diff --git a/osu.Game/Screens/Select/BeatmapCarousel.cs b/osu.Game/Screens/Select/BeatmapCarousel.cs
index bfd1d3d236..7b9559f5b4 100644
--- a/osu.Game/Screens/Select/BeatmapCarousel.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/Screens/Select/BeatmapCarousel.cs
@@ -55,9 +55,9 @@ namespace osu.Game.Screens.Select
         public override bool HandlePositionalInput => AllowSelection;
 
         /// <summary>
-        /// Used to avoid firing null selections before the initial beatmaps have been loaded via <see cref="BeatmapSets"/>.
+        /// Whether carousel items have completed asynchronously loaded.
         /// </summary>
-        private bool initialLoadComplete;
+        public bool BeatmapSetsLoaded { get; private set; }
 
         private IEnumerable<CarouselBeatmapSet> beatmapSets => root.Children.OfType<CarouselBeatmapSet>();
 
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Screens.Select
                 Schedule(() =>
                 {
                     BeatmapSetsChanged?.Invoke();
-                    initialLoadComplete = true;
+                    BeatmapSetsLoaded = true;
                 });
             }));
         }
@@ -593,7 +593,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Screens.Select
             currentY += DrawHeight / 2;
             scrollableContent.Height = currentY;
 
-            if (initialLoadComplete && (selectedBeatmapSet == null || selectedBeatmap == null || selectedBeatmapSet.State.Value != CarouselItemState.Selected))
+            if (BeatmapSetsLoaded && (selectedBeatmapSet == null || selectedBeatmap == null || selectedBeatmapSet.State.Value != CarouselItemState.Selected))
             {
                 selectedBeatmapSet = null;
                 SelectionChanged?.Invoke(null);
diff --git a/osu.Game/Screens/Select/SongSelect.cs b/osu.Game/Screens/Select/SongSelect.cs
index a86d0beb39..8758df5151 100644
--- a/osu.Game/Screens/Select/SongSelect.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/Screens/Select/SongSelect.cs
@@ -300,6 +300,10 @@ namespace osu.Game.Screens.Select
         /// <param name="performStartAction">Whether to trigger <see cref="OnStart"/>.</param>
         public void FinaliseSelection(BeatmapInfo beatmap = null, bool performStartAction = true)
         {
+            // This is very important as we have not yet bound to screen-level bindables before the carousel load is completed.
+            if (!Carousel.BeatmapSetsLoaded)
+                return;
+
             // if we have a pending filter operation, we want to run it now.
             // it could change selection (ie. if the ruleset has been changed).
             Carousel.FlushPendingFilterOperations();
@@ -373,6 +377,13 @@ namespace osu.Game.Screens.Select
             var beatmap = beatmapNoDebounce;
             var ruleset = rulesetNoDebounce;
 
+            selectionChangedDebounce?.Cancel();
+
+            if (beatmap == null)
+                run();
+            else
+                selectionChangedDebounce = Scheduler.AddDelayed(run, 200);
+
             void run()
             {
                 Logger.Log($"updating selection with beatmap:{beatmap?.ID.ToString() ?? "null"} ruleset:{ruleset?.ID.ToString() ?? "null"}");
@@ -417,13 +428,6 @@ namespace osu.Game.Screens.Select
                 if (this.IsCurrentScreen()) ensurePlayingSelected(preview);
                 UpdateBeatmap(Beatmap.Value);
             }
-
-            selectionChangedDebounce?.Cancel();
-
-            if (beatmap == null)
-                run();
-            else
-                selectionChangedDebounce = Scheduler.AddDelayed(run, 200);
         }
 
         private void triggerRandom()
@@ -593,18 +597,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Screens.Select
 
         private void carouselBeatmapsLoaded()
         {
-            if (rulesetNoDebounce == null)
-            {
-                // manual binding to parent ruleset to allow for delayed load in the incoming direction.
-                rulesetNoDebounce = decoupledRuleset.Value = Ruleset.Value;
-                Ruleset.ValueChanged += r => updateSelectedRuleset(r.NewValue);
-
-                decoupledRuleset.ValueChanged += r => Ruleset.Value = r.NewValue;
-                decoupledRuleset.DisabledChanged += r => Ruleset.Disabled = r;
-
-                Beatmap.BindDisabledChanged(disabled => Carousel.AllowSelection = !disabled, true);
-                Beatmap.BindValueChanged(workingBeatmapChanged);
-            }
+            bindBindables();
 
             if (!Beatmap.IsDefault && Beatmap.Value.BeatmapSetInfo?.DeletePending == false && Beatmap.Value.BeatmapSetInfo?.Protected == false
                 && Carousel.SelectBeatmap(Beatmap.Value.BeatmapInfo, false))
@@ -618,6 +611,26 @@ namespace osu.Game.Screens.Select
             }
         }
 
+        private bool boundLocalBindables;
+
+        private void bindBindables()
+        {
+            if (boundLocalBindables)
+                return;
+
+            // manual binding to parent ruleset to allow for delayed load in the incoming direction.
+            rulesetNoDebounce = decoupledRuleset.Value = Ruleset.Value;
+            Ruleset.ValueChanged += r => updateSelectedRuleset(r.NewValue);
+
+            decoupledRuleset.ValueChanged += r => Ruleset.Value = r.NewValue;
+            decoupledRuleset.DisabledChanged += r => Ruleset.Disabled = r;
+
+            Beatmap.BindDisabledChanged(disabled => Carousel.AllowSelection = !disabled, true);
+            Beatmap.BindValueChanged(workingBeatmapChanged);
+
+            boundLocalBindables = true;
+        }
+
         private void delete(BeatmapSetInfo beatmap)
         {
             if (beatmap == null || beatmap.ID <= 0) return;