diff --git a/osu.Game.Tests/Visual/Gameplay/TestSceneLeadIn.cs b/osu.Game.Tests/Visual/Gameplay/TestSceneLeadIn.cs
index 563d6be0da..dccde366c2 100644
--- a/osu.Game.Tests/Visual/Gameplay/TestSceneLeadIn.cs
+++ b/osu.Game.Tests/Visual/Gameplay/TestSceneLeadIn.cs
@@ -46,11 +46,12 @@ namespace osu.Game.Tests.Visual.Gameplay
         [TestCase(0, 0)]
         [TestCase(-1000, -1000)]
         [TestCase(-10000, -10000)]
-        public void TestStoryboardProducesCorrectStartTime(double firstStoryboardEvent, double expectedStartTime)
+        public void TestStoryboardProducesCorrectStartTimeSimpleAlpha(double firstStoryboardEvent, double expectedStartTime)
         {
             var storyboard = new Storyboard();
 
             var sprite = new StoryboardSprite("unknown", Anchor.TopLeft, Vector2.Zero);
+
             sprite.TimelineGroup.Alpha.Add(Easing.None, firstStoryboardEvent, firstStoryboardEvent + 500, 0, 1);
 
             storyboard.GetLayer("Background").Add(sprite);
@@ -64,6 +65,43 @@ namespace osu.Game.Tests.Visual.Gameplay
             });
         }
 
+        [TestCase(1000, 0, false)]
+        [TestCase(0, 0, false)]
+        [TestCase(-1000, -1000, false)]
+        [TestCase(-10000, -10000, false)]
+        [TestCase(1000, 0, true)]
+        [TestCase(0, 0, true)]
+        [TestCase(-1000, -1000, true)]
+        [TestCase(-10000, -10000, true)]
+        public void TestStoryboardProducesCorrectStartTimeFadeInAfterOtherEvents(double firstStoryboardEvent, double expectedStartTime, bool addEventToLoop)
+        {
+            var storyboard = new Storyboard();
+
+            var sprite = new StoryboardSprite("unknown", Anchor.TopLeft, Vector2.Zero);
+
+            // these should be ignored as we have an alpha visibility blocker proceeding this command.
+            sprite.TimelineGroup.Scale.Add(Easing.None, -20000, -18000, 0, 1);
+            var loopGroup = sprite.AddLoop(-20000, 50);
+            loopGroup.Scale.Add(Easing.None, -20000, -18000, 0, 1);
+
+            var target = addEventToLoop ? loopGroup : sprite.TimelineGroup;
+            target.Alpha.Add(Easing.None, firstStoryboardEvent, firstStoryboardEvent + 500, 0, 1);
+
+            // these should be ignored due to being in the future.
+            sprite.TimelineGroup.Alpha.Add(Easing.None, 18000, 20000, 0, 1);
+            loopGroup.Alpha.Add(Easing.None, 18000, 20000, 0, 1);
+
+            storyboard.GetLayer("Background").Add(sprite);
+
+            loadPlayerWithBeatmap(new TestBeatmap(new OsuRuleset().RulesetInfo), storyboard);
+
+            AddAssert($"first frame is {expectedStartTime}", () =>
+            {
+                Debug.Assert(player.FirstFrameClockTime != null);
+                return Precision.AlmostEquals(player.FirstFrameClockTime.Value, expectedStartTime, lenience_ms);
+            });
+        }
+
         private void loadPlayerWithBeatmap(IBeatmap beatmap, Storyboard storyboard = null)
         {
             AddStep("create player", () =>
diff --git a/osu.Game/Storyboards/CommandTimelineGroup.cs b/osu.Game/Storyboards/CommandTimelineGroup.cs
index 6ce3b617e9..c478b91c22 100644
--- a/osu.Game/Storyboards/CommandTimelineGroup.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/Storyboards/CommandTimelineGroup.cs
@@ -45,11 +45,30 @@ namespace osu.Game.Storyboards
             };
         }
 
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Returns the earliest visible time. Will be null unless this group's first <see cref="Alpha"/> command has a start value of zero.
+        /// </summary>
+        public double? EarliestDisplayedTime
+        {
+            get
+            {
+                var first = Alpha.Commands.FirstOrDefault();
+
+                return first?.StartValue == 0 ? first.StartTime : (double?)null;
+            }
+        }
+
         [JsonIgnore]
         public double CommandsStartTime
         {
             get
             {
+                // if the first alpha command starts at zero it should be given priority over anything else.
+                // this is due to it creating a state where the target is not present before that time, causing any other events to not be visible.
+                var earliestDisplay = EarliestDisplayedTime;
+                if (earliestDisplay != null)
+                    return earliestDisplay.Value;
+
                 double min = double.MaxValue;
 
                 for (int i = 0; i < timelines.Length; i++)
diff --git a/osu.Game/Storyboards/StoryboardSprite.cs b/osu.Game/Storyboards/StoryboardSprite.cs
index f411ad04f3..fdaa59d7d9 100644
--- a/osu.Game/Storyboards/StoryboardSprite.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/Storyboards/StoryboardSprite.cs
@@ -24,13 +24,46 @@ namespace osu.Game.Storyboards
 
         public readonly CommandTimelineGroup TimelineGroup = new CommandTimelineGroup();
 
-        public double StartTime => Math.Min(
-            TimelineGroup.HasCommands ? TimelineGroup.CommandsStartTime : double.MaxValue,
-            loops.Any(l => l.HasCommands) ? loops.Where(l => l.HasCommands).Min(l => l.StartTime) : double.MaxValue);
+        public double StartTime
+        {
+            get
+            {
+                // check for presence affecting commands as an initial pass.
+                double earliestStartTime = TimelineGroup.EarliestDisplayedTime ?? double.MaxValue;
 
-        public double EndTime => Math.Max(
-            TimelineGroup.HasCommands ? TimelineGroup.CommandsEndTime : double.MinValue,
-            loops.Any(l => l.HasCommands) ? loops.Where(l => l.HasCommands).Max(l => l.EndTime) : double.MinValue);
+                foreach (var l in loops)
+                {
+                    if (!(l.EarliestDisplayedTime is double lEarliest))
+                        continue;
+
+                    earliestStartTime = Math.Min(earliestStartTime, lEarliest);
+                }
+
+                if (earliestStartTime < double.MaxValue)
+                    return earliestStartTime;
+
+                // if an alpha-affecting command was not found, use the earliest of any command.
+                earliestStartTime = TimelineGroup.StartTime;
+
+                foreach (var l in loops)
+                    earliestStartTime = Math.Min(earliestStartTime, l.StartTime);
+
+                return earliestStartTime;
+            }
+        }
+
+        public double EndTime
+        {
+            get
+            {
+                double latestEndTime = TimelineGroup.EndTime;
+
+                foreach (var l in loops)
+                    latestEndTime = Math.Max(latestEndTime, l.EndTime);
+
+                return latestEndTime;
+            }
+        }
 
         public bool HasCommands => TimelineGroup.HasCommands || loops.Any(l => l.HasCommands);