diff --git a/osu.Game.Tests/Visual/TestCaseMods.cs b/osu.Game.Tests/Visual/TestCaseMods.cs
index 6330afe860..ab53dbd968 100644
--- a/osu.Game.Tests/Visual/TestCaseMods.cs
+++ b/osu.Game.Tests/Visual/TestCaseMods.cs
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@
 // Licensed under the MIT Licence - https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ppy/osu/master/LICENCE
 
 using System;
-using System.ComponentModel;
 using osu.Framework.Allocation;
 using osu.Framework.Graphics;
 using osu.Game.Overlays.Mods;
@@ -13,12 +12,11 @@ using osu.Game.Rulesets.Mods;
 using osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu.Mods;
 using System.Linq;
 using System.Collections.Generic;
+using NUnit.Framework;
 using osu.Framework.Configuration;
-using osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu;
 using osu.Game.Graphics.UserInterface;
 using osu.Game.Graphics.Sprites;
 using osu.Game.Overlays.Mods.Sections;
-using osu.Game.Rulesets.Mania;
 using osu.Game.Rulesets.Mania.Mods;
 using osu.Game.Rulesets.UI;
 using OpenTK.Graphics;
@@ -51,11 +49,6 @@ namespace osu.Game.Tests.Visual
         private void load(RulesetStore rulesets)
         {
             this.rulesets = rulesets;
-        }
-
-        protected override void LoadComplete()
-        {
-            base.LoadComplete();
 
             Add(modSelect = new TestModSelectOverlay
             {
@@ -72,34 +65,25 @@ namespace osu.Game.Tests.Visual
                 Position = new Vector2(0, 25),
             });
 
+            modDisplay.Current.UnbindBindings();
             modDisplay.Current.BindTo(modSelect.SelectedMods);
 
-            AddStep("Toggle", modSelect.ToggleVisibility);
-            AddStep("Hide", modSelect.Hide);
             AddStep("Show", modSelect.Show);
-
-            foreach (var rulesetInfo in rulesets.AvailableRulesets)
-            {
-                Ruleset ruleset = rulesetInfo.CreateInstance();
-                AddStep($"switch to {ruleset.Description}", () => Ruleset.Value = rulesetInfo);
-
-                switch (ruleset)
-                {
-                    case OsuRuleset or:
-                        testOsuMods(or);
-                        break;
-                    case ManiaRuleset mr:
-                        testManiaMods(mr);
-                        break;
-                }
-            }
+            AddStep("Toggle", modSelect.ToggleVisibility);
+            AddStep("Toggle", modSelect.ToggleVisibility);
         }
 
-        private void testOsuMods(OsuRuleset ruleset)
+        [Test]
+        public void TestOsuMods()
         {
-            var easierMods = ruleset.GetModsFor(ModType.DifficultyReduction);
-            var harderMods = ruleset.GetModsFor(ModType.DifficultyIncrease);
-            var assistMods = ruleset.GetModsFor(ModType.Automation);
+            var ruleset = rulesets.AvailableRulesets.First(r => r.ID == 0);
+            AddStep("change ruleset", () => { Ruleset.Value = ruleset; });
+
+            var instance = ruleset.CreateInstance();
+
+            var easierMods = instance.GetModsFor(ModType.DifficultyReduction);
+            var harderMods = instance.GetModsFor(ModType.DifficultyIncrease);
+            var assistMods = instance.GetModsFor(ModType.Automation);
 
             var noFailMod = easierMods.FirstOrDefault(m => m is OsuModNoFail);
             var hiddenMod = harderMods.FirstOrDefault(m => m is OsuModHidden);
@@ -121,9 +105,40 @@ namespace osu.Game.Tests.Visual
             testUnimplementedMod(autoPilotMod);
         }
 
