diff --git a/osu.Game.Rulesets.Taiko.Tests/Skinning/TestSceneDrawableTaikoMascot.cs b/osu.Game.Rulesets.Taiko.Tests/Skinning/TestSceneDrawableTaikoMascot.cs
index ef95358d34..7dadac85bb 100644
--- a/osu.Game.Rulesets.Taiko.Tests/Skinning/TestSceneDrawableTaikoMascot.cs
+++ b/osu.Game.Rulesets.Taiko.Tests/Skinning/TestSceneDrawableTaikoMascot.cs
@@ -1,8 +1,6 @@
 // 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.
 
-#nullable disable
-
 using System.Collections.Generic;
 using System.Linq;
 using Humanizer;
@@ -36,7 +34,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Rulesets.Taiko.Tests.Skinning
             TimeRange = { Value = 5000 },
         };
 
-        private TaikoScoreProcessor scoreProcessor;
+        private TaikoScoreProcessor scoreProcessor = null!;
 
         private IEnumerable<DrawableTaikoMascot> mascots => this.ChildrenOfType<DrawableTaikoMascot>();
 
@@ -89,9 +87,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Rulesets.Taiko.Tests.Skinning
         [Test]
         public void TestIdleState()
         {
-            AddStep("set beatmap", () => setBeatmap());
-
-            createDrawableRuleset();
+            prepareTest(false);
 
             assertStateAfterResult(new JudgementResult(new Hit(), new TaikoJudgement()) { Type = HitResult.Great }, TaikoMascotAnimationState.Idle);
             assertStateAfterResult(new JudgementResult(new Hit.StrongNestedHit(), new TaikoStrongJudgement()) { Type = HitResult.IgnoreMiss }, TaikoMascotAnimationState.Idle);
@@ -100,9 +96,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Rulesets.Taiko.Tests.Skinning
         [Test]
         public void TestKiaiState()
         {
-            AddStep("set beatmap", () => setBeatmap(true));
-
-            createDrawableRuleset();
+            prepareTest(true);
 
             assertStateAfterResult(new JudgementResult(new Hit(), new TaikoJudgement()) { Type = HitResult.Ok }, TaikoMascotAnimationState.Kiai);
             assertStateAfterResult(new JudgementResult(new Hit(), new TaikoStrongJudgement()) { Type = HitResult.IgnoreMiss }, TaikoMascotAnimationState.Kiai);
@@ -112,9 +106,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Rulesets.Taiko.Tests.Skinning
         [Test]
         public void TestMissState()
         {
-            AddStep("set beatmap", () => setBeatmap());
-
-            createDrawableRuleset();
+            prepareTest(false);
 
             assertStateAfterResult(new JudgementResult(new Hit(), new TaikoJudgement()) { Type = HitResult.Great }, TaikoMascotAnimationState.Idle);
             assertStateAfterResult(new JudgementResult(new Hit(), new TaikoJudgement()) { Type = HitResult.Miss }, TaikoMascotAnimationState.Fail);
@@ -128,7 +120,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Rulesets.Taiko.Tests.Skinning
         {
             AddStep("set beatmap", () => setBeatmap(kiai));
 
-            createDrawableRuleset();
+            prepareTest(kiai);
 
             AddRepeatStep("reach 49 combo", () => applyNewResult(new JudgementResult(new Hit(), new TaikoJudgement()) { Type = HitResult.Great }), 49);
 
@@ -139,9 +131,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Rulesets.Taiko.Tests.Skinning
         [TestCase(false, TaikoMascotAnimationState.Idle)]
         public void TestClearStateOnClearedSwell(bool kiai, TaikoMascotAnimationState expectedStateAfterClear)
         {
-            AddStep("set beatmap", () => setBeatmap(kiai));
-
-            createDrawableRuleset();
+            prepareTest(kiai);
 
             assertStateAfterResult(new JudgementResult(new Swell(), new TaikoSwellJudgement()) { Type = HitResult.Great }, TaikoMascotAnimationState.Clear);
             AddUntilStep($"state reverts to {expectedStateAfterClear.ToString().ToLowerInvariant()}", () => allMascotsIn(expectedStateAfterClear));
@@ -175,25 +165,27 @@ namespace osu.Game.Rulesets.Taiko.Tests.Skinning
             scoreProcessor.ApplyBeatmap(Beatmap.Value.Beatmap);
         }
 
-        private void createDrawableRuleset()
+        private void prepareTest(bool kiai)
         {
-            AddUntilStep("wait for beatmap to be loaded", () => Beatmap.Value.Track.IsLoaded);
+            AddStep("set beatmap", () => setBeatmap(kiai));
 
             AddStep("create drawable ruleset", () =>
             {
-                Beatmap.Value.Track.Start();
-
                 SetContents(_ =>
                 {
                     var ruleset = new TaikoRuleset();
                     return new DrawableTaikoRuleset(ruleset, Beatmap.Value.GetPlayableBeatmap(ruleset.RulesetInfo));
                 });
             });
+
+            AddUntilStep("wait for track to be loaded", () => MusicController.TrackLoaded);
+            AddStep("start track", () => MusicController.CurrentTrack.Restart());
+            AddUntilStep("wait for track started", () => MusicController.IsPlaying);
         }
 
         private void assertStateAfterResult(JudgementResult judgementResult, TaikoMascotAnimationState expectedState)
         {
-            TaikoMascotAnimationState[] mascotStates = null;
+            TaikoMascotAnimationState[] mascotStates = null!;
 
             AddStep($"{judgementResult.Type.ToString().ToLowerInvariant()} result for {judgementResult.Judgement.GetType().Name.Humanize(LetterCasing.LowerCase)}",
                 () =>
@@ -204,7 +196,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Rulesets.Taiko.Tests.Skinning
                     Schedule(() => mascotStates = animatedMascots.Select(mascot => mascot.State.Value).ToArray());
                 });
 
-            AddAssert($"state is {expectedState.ToString().ToLowerInvariant()}", () => mascotStates.All(state => state == expectedState));
+            AddAssert($"state is {expectedState.ToString().ToLowerInvariant()}", () => mascotStates.Distinct(), () => Is.EquivalentTo(new[] { expectedState }));
         }
 
         private void applyNewResult(JudgementResult judgementResult)