diff --git a/osu.Game.Tests/Visual/Navigation/TestSceneSkinEditorNavigation.cs b/osu.Game.Tests/Visual/Navigation/TestSceneSkinEditorNavigation.cs
index fa85c8c9f8..57f1b2fbe9 100644
--- a/osu.Game.Tests/Visual/Navigation/TestSceneSkinEditorNavigation.cs
+++ b/osu.Game.Tests/Visual/Navigation/TestSceneSkinEditorNavigation.cs
@@ -283,15 +283,17 @@ namespace osu.Game.Tests.Visual.Navigation
             openSkinEditor();
         }
 
-        [Test]
-        public void TestOpenSkinEditorGameplaySceneWhenDifferentRulesetActive()
+        [TestCase(1)]
+        [TestCase(2)]
+        [TestCase(3)]
+        public void TestOpenSkinEditorGameplaySceneWhenDifferentRulesetActive(int rulesetId)
         {
             BeatmapSetInfo beatmapSet = null!;
 
             AddStep("import beatmap", () => beatmapSet = BeatmapImportHelper.LoadQuickOszIntoOsu(Game).GetResultSafely());
-            AddStep("select mania difficulty", () =>
+            AddStep($"select difficulty for ruleset w/ ID {rulesetId}", () =>
             {
-                var beatmap = beatmapSet.Beatmaps.First(b => b.Ruleset.OnlineID == 3);
+                var beatmap = beatmapSet.Beatmaps.First(b => b.Ruleset.OnlineID == rulesetId);
                 Game.Beatmap.Value = Game.BeatmapManager.GetWorkingBeatmap(beatmap);
             });
 
diff --git a/osu.Game/Overlays/SkinEditor/SkinEditorOverlay.cs b/osu.Game/Overlays/SkinEditor/SkinEditorOverlay.cs
index 262ce263bd..bedaf12c9b 100644
--- a/osu.Game/Overlays/SkinEditor/SkinEditorOverlay.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/Overlays/SkinEditor/SkinEditorOverlay.cs
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ using osu.Game.Beatmaps;
 using osu.Game.Configuration;
 using osu.Game.Graphics.Containers;
 using osu.Game.Input.Bindings;
+using osu.Game.Rulesets;
 using osu.Game.Rulesets.Mods;
 using osu.Game.Scoring;
 using osu.Game.Screens;
@@ -58,6 +59,9 @@ namespace osu.Game.Overlays.SkinEditor
         [Resolved]
         private Bindable<IReadOnlyList<Mod>> mods { get; set; } = null!;
 
+        [Resolved]
+        private Bindable<RulesetInfo> ruleset { get; set; } = null!;
+
         [Resolved]
         private IBindable<WorkingBeatmap> beatmap { get; set; } = null!;
 
@@ -153,7 +157,11 @@ namespace osu.Game.Overlays.SkinEditor
                 if (screen is Player)
                     return;
 
-                var replayGeneratingMod = beatmap.Value.BeatmapInfo.Ruleset.CreateInstance().GetAutoplayMod();
+                // the validity of the current game-wide beatmap + ruleset combination is enforced by song select.
+                // if we're anywhere else, the state is unknown and may not make sense, so forcibly set something that does.
+                if (screen is not PlaySongSelect)
+                    ruleset.Value = beatmap.Value.BeatmapInfo.Ruleset;
+                var replayGeneratingMod = ruleset.Value.CreateInstance().GetAutoplayMod();
 
                 IReadOnlyList<Mod> usableMods = mods.Value;