diff --git a/osu.Game/Graphics/Containers/BeatSyncedContainer.cs b/osu.Game/Graphics/Containers/BeatSyncedContainer.cs
index f261589955..123ef0662d 100644
--- a/osu.Game/Graphics/Containers/BeatSyncedContainer.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/Graphics/Containers/BeatSyncedContainer.cs
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Graphics.Containers
 
         protected override void Update()
         {
-            var track = Beatmap.Value?.Track;
+            var track = Beatmap.Value.Track;
 
             if (track == null)
                 return;
diff --git a/osu.Game/Screens/Menu/LogoVisualisation.cs b/osu.Game/Screens/Menu/LogoVisualisation.cs
index 7fa1eda880..778d304f68 100644
--- a/osu.Game/Screens/Menu/LogoVisualisation.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/Screens/Menu/LogoVisualisation.cs
@@ -86,13 +86,15 @@ namespace osu.Game.Screens.Menu
 
         private void updateAmplitudes()
         {
-            float[] temporalAmplitudes = beatmap.Value?.Track?.CurrentAmplitudes.FrequencyAmplitudes ?? new float[256];
+            var track = beatmap.Value.Track;
 
-            var effect = beatmap.Value?.Beatmap.ControlPointInfo.EffectPointAt(beatmap.Value.Track?.CurrentTime ?? Time.Current);
+            float[] temporalAmplitudes = track?.CurrentAmplitudes.FrequencyAmplitudes ?? new float[256];
+
+            var effect = beatmap.Value.Beatmap.ControlPointInfo.EffectPointAt(track?.CurrentTime ?? Time.Current);
 
             for (int i = 0; i < bars_per_visualiser; i++)
             {
-                if (beatmap?.Value?.Track?.IsRunning ?? false)
+                if (track?.IsRunning ?? false)
                 {
                     float targetAmplitude = temporalAmplitudes[(i + indexOffset) % bars_per_visualiser] * (effect?.KiaiMode == true ? 1 : 0.5f);
                     if (targetAmplitude > frequencyAmplitudes[i])
diff --git a/osu.Game/Screens/Menu/OsuLogo.cs b/osu.Game/Screens/Menu/OsuLogo.cs
index efbd106cb5..ecfd98688e 100644
--- a/osu.Game/Screens/Menu/OsuLogo.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/Screens/Menu/OsuLogo.cs
@@ -275,7 +275,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Screens.Menu
             const float scale_adjust_cutoff = 0.4f;
             const float velocity_adjust_cutoff = 0.98f;
 
-            var maxAmplitude = lastBeatIndex >= 0 ? Beatmap.Value?.Track?.CurrentAmplitudes.Maximum ?? 0 : 0;
+            var maxAmplitude = lastBeatIndex >= 0 ? Beatmap.Value.Track?.CurrentAmplitudes.Maximum ?? 0 : 0;
             logoAmplitudeContainer.ScaleTo(1 - Math.Max(0, maxAmplitude - scale_adjust_cutoff) * 0.04f, 75, EasingTypes.OutQuint);
 
             if (maxAmplitude > velocity_adjust_cutoff)
diff --git a/osu.Game/Screens/Play/Player.cs b/osu.Game/Screens/Play/Player.cs
index 03d02f4deb..82ef85d463 100644
--- a/osu.Game/Screens/Play/Player.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/Screens/Play/Player.cs
@@ -81,10 +81,11 @@ namespace osu.Game.Screens.Play
 
             try
             {
-                if (Beatmap.Value == null)
+                if (!Beatmap.Value.WithStoryboard)
+                    // we need to ensure the storyboard is loaded.
                     Beatmap.Value = beatmaps.GetWorkingBeatmap(BeatmapInfo, withStoryboard: true);
 
-                if (Beatmap.Value?.Beatmap == null)
+                if (Beatmap.Value.Beatmap == null)
                     throw new InvalidOperationException("Beatmap was not loaded");
 
                 ruleset = osu?.Ruleset.Value ?? Beatmap.Value.BeatmapInfo.Ruleset;
diff --git a/osu.Game/Screens/Ranking/Results.cs b/osu.Game/Screens/Ranking/Results.cs
index a15f6461dc..93f6fec862 100644
--- a/osu.Game/Screens/Ranking/Results.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/Screens/Ranking/Results.cs
@@ -165,7 +165,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Screens.Ranking
                                         {
                                             RelativeSizeAxes = Axes.Both,
                                             Alpha = 0.2f,
-                                            Texture = Beatmap.Value?.Background,
+                                            Texture = Beatmap.Value.Background,
                                             Anchor = Anchor.Centre,
                                             Origin = Anchor.Centre,
                                             FillMode = FillMode.Fill
diff --git a/osu.Game/Screens/Select/PlaySongSelect.cs b/osu.Game/Screens/Select/PlaySongSelect.cs
index 4301d80076..f564c39e10 100644
--- a/osu.Game/Screens/Select/PlaySongSelect.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/Screens/Select/PlaySongSelect.cs
@@ -59,14 +59,14 @@ namespace osu.Game.Screens.Select
         {
             if (!IsCurrentScreen) return;
 
-            beatmap?.Mods.BindTo(modSelect.SelectedMods);
+            beatmap.Mods.BindTo(modSelect.SelectedMods);
 
-            if (Beatmap.Value?.Track != null)
+            if (Beatmap.Value.Track != null)
                 Beatmap.Value.Track.Looping = false;
 
             beatmapDetails.Beatmap = beatmap;
 
-            if (beatmap?.Track != null)
+            if (beatmap.Track != null)
                 beatmap.Track.Looping = true;
         }
 
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Screens.Select
             if (base.OnExiting(next))
                 return true;
 
-            if (Beatmap.Value?.Track != null)
+            if (Beatmap.Value.Track != null)
                 Beatmap.Value.Track.Looping = false;
 
             return false;
diff --git a/osu.Game/Screens/Select/SongSelect.cs b/osu.Game/Screens/Select/SongSelect.cs
index c5b5366c34..ff11a34461 100644
--- a/osu.Game/Screens/Select/SongSelect.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/Screens/Select/SongSelect.cs
@@ -224,7 +224,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Screens.Select
             if (beatmap.Equals(beatmapNoDebounce))
                 return;
 
-            bool preview = beatmap.BeatmapSetInfoID != Beatmap.Value?.BeatmapInfo.BeatmapSetInfoID;
+            bool preview = beatmap.BeatmapSetInfoID != Beatmap.Value.BeatmapInfo.BeatmapSetInfoID;
 
             if (beatmap.BeatmapSetInfoID == beatmapNoDebounce?.BeatmapSetInfoID)
                 sampleChangeDifficulty.Play();
@@ -347,15 +347,12 @@ namespace osu.Game.Screens.Select
 
         private void ensurePlayingSelected(bool preview = false)
         {
-            Track track = Beatmap.Value?.Track;
+            Track track = Beatmap.Value.Track;
 
             trackManager.SetExclusive(track);
 
-            if (track != null)
-            {
-                if (preview) track.Seek(Beatmap.Value.Metadata.PreviewTime);
-                track.Start();
-            }
+            if (preview) track.Seek(Beatmap.Value.Metadata.PreviewTime);
+            track.Start();
         }
 
         private void removeBeatmapSet(BeatmapSetInfo beatmapSet)