diff --git a/osu.Game.Rulesets.Catch/Objects/Drawable/DrawableCatchHitObject.cs b/osu.Game.Rulesets.Catch/Objects/Drawable/DrawableCatchHitObject.cs
index 00734810b3..51deae6e85 100644
--- a/osu.Game.Rulesets.Catch/Objects/Drawable/DrawableCatchHitObject.cs
+++ b/osu.Game.Rulesets.Catch/Objects/Drawable/DrawableCatchHitObject.cs
@@ -71,11 +71,11 @@ namespace osu.Game.Rulesets.Catch.Objects.Drawable
                 switch (state)
                 {
                     case ArmedState.Miss:
-                        this.FadeOut(250).RotateTo(Rotation * 2, 250, Easing.Out).Expire();
+                        this.FadeOut(250).RotateTo(Rotation * 2, 250, Easing.Out);
                         break;
 
                     case ArmedState.Hit:
-                        this.FadeOut().Expire();
+                        this.FadeOut();
                         break;
                 }
             }
diff --git a/osu.Game.Rulesets.Mania/Objects/Drawables/DrawableManiaHitObject.cs b/osu.Game.Rulesets.Mania/Objects/Drawables/DrawableManiaHitObject.cs
index e5b114ca81..5bfa07bd14 100644
--- a/osu.Game.Rulesets.Mania/Objects/Drawables/DrawableManiaHitObject.cs
+++ b/osu.Game.Rulesets.Mania/Objects/Drawables/DrawableManiaHitObject.cs
@@ -51,11 +51,11 @@ namespace osu.Game.Rulesets.Mania.Objects.Drawables
             switch (state)
             {
                 case ArmedState.Miss:
-                    this.FadeOut(150, Easing.In).Expire();
+                    this.FadeOut(150, Easing.In);
                     break;
 
                 case ArmedState.Hit:
-                    this.FadeOut(150, Easing.OutQuint).Expire();
+                    this.FadeOut(150, Easing.OutQuint);
                     break;
             }
         }
diff --git a/osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu/Objects/Drawables/DrawableHitCircle.cs b/osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu/Objects/Drawables/DrawableHitCircle.cs
index 985dcbca86..83646c561d 100644
--- a/osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu/Objects/Drawables/DrawableHitCircle.cs
+++ b/osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu/Objects/Drawables/DrawableHitCircle.cs
@@ -86,6 +86,26 @@ namespace osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu.Objects.Drawables
             AccentColour.BindValueChanged(accent => ApproachCircle.Colour = accent.NewValue, true);
         }
 
+        public override double LifetimeStart
+        {
+            get => base.LifetimeStart;
+            set
+            {
+                base.LifetimeStart = value;
+                ApproachCircle.LifetimeStart = value;
+            }
+        }
+
+        public override double LifetimeEnd
+        {
+            get => base.LifetimeEnd;
+            set
+            {
+                base.LifetimeEnd = value;
+                ApproachCircle.LifetimeEnd = value;
+            }
+        }
+
         protected override void CheckForResult(bool userTriggered, double timeOffset)
         {
             Debug.Assert(HitObject.HitWindows != null);
@@ -122,6 +142,8 @@ namespace osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu.Objects.Drawables
 
         protected override void UpdateStateTransforms(ArmedState state)
         {
+            base.UpdateStateTransforms(state);
+
             Debug.Assert(HitObject.HitWindows != null);
 
             switch (state)
@@ -132,22 +154,18 @@ namespace osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu.Objects.Drawables
                     Expire(true);
 
                     hitArea.HitAction = null;
-
-                    // override lifetime end as FadeIn may have been changed externally, causing out expiration to be too early.
-                    LifetimeEnd = HitObject.StartTime + HitObject.HitWindows.WindowFor(HitResult.Miss);
                     break;
 
                 case ArmedState.Miss:
                     ApproachCircle.FadeOut(50);
                     this.FadeOut(100);
-                    Expire();
                     break;
 
                 case ArmedState.Hit:
                     ApproachCircle.FadeOut(50);
 
                     // todo: temporary / arbitrary
-                    this.Delay(800).Expire();
+                    this.Delay(800).FadeOut();
                     break;
             }
         }
diff --git a/osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu/Objects/Drawables/DrawableOsuHitObject.cs b/osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu/Objects/Drawables/DrawableOsuHitObject.cs
index fcd42314fc..c46343c73c 100644
--- a/osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu/Objects/Drawables/DrawableOsuHitObject.cs
+++ b/osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu/Objects/Drawables/DrawableOsuHitObject.cs
@@ -41,6 +41,19 @@ namespace osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu.Objects.Drawables
 
         protected virtual void Shake(double maximumLength) => shakeContainer.Shake(maximumLength);
 
