diff --git a/osu.Game/Rulesets/Objects/Drawables/DrawableHitObject.cs b/osu.Game/Rulesets/Objects/Drawables/DrawableHitObject.cs
index d95b246c96..669e4cecbe 100644
--- a/osu.Game/Rulesets/Objects/Drawables/DrawableHitObject.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/Rulesets/Objects/Drawables/DrawableHitObject.cs
@@ -56,8 +56,8 @@ namespace osu.Game.Rulesets.Objects.Drawables
 
         public virtual IEnumerable<HitSampleInfo> GetSamples() => HitObject.Samples;
 
-        private readonly Lazy<List<DrawableHitObject>> nestedHitObjects = new Lazy<List<DrawableHitObject>>();
-        public IReadOnlyList<DrawableHitObject> NestedHitObjects => nestedHitObjects.IsValueCreated ? nestedHitObjects.Value : (IReadOnlyList<DrawableHitObject>)Array.Empty<DrawableHitObject>();
+        private readonly List<DrawableHitObject> nestedHitObjects = new List<DrawableHitObject>();
+        public IReadOnlyList<DrawableHitObject> NestedHitObjects => nestedHitObjects;
 
         /// <summary>
         /// Whether this object should handle any user input events.
@@ -249,7 +249,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Rulesets.Objects.Drawables
                 // Must be done before the nested DHO is added to occur before the nested Apply()!
                 drawableNested.ParentHitObject = this;
 
-                nestedHitObjects.Value.Add(drawableNested);
+                nestedHitObjects.Add(drawableNested);
                 AddNestedHitObject(drawableNested);
             }
 
@@ -305,19 +305,16 @@ namespace osu.Game.Rulesets.Objects.Drawables
             if (Samples != null)
                 Samples.Samples = null;
 
-            if (nestedHitObjects.IsValueCreated)
+            foreach (var obj in nestedHitObjects)
             {
-                foreach (var obj in nestedHitObjects.Value)
-                {
-                    obj.OnNewResult -= onNewResult;
-                    obj.OnRevertResult -= onRevertResult;
-                    obj.ApplyCustomUpdateState -= onApplyCustomUpdateState;
-                }
-
-                nestedHitObjects.Value.Clear();
-                ClearNestedHitObjects();
+                obj.OnNewResult -= onNewResult;
+                obj.OnRevertResult -= onRevertResult;
+                obj.ApplyCustomUpdateState -= onApplyCustomUpdateState;
             }
 
+            nestedHitObjects.Clear();
+            ClearNestedHitObjects();
+
             HitObject.DefaultsApplied -= onDefaultsApplied;
 
             OnFree();