diff --git a/osu.Game.Rulesets.Mania.Tests/TestSceneDrawableNote.cs b/osu.Game.Rulesets.Mania.Tests/TestSceneDrawableNote.cs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..4a6c59e297
--- /dev/null
+++ b/osu.Game.Rulesets.Mania.Tests/TestSceneDrawableNote.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,67 @@
+// 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.
+
+using NUnit.Framework;
+using osu.Framework.Graphics;
+using osu.Framework.Timing;
+using osu.Game.Beatmaps;
+using osu.Game.Beatmaps.ControlPoints;
+using osu.Game.Rulesets.Mania.Objects;
+using osu.Game.Rulesets.Mania.Objects.Drawables;
+using osu.Game.Rulesets.Mania.UI;
+using osu.Game.Rulesets.UI.Scrolling;
+using osu.Game.Tests.Visual;
+using osuTK.Graphics;
+
+namespace osu.Game.Rulesets.Mania.Tests
+{
+    public class TestSceneDrawableManiaHitObject : OsuTestScene
+    {
+        private readonly ManualClock clock = new ManualClock();
+
+        private Column column;
+
+        [SetUp]
+        public void SetUp() => Schedule(() =>
+        {
+            Child = new ScrollingTestContainer(ScrollingDirection.Down)
+            {
+                Anchor = Anchor.Centre,
+                Origin = Anchor.Centre,
+                AutoSizeAxes = Axes.X,
+                RelativeSizeAxes = Axes.Y,
+                TimeRange = 2000,
+                Clock = new FramedClock(clock),
+                Child = column = new Column(0)
+                {
+                    Action = { Value = ManiaAction.Key1 },
+                    Height = 0.85f,
+                    AccentColour = Color4.Gray
+                },
+            };
+        });
+
+        [Test]
+        public void TestHoldNoteHeadVisibility()
+        {
+            DrawableHoldNote note = null;
+            AddStep("Add hold note", () =>
+            {
+                var h = new HoldNote
+                {
+                    StartTime = 0,
+                    Duration = 1000
+                };
+                h.ApplyDefaults(new ControlPointInfo(), new BeatmapDifficulty());
+                column.Add(note = new DrawableHoldNote(h));
+            });
+            AddStep("Hold key", () =>
+            {
+                clock.CurrentTime = 0;
+                note.OnPressed(ManiaAction.Key1);
+            });
+            AddStep("progress time", () => clock.CurrentTime = 500);
+            AddAssert("head is visible", () => note.Head.Alpha == 1);
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/osu.Game.Rulesets.Mania.Tests/TestSceneHoldNoteInput.cs b/osu.Game.Rulesets.Mania.Tests/TestSceneHoldNoteInput.cs
index 668487f673..387c5f4195 100644
--- a/osu.Game.Rulesets.Mania.Tests/TestSceneHoldNoteInput.cs
+++ b/osu.Game.Rulesets.Mania.Tests/TestSceneHoldNoteInput.cs
@@ -4,14 +4,11 @@
 using System.Collections.Generic;
 using System.Linq;
 using NUnit.Framework;
-using osu.Framework.Screens;
-using osu.Framework.Testing;
 using osu.Game.Beatmaps;
 using osu.Game.Beatmaps.ControlPoints;
 using osu.Game.Replays;
 using osu.Game.Rulesets.Judgements;
 using osu.Game.Rulesets.Mania.Objects;
-using osu.Game.Rulesets.Mania.Objects.Drawables;
 using osu.Game.Rulesets.Mania.Replays;
 using osu.Game.Rulesets.Mania.Scoring;
 using osu.Game.Rulesets.Objects;
@@ -411,17 +408,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Rulesets.Mania.Tests
                 judgementResults = new List<JudgementResult>();
             });
 
-            AddUntilStep("Beatmap at 0", () => Beatmap.Value.Track.CurrentTime == 0);
-            AddUntilStep("Wait until player is loaded", () => currentPlayer.IsCurrentScreen());
-
-            AddUntilStep("wait for head", () => currentPlayer.GameplayClockContainer.GameplayClock.CurrentTime >= time_head);
-            AddAssert("head is visible",
-                () => currentPlayer.ChildrenOfType<DrawableHoldNote>()
-                                   .Single(note => note.HitObject == beatmap.HitObjects[0])
-                                   .Head
-                                   .Alpha == 1);
-
-            AddUntilStep("Wait for completion", () => currentPlayer.ScoreProcessor.HasCompleted.Value);
+            AddUntilStep("Wait for completion", () => currentPlayer.ScoreProcessor?.HasCompleted.Value == true);
         }
 
         private class ScoreAccessibleReplayPlayer : ReplayPlayer
diff --git a/osu.Game/Rulesets/UI/Playfield.cs b/osu.Game/Rulesets/UI/Playfield.cs
index 17d3cf01a4..b154288dba 100644
--- a/osu.Game/Rulesets/UI/Playfield.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/Rulesets/UI/Playfield.cs
@@ -354,8 +354,11 @@ namespace osu.Game.Rulesets.UI
 
                     // If this is the first time this DHO is being used, then apply the DHO mods.
                     // This is done before Apply() so that the state is updated once when the hitobject is applied.
-                    foreach (var m in mods.OfType<IApplicableToDrawableHitObjects>())
-                        m.ApplyToDrawableHitObjects(dho.Yield());
+                    if (mods != null)
+                    {
+                        foreach (var m in mods.OfType<IApplicableToDrawableHitObjects>())
+                            m.ApplyToDrawableHitObjects(dho.Yield());
+                    }
                 }
 
                 if (!lifetimeEntryMap.TryGetValue(hitObject, out var entry))