+        protected override void UpdateStateTransforms(ArmedState state)
+        {
+            base.UpdateStateTransforms(state);
+
+            switch (state)
+            {
+                case ArmedState.Idle:
+                    // Manually set to reduce the number of future alive objects to a bare minimum.
+                    LifetimeStart = HitObject.StartTime - HitObject.TimePreempt;
+                    break;
+            }
+        }
+
         protected override JudgementResult CreateResult(Judgement judgement) => new OsuJudgementResult(HitObject, judgement);
     }
 }
diff --git a/osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu/Objects/Drawables/DrawableRepeatPoint.cs b/osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu/Objects/Drawables/DrawableRepeatPoint.cs
index 00a943a67f..84d2a4af9b 100644
--- a/osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu/Objects/Drawables/DrawableRepeatPoint.cs
+++ b/osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu/Objects/Drawables/DrawableRepeatPoint.cs
@@ -74,6 +74,8 @@ namespace osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu.Objects.Drawables
 
         protected override void UpdateStateTransforms(ArmedState state)
         {
+            base.UpdateStateTransforms(state);
+
             switch (state)
             {
                 case ArmedState.Idle:
diff --git a/osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu/Objects/Drawables/DrawableSlider.cs b/osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu/Objects/Drawables/DrawableSlider.cs
index 00c953c393..08b43b0345 100644
--- a/osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu/Objects/Drawables/DrawableSlider.cs
+++ b/osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu/Objects/Drawables/DrawableSlider.cs
@@ -202,6 +202,8 @@ namespace osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu.Objects.Drawables
 
         protected override void UpdateStateTransforms(ArmedState state)
         {
+            base.UpdateStateTransforms(state);
+
             Ball.FadeIn();
             Ball.ScaleTo(HitObject.Scale);
 
@@ -219,10 +221,8 @@ namespace osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu.Objects.Drawables
                         break;
                 }
 
-                this.FadeOut(fade_out_time, Easing.OutQuint).Expire();
+                this.FadeOut(fade_out_time, Easing.OutQuint);
             }
-
-            Expire(true);
         }
 
         public Drawable ProxiedLayer => HeadCircle.ApproachCircle;
diff --git a/osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu/Objects/Drawables/DrawableSliderTick.cs b/osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu/Objects/Drawables/DrawableSliderTick.cs
index ba931976a8..9d4d9958a1 100644
--- a/osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu/Objects/Drawables/DrawableSliderTick.cs
+++ b/osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu/Objects/Drawables/DrawableSliderTick.cs
@@ -75,6 +75,8 @@ namespace osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu.Objects.Drawables
 
         protected override void UpdateStateTransforms(ArmedState state)
         {
+            base.UpdateStateTransforms(state);
+
             switch (state)
             {
                 case ArmedState.Idle:
diff --git a/osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu/Objects/Drawables/DrawableSpinner.cs b/osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu/Objects/Drawables/DrawableSpinner.cs
index 49aaa2aaea..d1b9ee6cb4 100644
--- a/osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu/Objects/Drawables/DrawableSpinner.cs
+++ b/osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu/Objects/Drawables/DrawableSpinner.cs
@@ -215,14 +215,12 @@ namespace osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu.Objects.Drawables
 
         protected override void UpdateStateTransforms(ArmedState state)
         {
+            base.UpdateStateTransforms(state);
+
             var sequence = this.Delay(Spinner.Duration).FadeOut(160);
 
             switch (state)
             {
-                case ArmedState.Idle:
-                    Expire(true);
-                    break;
-
                 case ArmedState.Hit:
                     sequence.ScaleTo(Scale * 1.2f, 320, Easing.Out);
                     break;
@@ -231,8 +229,6 @@ namespace osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu.Objects.Drawables
                     sequence.ScaleTo(Scale * 0.8f, 320, Easing.In);
                     break;
             }
-
-            Expire();
         }
     }
 }
diff --git a/osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu/UI/OsuPlayfield.cs b/osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu/UI/OsuPlayfield.cs
index ea7eee8bb8..df12ebc514 100644
--- a/osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu/UI/OsuPlayfield.cs
+++ b/osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu/UI/OsuPlayfield.cs
@@ -70,13 +70,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu.UI
             base.Add(h);
         }
 
-        private void addApproachCircleProxy(Drawable d)
-        {
-            var proxy = d.CreateProxy();
-            proxy.LifetimeStart = d.LifetimeStart;
-            proxy.LifetimeEnd = d.LifetimeEnd;
-            approachCircles.Add(proxy);
-        }
+        private void addApproachCircleProxy(Drawable d) => approachCircles.Add(d.CreateProxy());
 
