cursorScaleContainer = new Container
+        {
+            RelativeSizeAxes = Axes.Both,
+            Origin = Anchor.Centre,
+            Anchor = Anchor.Centre,
+            Child = cursorSprite = new SkinnableDrawable(new OsuSkinComponentLookup(OsuSkinComponents.Cursor), _ => new DefaultCursor(), confineMode: ConfineMode.NoScaling)
+            {
+                Origin = Anchor.Centre,
+                Anchor = Anchor.Centre,
+            },
+        };
+
         protected virtual float CalculateCursorScale()
         {
             float scale = userCursorScale.Value;
diff --git a/osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu/UI/OsuResumeOverlay.cs b/osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu/UI/OsuResumeOverlay.cs
index f5e83f46f2..8a84fe14e5 100644
--- a/osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu/UI/OsuResumeOverlay.cs
+++ b/osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu/UI/OsuResumeOverlay.cs
@@ -65,17 +65,24 @@ namespace osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu.UI
             public override bool HandlePositionalInput => true;
 
             public Action ResumeRequested;
+            private Container scaleTransitionContainer;
 
             public OsuClickToResumeCursor()
             {
                 RelativePositionAxes = Axes.Both;
             }
 
-            protected override float CalculateCursorScale()
+            protected override Container CreateCursorContent() => scaleTransitionContainer = new Container
             {
+                RelativeSizeAxes = Axes.Both,
+                Origin = Anchor.Centre,
+                Anchor = Anchor.Centre,
+                Child = base.CreateCursorContent(),
+            };
+
+            protected override float CalculateCursorScale() =>
                 // Force minimum cursor size so it's easily clickable
-                return Math.Max(1f, base.CalculateCursorScale());
-            }
+                Math.Max(1f, base.CalculateCursorScale());
 
             protected override bool OnHover(HoverEvent e)
             {
@@ -98,7 +105,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu.UI
                         if (!IsHovered)
                             return false;
 
-                        this.ScaleTo(2, TRANSITION_TIME, Easing.OutQuint);
+                        scaleTransitionContainer.ScaleTo(2, TRANSITION_TIME, Easing.OutQuint);
 
                         ResumeRequested?.Invoke();
                         return true;
@@ -114,7 +121,10 @@ namespace osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu.UI
             public void Appear() => Schedule(() =>
             {
                 updateColour();
-                this.ScaleTo(4).Then().ScaleTo(1, 1000, Easing.OutQuint);
+
+                // importantly, we perform the scale transition on an underlying container rather than the whole cursor
+                // to prevent attempts of abuse by the scale change in the cursor's hitbox (see: https://github.com/ppy/osu/issues/26477).
+                scaleTransitionContainer.ScaleTo(4).Then().ScaleTo(1, 1000, Easing.OutQuint);
             });
 
             private void updateColour()