diff --git a/osu.Game.Tests/Visual/Menus/IntroTestScene.cs b/osu.Game.Tests/Visual/Menus/IntroTestScene.cs
index bfea97410a..82accceb23 100644
--- a/osu.Game.Tests/Visual/Menus/IntroTestScene.cs
+++ b/osu.Game.Tests/Visual/Menus/IntroTestScene.cs
@@ -5,6 +5,8 @@ using NUnit.Framework;
 using osu.Framework.Allocation;
 using osu.Framework.Graphics;
 using osu.Framework.Graphics.Shapes;
+using osu.Framework.Threading;
+using osu.Game.Overlays;
 using osu.Game.Screens;
 using osu.Game.Screens.Menu;
 using osuTK;
@@ -18,10 +20,17 @@ namespace osu.Game.Tests.Visual.Menus
         [Cached]
         private OsuLogo logo;
 
+        protected abstract bool IntroReliesOnTrack { get; }
+
         protected OsuScreenStack IntroStack;
 
         private IntroScreen intro;
 
+        [Cached]
+        private NotificationOverlay notifications;
+
+        private ScheduledDelegate trackResetDelegate;
+
         protected IntroTestScene()
         {
             Children = new Drawable[]
@@ -38,6 +47,11 @@ namespace osu.Game.Tests.Visual.Menus
                     RelativePositionAxes = Axes.Both,
                     Depth = float.MinValue,
                     Position = new Vector2(0.5f),
+                },
+                notifications = new NotificationOverlay
+                {
+                    Anchor = Anchor.TopRight,
+                    Origin = Anchor.TopRight,
                 }
             };
         }
@@ -63,6 +77,41 @@ namespace osu.Game.Tests.Visual.Menus
             AddUntilStep("wait for menu", () => intro.DidLoadMenu);
         }
 
+        [Test]
+        public virtual void TestPlayIntroWithFailingAudioDevice()
+        {
+            AddStep("hide notifications", () => notifications.Hide());
+            AddStep("restart sequence", () =>
+            {
+                logo.FinishTransforms();
+                logo.IsTracking = false;
+
+                IntroStack?.Expire();
+
+                Add(IntroStack = new OsuScreenStack
+                {
+                    RelativeSizeAxes = Axes.Both,
+                });
+
+                IntroStack.Push(intro = CreateScreen());
+            });
+
+            AddStep("trigger failure", () =>
+            {
+                trackResetDelegate = Scheduler.AddDelayed(() =>
+                {
+                    intro.Beatmap.Value.Track.Seek(0);
+                }, 0, true);
+            });
+
+            AddUntilStep("wait for menu", () => intro.DidLoadMenu);
+
+            if (IntroReliesOnTrack)
+                AddUntilStep("wait for notification", () => notifications.UnreadCount.Value == 1);
+
+            AddStep("uninstall delegate", () => trackResetDelegate?.Cancel());
+        }
+
         protected abstract IntroScreen CreateScreen();
     }
 }
diff --git a/osu.Game.Tests/Visual/Menus/TestSceneIntroCircles.cs b/osu.Game.Tests/Visual/Menus/TestSceneIntroCircles.cs
index ffc99185fb..7ad49b5dcd 100644
--- a/osu.Game.Tests/Visual/Menus/TestSceneIntroCircles.cs
+++ b/osu.Game.Tests/Visual/Menus/TestSceneIntroCircles.cs
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Tests.Visual.Menus
     [TestFixture]
     public class TestSceneIntroCircles : IntroTestScene
     {
+        protected override bool IntroReliesOnTrack => false;
         protected override IntroScreen CreateScreen() => new IntroCircles();
     }
 }
diff --git a/osu.Game.Tests/Visual/Menus/TestSceneIntroTriangles.cs b/osu.Game.Tests/Visual/Menus/TestSceneIntroTriangles.cs
index 8f01e0321b..abe8936330 100644
--- a/osu.Game.Tests/Visual/Menus/TestSceneIntroTriangles.cs
+++ b/osu.Game.Tests/Visual/Menus/TestSceneIntroTriangles.cs
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Tests.Visual.Menus
     [TestFixture]
     public class TestSceneIntroTriangles : IntroTestScene
     {
+        protected override bool IntroReliesOnTrack => true;
         protected override IntroScreen CreateScreen() => new IntroTriangles();
     }
 }
diff --git a/osu.Game.Tests/Visual/Menus/TestSceneIntroWelcome.cs b/osu.Game.Tests/Visual/Menus/TestSceneIntroWelcome.cs
index 9081be3dd6..11cea25865 100644
--- a/osu.Game.Tests/Visual/Menus/TestSceneIntroWelcome.cs
+++ b/osu.Game.Tests/Visual/Menus/TestSceneIntroWelcome.cs
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Tests.Visual.Menus
     [TestFixture]
     public class TestSceneIntroWelcome : IntroTestScene
     {
+        protected override bool IntroReliesOnTrack => false;
         protected override IntroScreen CreateScreen() => new IntroWelcome();
 
