diff --git a/osu.Game/Screens/Play/DefaultKeyCounterDisplay.cs b/osu.Game/Screens/Play/DefaultKeyCounterDisplay.cs
index d643070e06..332474a517 100644
--- a/osu.Game/Screens/Play/DefaultKeyCounterDisplay.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/Screens/Play/DefaultKeyCounterDisplay.cs
@@ -24,12 +24,11 @@ namespace osu.Game.Screens.Play
 
         public DefaultKeyCounterDisplay()
         {
-            InternalChild = KeyFlow = new FillFlowContainer<KeyCounter>
-            {
-                Direction = FillDirection.Horizontal,
-                AutoSizeAxes = Axes.Both,
-                Alpha = 0,
-            };
+            KeyFlow.Direction = FillDirection.Horizontal;
+            KeyFlow.AutoSizeAxes = Axes.Both;
+            KeyFlow.Alpha = 0;
+
+            InternalChild = KeyFlow;
         }
 
         protected override void Update()
diff --git a/osu.Game/Screens/Play/KeyCounterDisplay.cs b/osu.Game/Screens/Play/KeyCounterDisplay.cs
index fc6fa12f10..f5af67caea 100644
--- a/osu.Game/Screens/Play/KeyCounterDisplay.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/Screens/Play/KeyCounterDisplay.cs
@@ -1,8 +1,6 @@
 // Copyright (c) ppy Pty Ltd <contact@ppy.sh>. Licensed under the MIT Licence.
 // See the LICENCE file in the repository root for full licence text.
 
-#nullable disable
-
 using System;
 using System.Linq;
 using osu.Framework.Allocation;
@@ -19,7 +17,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Screens.Play
     {
         protected readonly Bindable<bool> ConfigVisibility = new Bindable<bool>();
 
-        protected FillFlowContainer<KeyCounter> KeyFlow;
+        protected FillFlowContainer<KeyCounter> KeyFlow = new FillFlowContainer<KeyCounter>();
 
         protected override Container<KeyCounter> Content => KeyFlow;
 
@@ -71,7 +69,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Screens.Play
         public override bool HandleNonPositionalInput => receptor == null;
         public override bool HandlePositionalInput => receptor == null;
 
-        private Receptor receptor;
+        private Receptor? receptor;
 
         public void SetReceptor(Receptor receptor)
         {