-        private void testManiaMods(ManiaRuleset ruleset)
+        [Test]
+        public void TestManiaMods()
         {
-            testRankedText(ruleset.GetModsFor(ModType.Conversion).First(m => m is ManiaModRandom));
+            var ruleset = rulesets.AvailableRulesets.First(r => r.ID == 3);
+            AddStep("change ruleset", () => { Ruleset.Value = ruleset; });
+
+            testRankedText(ruleset.CreateInstance().GetModsFor(ModType.Conversion).First(m => m is ManiaModRandom));
+        }
+
+        [Test]
+        public void TestRulesetChanges()
+        {
+            var rulesetOsu = rulesets.AvailableRulesets.First(r => r.ID == 0);
+            var rulesetMania = rulesets.AvailableRulesets.First(r => r.ID == 3);
+
+            AddStep("change ruleset to null", () => { Ruleset.Value = null; });
+
+            var instance = rulesetOsu.CreateInstance();
+            var easierMods = instance.GetModsFor(ModType.DifficultyReduction);
+            var noFailMod = easierMods.FirstOrDefault(m => m is OsuModNoFail);
+
+            AddStep("set mods externally", () => { modDisplay.Current.Value = new[] { noFailMod }; });
+
+            AddStep("change ruleset to osu", () => { Ruleset.Value = rulesetOsu; });
+
+            AddAssert("ensure mods still selected", () => modDisplay.Current.Value.Single(m => m is OsuModNoFail) != null);
+
+            AddStep("change ruleset to mania", () => { Ruleset.Value = rulesetMania; });
+
+            AddAssert("ensure mods not selected", () => !modDisplay.Current.Value.Any(m => m is OsuModNoFail));
+
+            AddStep("change ruleset to osu", () => { Ruleset.Value = rulesetOsu; });
+
+            AddAssert("ensure mods not selected", () => !modDisplay.Current.Value.Any());
         }
 
         private void testSingleMod(Mod mod)
diff --git a/osu.Game/OsuGame.cs b/osu.Game/OsuGame.cs
index 69d1236126..4d9a12943f 100644
--- a/osu.Game/OsuGame.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/OsuGame.cs
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ namespace osu.Game
         private readonly List<OverlayContainer> overlays = new List<OverlayContainer>();
 
         // todo: move this to SongSelect once Screen has the ability to unsuspend.
-        private readonly Bindable<IEnumerable<Mod>> selectedMods = new Bindable<IEnumerable<Mod>>(new List<Mod>());
+        private readonly Bindable<IEnumerable<Mod>> selectedMods = new Bindable<IEnumerable<Mod>>(new Mod[] { });
 
         public OsuGame(string[] args = null)
         {
diff --git a/osu.Game/Overlays/Mods/ModSelectOverlay.cs b/osu.Game/Overlays/Mods/ModSelectOverlay.cs
index 3f28b7ccfd..45703ac56d 100644
--- a/osu.Game/Overlays/Mods/ModSelectOverlay.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/Overlays/Mods/ModSelectOverlay.cs
@@ -39,11 +39,11 @@ namespace osu.Game.Overlays.Mods
 
         protected readonly FillFlowContainer<ModSection> ModSectionsContainer;
 
-        protected readonly Bindable<IEnumerable<Mod>> SelectedMods = new Bindable<IEnumerable<Mod>>();
+        protected readonly Bindable<IEnumerable<Mod>> SelectedMods = new Bindable<IEnumerable<Mod>>(new Mod[] { });
 
         protected readonly IBindable<RulesetInfo> Ruleset = new Bindable<RulesetInfo>();
 
-        [BackgroundDependencyLoader]
+        [BackgroundDependencyLoader(true)]
         private void load(OsuColour colours, IBindable<RulesetInfo> ruleset, AudioManager audio, Bindable<IEnumerable<Mod>> selectedMods)
         {
             LowMultiplierColour = colours.Red;
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Overlays.Mods
             UnrankedLabel.Colour = colours.Blue;
 
             Ruleset.BindTo(ruleset);
-            SelectedMods.BindTo(selectedMods);
+            if (selectedMods != null) SelectedMods.BindTo(selectedMods);
 
             sampleOn = audio.Sample.Get(@"UI/check-on");
             sampleOff = audio.Sample.Get(@"UI/check-off");
diff --git a/osu.Game/Screens/Select/PlaySongSelect.cs b/osu.Game/Screens/Select/PlaySongSelect.cs
index 7a832caf41..210c03f2d9 100644
--- a/osu.Game/Screens/Select/PlaySongSelect.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/Screens/Select/PlaySongSelect.cs
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Screens.Select
 
         private SampleChannel sampleConfirm;
 
-        private readonly Bindable<IEnumerable<Mod>> selectedMods = new Bindable<IEnumerable<Mod>>(new List<Mod>());
+        private readonly Bindable<IEnumerable<Mod>> selectedMods = new Bindable<IEnumerable<Mod>>(new Mod[] { });
 
         [BackgroundDependencyLoader(true)]
         private void load(OsuColour colours, AudioManager audio, BeatmapManager beatmaps, DialogOverlay dialogOverlay, Bindable<IEnumerable<Mod>> selectedMods)