diff --git a/osu.Game.Rulesets.Mania/Objects/HoldNote.cs b/osu.Game.Rulesets.Mania/Objects/HoldNote.cs
index f72bed3142..103a33ce04 100644
--- a/osu.Game.Rulesets.Mania/Objects/HoldNote.cs
+++ b/osu.Game.Rulesets.Mania/Objects/HoldNote.cs
@@ -50,7 +50,10 @@ namespace osu.Game.Rulesets.Mania.Objects
         /// <summary>
         /// The head note of the hold.
         /// </summary>
-        public readonly Note Head = new Note();
+        public readonly Note Head = new Note
+        {
+            Samples = new Audio.SampleInfoList()
+        };
 
         /// <summary>
         /// The tail note of the hold.
diff --git a/osu.Game/Rulesets/Objects/Drawables/DrawableHitObject.cs b/osu.Game/Rulesets/Objects/Drawables/DrawableHitObject.cs
index 47c4c4d05c..d960ab6b48 100644
--- a/osu.Game/Rulesets/Objects/Drawables/DrawableHitObject.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/Rulesets/Objects/Drawables/DrawableHitObject.cs
@@ -84,24 +84,27 @@ namespace osu.Game.Rulesets.Objects.Drawables
         [BackgroundDependencyLoader]
         private void load(AudioManager audio)
         {
-            if (HitObject.SampleControlPoint == null)
-                throw new ArgumentNullException(nameof(HitObject.SampleControlPoint), $"{nameof(HitObject)} must always have an attached {nameof(HitObject.SampleControlPoint)}.");
-
-            foreach (SampleInfo s in HitObject.Samples)
+            if (HitObject.Samples != null)
             {
-                SampleInfo localSampleInfo = new SampleInfo
+                if (HitObject.SampleControlPoint == null)
+                    throw new ArgumentNullException(nameof(HitObject.SampleControlPoint), $"{nameof(HitObject)} must always have an attached {nameof(HitObject.SampleControlPoint)}.");
+
+                foreach (SampleInfo s in HitObject.Samples)
                 {
-                    Bank = s.Bank ?? HitObject.SampleControlPoint.SampleBank,
-                    Name = s.Name,
-                    Volume = s.Volume > 0 ? s.Volume : HitObject.SampleControlPoint.SampleVolume
-                };
+                    SampleInfo localSampleInfo = new SampleInfo
+                    {
+                        Bank = s.Bank ?? HitObject.SampleControlPoint.SampleBank,
+                        Name = s.Name,
+                        Volume = s.Volume > 0 ? s.Volume : HitObject.SampleControlPoint.SampleVolume
+                    };
 
-                SampleChannel channel = localSampleInfo.GetChannel(audio.Sample);
+                    SampleChannel channel = localSampleInfo.GetChannel(audio.Sample);
 
-                if (channel == null)
-                    continue;
+                    if (channel == null)
+                        continue;
 
-                Samples.Add(channel);
+                    Samples.Add(channel);
+                }
             }
         }
 
diff --git a/osu.Game/Rulesets/Objects/HitObject.cs b/osu.Game/Rulesets/Objects/HitObject.cs
index 5ecba7456e..e950516bf4 100644
--- a/osu.Game/Rulesets/Objects/HitObject.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/Rulesets/Objects/HitObject.cs
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Rulesets.Objects
         /// and can be treated as the default samples for the hit object.
         /// </para>
         /// </summary>
-        public SampleInfoList Samples = new SampleInfoList();
+        public SampleInfoList Samples;
 
         [JsonIgnore]
         public SampleControlPoint SampleControlPoint;