diff --git a/osu.Game/Screens/Edit/ExternalEditScreen.cs b/osu.Game/Screens/Edit/ExternalEditScreen.cs
index ef72c7e1b8..21eff36558 100644
--- a/osu.Game/Screens/Edit/ExternalEditScreen.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/Screens/Edit/ExternalEditScreen.cs
@@ -50,7 +50,8 @@ namespace osu.Game.Screens.Edit
 
         public ExternalEditOperation<BeatmapSetInfo>? EditOperation { get; private set; }
 
-        private Task? finishOperation;
+        private bool operationFinishStarted;
+        private bool operationFinished;
 
         private FillFlowContainer flow = null!;
 
@@ -101,14 +102,14 @@ namespace osu.Game.Screens.Edit
                 return true;
 
             // Similarly do not allow interrupting an ongoing finish.
-            if (finishOperation?.IsCompleted == false)
+            if (operationFinishStarted && !operationFinished)
                 return true;
 
             // If the operation completed successfully, ensure that we finish the operation before exiting.
             // The finish() call will subsequently call Exit() when done.
-            if (EditOperation != null && finishOperation == null)
+            if (EditOperation != null && !operationFinishStarted)
             {
-                (finishOperation = finish()).FireAndForget();
+                finish().FireAndForget();
                 return true;
             }
 
@@ -167,7 +168,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Screens.Edit
                     Width = 350,
                     Anchor = Anchor.TopCentre,
                     Origin = Anchor.TopCentre,
-                    Action = () => (finishOperation = finish()).FireAndForget(),
+                    Action = () => finish().FireAndForget(),
                     Enabled = { Value = false }
                 }
             };
@@ -191,6 +192,11 @@ namespace osu.Game.Screens.Edit
 
         private async Task finish()
         {
+            if (operationFinishStarted)
+                return;
+
+            operationFinishStarted = true;
+
             BackButtonVisibility.Value = false;
             string originalDifficulty = editor.Beatmap.Value.Beatmap.BeatmapInfo.DifficultyName;
 
@@ -213,7 +219,11 @@ namespace osu.Game.Screens.Edit
             EditOperation = null;
 
             if (beatmap == null)
+            {
+                // has to be set before `Exit()` call to ensure the exit isn't blocked in `OnExiting()`
+                operationFinished = true;
                 this.Exit();
+            }
             else
             {
                 // the `ImportAsUpdate()` flow will yield beatmap(sets) with online status of `None` if online lookup fails.
@@ -230,6 +240,8 @@ namespace osu.Game.Screens.Edit
                     beatmap.Value.Beatmaps.FirstOrDefault(b => b.DifficultyName == originalDifficulty)
                     ?? beatmap.Value.Beatmaps.First();
 
+                // has to be set before `SwitchToDifficulty()` call to ensure the exit isn't blocked in `OnExiting()`
+                operationFinished = true;
                 editor.SwitchToDifficulty(closestMatchingBeatmap);
             }
         }