diff --git a/osu.Game.Rulesets.Taiko.Tests/TestSceneHitApplication.cs b/osu.Game.Rulesets.Taiko.Tests/TestSceneHitApplication.cs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..52fd440857
--- /dev/null
+++ b/osu.Game.Rulesets.Taiko.Tests/TestSceneHitApplication.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+// 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.
+
+using NUnit.Framework;
+using osu.Game.Rulesets.Taiko.Objects;
+using osu.Game.Rulesets.Taiko.Objects.Drawables;
+
+namespace osu.Game.Rulesets.Taiko.Tests
+{
+    public class TestSceneHitApplication : HitObjectApplicationTestScene
+    {
+        [Test]
+        public void TestApplyNewHit()
+        {
+            var hit = new DrawableHit();
+
+            AddStep("apply new hit", () => hit.Apply(PrepareObject(new Hit
+            {
+                Type = HitType.Rim,
+                IsStrong = false,
+                StartTime = 300
+            }), null));
+
+            AddHitObject(hit);
+            RemoveHitObject(hit);
+
+            AddStep("apply new hit", () => hit.Apply(PrepareObject(new Hit
+            {
+                Type = HitType.Centre,
+                IsStrong = true,
+                StartTime = 500
+            }), null));
+
+            AddHitObject(hit);
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/osu.Game.Rulesets.Taiko/Objects/Drawables/DrawableHit.cs b/osu.Game.Rulesets.Taiko/Objects/Drawables/DrawableHit.cs
index 431f2980ec..5a479e1f53 100644
--- a/osu.Game.Rulesets.Taiko/Objects/Drawables/DrawableHit.cs
+++ b/osu.Game.Rulesets.Taiko/Objects/Drawables/DrawableHit.cs
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ using System;
 using System.Collections.Generic;
 using System.Diagnostics;
 using System.Linq;
-using osu.Framework.Allocation;
+using JetBrains.Annotations;
 using osu.Framework.Bindables;
 using osu.Framework.Graphics;
 using osu.Game.Audio;
@@ -36,29 +36,51 @@ namespace osu.Game.Rulesets.Taiko.Objects.Drawables
 
         private bool pressHandledThisFrame;
 
-        private readonly Bindable<HitType> type;
+        private readonly Bindable<HitType> type = new Bindable<HitType>();
 
-        public DrawableHit(Hit hit)
-            : base(hit)
+        public DrawableHit()
+            : this(null)
         {
-            type = HitObject.TypeBindable.GetBoundCopy();
-            FillMode = FillMode.Fit;
-
-            updateActionsFromType();
         }
 
-        [BackgroundDependencyLoader]
-        private void load()
+        public DrawableHit([CanBeNull] Hit hit)
+            : base(hit)
         {
+            FillMode = FillMode.Fit;
+        }
+
+        protected override void OnApply()
+        {
+            type.BindTo(HitObject.TypeBindable);
             type.BindValueChanged(_ =>
             {
                 updateActionsFromType();
 
-                // will overwrite samples, should only be called on change.
+                // will overwrite samples, should only be called on subsequent changes
+                // after the initial application.
                 updateSamplesFromTypeChange();
 
                 RecreatePieces();
             });
+
+            // action update also has to happen immediately on application.
+            updateActionsFromType();
+
+            base.OnApply();
+        }
+
+        protected override void OnFree()
+        {
+            base.OnFree();
+
+            type.UnbindFrom(HitObject.TypeBindable);
+            type.UnbindEvents();
+
+            UnproxyContent();
+
+            HitActions = null;
+            HitAction = null;
+            validActionPressed = pressHandledThisFrame = false;
         }
 
         private HitSampleInfo[] getRimSamples() => HitObject.Samples.Where(s => s.Name == HitSampleInfo.HIT_CLAP || s.Name == HitSampleInfo.HIT_WHISTLE).ToArray();