diff --git a/osu.Game.Rulesets.Taiko.Tests/DrawableTestHit.cs b/osu.Game.Rulesets.Taiko.Tests/DrawableTestHit.cs
index e0af973b53..4eeb4a1475 100644
--- a/osu.Game.Rulesets.Taiko.Tests/DrawableTestHit.cs
+++ b/osu.Game.Rulesets.Taiko.Tests/DrawableTestHit.cs
@@ -22,6 +22,12 @@ namespace osu.Game.Rulesets.Taiko.Tests
             HitObject.ApplyDefaults(new ControlPointInfo(), new BeatmapDifficulty());
         }
 
+        protected override void UpdateInitialTransforms()
+        {
+            // base implementation in DrawableHitObject forces alpha to 1.
+            // suppress locally to allow hiding the visuals wherever necessary.
+        }
+
         [BackgroundDependencyLoader]
         private void load()
         {
diff --git a/osu.Game.Rulesets.Taiko.Tests/Skinning/TestSceneDrawableTaikoMascot.cs b/osu.Game.Rulesets.Taiko.Tests/Skinning/TestSceneDrawableTaikoMascot.cs
index 47d8a5c012..36289bda93 100644
--- a/osu.Game.Rulesets.Taiko.Tests/Skinning/TestSceneDrawableTaikoMascot.cs
+++ b/osu.Game.Rulesets.Taiko.Tests/Skinning/TestSceneDrawableTaikoMascot.cs
@@ -212,7 +212,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Rulesets.Taiko.Tests.Skinning
             foreach (var playfield in playfields)
             {
                 var hit = new DrawableTestHit(new Hit(), judgementResult.Type);
-                Add(hit);
+                playfield.Add(hit);
 
                 playfield.OnNewResult(hit, judgementResult);
             }
diff --git a/osu.Game.Rulesets.Taiko.Tests/Skinning/TestSceneHitExplosion.cs b/osu.Game.Rulesets.Taiko.Tests/Skinning/TestSceneHitExplosion.cs
index 19cc56527e..45c94a8a86 100644
--- a/osu.Game.Rulesets.Taiko.Tests/Skinning/TestSceneHitExplosion.cs
+++ b/osu.Game.Rulesets.Taiko.Tests/Skinning/TestSceneHitExplosion.cs
@@ -35,7 +35,9 @@ namespace osu.Game.Rulesets.Taiko.Tests.Skinning
                 RelativeSizeAxes = Axes.Both,
                 Children = new Drawable[]
                 {
-                    hit,
+                    // the hit needs to be added to hierarchy in order for nested objects to be created correctly.
+                    // setting zero alpha is supposed to prevent the test from looking broken.
+                    hit.With(h => h.Alpha = 0),
                     new HitExplosion(hit, hit.Type)
                     {
                         Anchor = Anchor.Centre,
diff --git a/osu.Game.Rulesets.Taiko.Tests/TestSceneHits.cs b/osu.Game.Rulesets.Taiko.Tests/TestSceneHits.cs
index 99d1b72ea4..9fc07340c6 100644
--- a/osu.Game.Rulesets.Taiko.Tests/TestSceneHits.cs
+++ b/osu.Game.Rulesets.Taiko.Tests/TestSceneHits.cs
@@ -149,7 +149,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Rulesets.Taiko.Tests
 
             var h = new DrawableTestHit(hit) { X = RNG.NextSingle(hitResult == HitResult.Good ? -0.1f : -0.05f, hitResult == HitResult.Good ? 0.1f : 0.05f) };
 
-            Add(h);
+            drawableRuleset.Playfield.Add(h);
 
             ((TaikoPlayfield)drawableRuleset.Playfield).OnNewResult(h, new JudgementResult(new HitObject(), new TaikoJudgement()) { Type = hitResult });
         }
@@ -166,7 +166,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Rulesets.Taiko.Tests
 
             var h = new DrawableTestHit(hit) { X = RNG.NextSingle(hitResult == HitResult.Good ? -0.1f : -0.05f, hitResult == HitResult.Good ? 0.1f : 0.05f) };
 
-            Add(h);
+            drawableRuleset.Playfield.Add(h);
 
             ((TaikoPlayfield)drawableRuleset.Playfield).OnNewResult(h, new JudgementResult(new HitObject(), new TaikoJudgement()) { Type = hitResult });
             ((TaikoPlayfield)drawableRuleset.Playfield).OnNewResult(new TestStrongNestedHit(h), new JudgementResult(new HitObject(), new TaikoStrongJudgement()) { Type = HitResult.Great });
@@ -175,7 +175,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Rulesets.Taiko.Tests
         private void addMissJudgement()
         {
             DrawableTestHit h;
-            Add(h = new DrawableTestHit(new Hit(), HitResult.Miss));
+            drawableRuleset.Playfield.Add(h = new DrawableTestHit(new Hit(), HitResult.Miss));
             ((TaikoPlayfield)drawableRuleset.Playfield).OnNewResult(h, new JudgementResult(new HitObject(), new TaikoJudgement()) { Type = HitResult.Miss });
         }