diff --git a/osu.Game/Database/DatabaseWorkingBeatmap.cs b/osu.Game/Database/DatabaseWorkingBeatmap.cs
index c56d6cea51..2acae9c340 100644
--- a/osu.Game/Database/DatabaseWorkingBeatmap.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/Database/DatabaseWorkingBeatmap.cs
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Database
                 var trackData = getReader()?.GetStream(Metadata.AudioFile);
                 return trackData == null ? null : new TrackBass(trackData);
             }
-            catch { return null; }
+            catch { return new TrackVirtual(); }
         }
     }
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
diff --git a/osu.Game/Overlays/MusicController.cs b/osu.Game/Overlays/MusicController.cs
index f6190f09af..baf58ae26c 100644
--- a/osu.Game/Overlays/MusicController.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/Overlays/MusicController.cs
@@ -59,6 +59,9 @@ namespace osu.Game.Overlays
         {
             Width = 400;
             Margin = new MarginPadding(10);
+
+            // required to let MusicController handle beatmap cycling.
+            AlwaysPresent = true;
         }
 
         protected override bool OnDragStart(InputState state) => true;
@@ -252,12 +255,16 @@ namespace osu.Game.Overlays
 
         private void prev()
         {
+            if (beatmapBacking.Disabled) return;
+
             queuedDirection = TransformDirection.Prev;
             playlist.PlayPrevious();
         }
 
         private void next()
         {
+            if (beatmapBacking.Disabled) return;
+
             queuedDirection = TransformDirection.Next;
             playlist.PlayNext();
         }
diff --git a/osu.Game/Screens/OsuScreen.cs b/osu.Game/Screens/OsuScreen.cs
index 4f8109b4e4..64223db100 100644
--- a/osu.Game/Screens/OsuScreen.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/Screens/OsuScreen.cs
@@ -29,7 +29,11 @@ namespace osu.Game.Screens
 
         internal virtual bool HasLocalCursorDisplayed => false;
 
-        internal virtual bool AllowRulesetChange => true;
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Whether the beatmap or ruleset should be allowed to be changed by the user or game.
+        /// Used to mark exclusive areas where this is strongly prohibited, like gameplay.
+        /// </summary>
+        internal virtual bool AllowBeatmapRulesetChange => true;
 
         private readonly Bindable<WorkingBeatmap> beatmap = new Bindable<WorkingBeatmap>();
 
@@ -85,7 +89,13 @@ namespace osu.Game.Screens
         {
             if (!IsCurrentScreen) return;
 
-            ruleset.Disabled = !AllowRulesetChange;
+            if (ParentScreen != null)
+            {
+                // we only want to apply these restrictions when we are inside a screen stack.
+                // the use case for not applying is in visual/unit tests.
+                ruleset.Disabled = !AllowBeatmapRulesetChange;
+                beatmap.Disabled = !AllowBeatmapRulesetChange;
+            }
         }
 
         protected override void OnResuming(Screen last)
diff --git a/osu.Game/Screens/Play/Player.cs b/osu.Game/Screens/Play/Player.cs
index b0d3a99603..c9ca91faa0 100644
--- a/osu.Game/Screens/Play/Player.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/Screens/Play/Player.cs
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Screens.Play
 
         public Action RestartRequested;
 
-        internal override bool AllowRulesetChange => false;
+        internal override bool AllowBeatmapRulesetChange => false;
 
         public bool HasFailed { get; private set; }
 
diff --git a/osu.Game/Screens/Play/PlayerLoader.cs b/osu.Game/Screens/Play/PlayerLoader.cs
index c8ebb1f436..f2ed378e7c 100644
--- a/osu.Game/Screens/Play/PlayerLoader.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/Screens/Play/PlayerLoader.cs
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Screens.Play
         private bool showOverlays = true;
         internal override bool ShowOverlays => showOverlays;
 
-        internal override bool AllowRulesetChange => false;
+        internal override bool AllowBeatmapRulesetChange => false;
 
         protected override BackgroundScreen CreateBackground() => new BackgroundScreenBeatmap(Beatmap);
 
diff --git a/osu.Game/Screens/Ranking/Results.cs b/osu.Game/Screens/Ranking/Results.cs
index dac83536ed..636851e14d 100644
--- a/osu.Game/Screens/Ranking/Results.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/Screens/Ranking/Results.cs
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Screens.Ranking
 
         private ResultModeTabControl modeChangeButtons;
 
-        internal override bool AllowRulesetChange => false;
+        internal override bool AllowBeatmapRulesetChange => false;
 
         private Container currentPage;