         public override void PostProcess()
         {
diff --git a/osu.Game.Rulesets.Taiko/Objects/Drawables/DrawableDrumRoll.cs b/osu.Game.Rulesets.Taiko/Objects/Drawables/DrawableDrumRoll.cs
index f4407a7b54..8e16a21199 100644
--- a/osu.Game.Rulesets.Taiko/Objects/Drawables/DrawableDrumRoll.cs
+++ b/osu.Game.Rulesets.Taiko/Objects/Drawables/DrawableDrumRoll.cs
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Rulesets.Taiko.Objects.Drawables
             {
                 case ArmedState.Hit:
                 case ArmedState.Miss:
-                    this.Delay(HitObject.Duration).FadeOut(100).Expire();
+                    this.Delay(HitObject.Duration).FadeOut(100);
                     break;
             }
         }
diff --git a/osu.Game.Rulesets.Taiko/Objects/Drawables/DrawableDrumRollTick.cs b/osu.Game.Rulesets.Taiko/Objects/Drawables/DrawableDrumRollTick.cs
index cef9a53deb..25b6141a0e 100644
--- a/osu.Game.Rulesets.Taiko/Objects/Drawables/DrawableDrumRollTick.cs
+++ b/osu.Game.Rulesets.Taiko/Objects/Drawables/DrawableDrumRollTick.cs
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Rulesets.Taiko.Objects.Drawables
             switch (state)
             {
                 case ArmedState.Hit:
-                    this.ScaleTo(0, 100, Easing.OutQuint).Expire();
+                    this.ScaleTo(0, 100, Easing.OutQuint);
                     break;
             }
         }
diff --git a/osu.Game.Rulesets.Taiko/Objects/Drawables/DrawableHit.cs b/osu.Game.Rulesets.Taiko/Objects/Drawables/DrawableHit.cs
index 676ecd5a0b..4b25ff0ecc 100644
--- a/osu.Game.Rulesets.Taiko/Objects/Drawables/DrawableHit.cs
+++ b/osu.Game.Rulesets.Taiko/Objects/Drawables/DrawableHit.cs
@@ -105,12 +105,10 @@ namespace osu.Game.Rulesets.Taiko.Objects.Drawables
                     validActionPressed = false;
 
                     UnproxyContent();
-                    this.Delay(HitObject.HitWindows.WindowFor(HitResult.Miss)).Expire();
                     break;
 
                 case ArmedState.Miss:
-                    this.FadeOut(100)
-                        .Expire();
+                    this.FadeOut(100);
                     break;
 
                 case ArmedState.Hit:
@@ -129,9 +127,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Rulesets.Taiko.Objects.Drawables
                         .Then()
                         .MoveToY(gravity_travel_height * 2, gravity_time * 2, Easing.In);
 
-                    this.FadeOut(800)
-                        .Expire();
-
+                    this.FadeOut(800);
                     break;
             }
         }
diff --git a/osu.Game.Rulesets.Taiko/Objects/Drawables/DrawableSwell.cs b/osu.Game.Rulesets.Taiko/Objects/Drawables/DrawableSwell.cs
index 094ad1230f..07af7fe7e0 100644
--- a/osu.Game.Rulesets.Taiko/Objects/Drawables/DrawableSwell.cs
+++ b/osu.Game.Rulesets.Taiko/Objects/Drawables/DrawableSwell.cs
@@ -208,8 +208,6 @@ namespace osu.Game.Rulesets.Taiko.Objects.Drawables
                     {
                         this.FadeOut(transition_duration, Easing.Out);
                         bodyContainer.ScaleTo(1.4f, transition_duration);
-
-                        Expire();
                     }
 
                     break;
diff --git a/osu.Game/Rulesets/Objects/Drawables/DrawableHitObject.cs b/osu.Game/Rulesets/Objects/Drawables/DrawableHitObject.cs
index db87d4b4f2..00b57f7249 100644
--- a/osu.Game/Rulesets/Objects/Drawables/DrawableHitObject.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/Rulesets/Objects/Drawables/DrawableHitObject.cs
@@ -153,6 +153,8 @@ namespace osu.Game.Rulesets.Objects.Drawables
 
             if (UseTransformStateManagement)
             {
+                LifetimeEnd = double.MaxValue;
+
                 double transformTime = HitObject.StartTime - InitialLifetimeOffset;
 
                 base.ApplyTransformsAt(transformTime, true);
@@ -170,6 +172,9 @@ namespace osu.Game.Rulesets.Objects.Drawables
                         state.Value = newState;
                     }
                 }
+
+                if (state.Value != ArmedState.Idle && LifetimeEnd == double.MaxValue)
+                    Expire();
             }
             else
                 state.Value = newState;
@@ -200,6 +205,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Rulesets.Objects.Drawables
 
         /// <summary>
         /// Apply transforms based on the current <see cref="ArmedState"/>. Previous states are automatically cleared.
+        /// In the case of a non-idle <see cref="ArmedState"/>, and if <see cref="Drawable.LifetimeEnd"/> was not set during this call, <see cref="Drawable.Expire"/> will be invoked.
         /// </summary>
         /// <param name="state">The new armed state.</param>
         protected virtual void UpdateStateTransforms(ArmedState state)
@@ -308,7 +314,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Rulesets.Objects.Drawables
         /// <remarks>
         /// This is only used as an optimisation to delay the initial update of this <see cref="DrawableHitObject"/> and may be tuned more aggressively if required.
         /// It is indirectly used to decide the automatic transform offset provided to <see cref="UpdateInitialTransforms"/>.
-        /// A more accurate <see cref="LifetimeStart"/> should be set inside <see cref="UpdateState"/> for an <see cref="ArmedState.Idle"/> state.
+        /// A more accurate <see cref="LifetimeStart"/> should be set for further optimisation (in <see cref="LoadComplete"/>, for example).
         /// </remarks>
         protected virtual double InitialLifetimeOffset => 10000;