         public override void TestPlayIntro()
diff --git a/osu.Game/Screens/Menu/IntroScreen.cs b/osu.Game/Screens/Menu/IntroScreen.cs
index fceb083916..98c4b15f7f 100644
--- a/osu.Game/Screens/Menu/IntroScreen.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/Screens/Menu/IntroScreen.cs
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ using osu.Game.Configuration;
 using osu.Game.Database;
 using osu.Game.IO.Archives;
 using osu.Game.Overlays;
+using osu.Game.Overlays.Notifications;
 using osu.Game.Screens.Backgrounds;
 using osuTK;
 using osuTK.Graphics;
@@ -147,6 +148,36 @@ namespace osu.Game.Screens.Menu
             }
         }
 
+        public override void OnEntering(IScreen last)
+        {
+            base.OnEntering(last);
+            ensureEventuallyArrivingAtMenu();
+        }
+
+        [Resolved]
+        private NotificationOverlay notifications { get; set; }
+
+        private void ensureEventuallyArrivingAtMenu()
+        {
+            // This intends to handle the case where an intro may get stuck.
+            // Historically, this could happen if the host system's audio device is in a state it can't
+            // play audio, causing a clock to never elapse time and the intro to never end.
+            //
+            // This safety measure gives the user a chance to fix the problem from the settings menu.
+            Scheduler.AddDelayed(() =>
+            {
+                if (DidLoadMenu)
+                    return;
+
+                PrepareMenuLoad();
+                LoadMenu();
+                notifications.Post(new SimpleErrorNotification
+                {
+                    Text = "osu! doesn't seem to be able to play audio correctly.\n\nPlease try changing your audio device to a working setting."
+                });
+            }, 5000);
+        }
+
         public override void OnResuming(IScreen last)
         {
             this.FadeIn(300);
@@ -241,6 +272,9 @@ namespace osu.Game.Screens.Menu
 
         protected void PrepareMenuLoad()
         {
+            if (nextScreen != null)
+                return;
+
             nextScreen = createNextScreen?.Invoke();
 
             if (nextScreen != null)
@@ -249,6 +283,9 @@ namespace osu.Game.Screens.Menu
 
         protected void LoadMenu()
         {
+            if (DidLoadMenu)
+                return;
+
             beatmap.Return();
 
             DidLoadMenu = true;
diff --git a/osu.Game/Screens/Menu/IntroTriangles.cs b/osu.Game/Screens/Menu/IntroTriangles.cs
index 10f940e9de..b6b6bf2ad7 100644
--- a/osu.Game/Screens/Menu/IntroTriangles.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/Screens/Menu/IntroTriangles.cs
@@ -93,6 +93,9 @@ namespace osu.Game.Screens.Menu
         {
             base.OnSuspending(next);
 
+            // ensure the background is shown, even if the TriangleIntroSequence failed to do so.
+            background.ApplyToBackground(b => b.Show());
+
             // important as there is a clock attached to a track which will likely be disposed before returning to this screen.
             intro.Expire();
         }