diff --git a/osu.Game/Skinning/Skin.cs b/osu.Game/Skinning/Skin.cs
index d6aa9cdaad..7d93aeb897 100644
--- a/osu.Game/Skinning/Skin.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/Skinning/Skin.cs
@@ -108,6 +108,13 @@ namespace osu.Game.Skinning
                 try
                 {
                     string jsonContent = Encoding.UTF8.GetString(bytes);
+
+                    // handle namespace changes...
+
+                    // can be removed 2023-01-31
+                    jsonContent = jsonContent.Replace(@"osu.Game.Screens.Play.SongProgress", @"osu.Game.Screens.Play.HUD.DefaultSongProgress");
+                    jsonContent = jsonContent.Replace(@"osu.Game.Screens.Play.HUD.LegacyComboCounter", @"osu.Game.Skinning.LegacyComboCounter");
+
                     var deserializedContent = JsonConvert.DeserializeObject<IEnumerable<SkinnableInfo>>(jsonContent);
 
                     if (deserializedContent == null)