diff --git a/osu.Game.Tests/Visual/Menus/TestSceneScreenNavigation.cs b/osu.Game.Tests/Visual/Menus/TestSceneScreenNavigation.cs
index e74992e37a..471f67b7b6 100644
--- a/osu.Game.Tests/Visual/Menus/TestSceneScreenNavigation.cs
+++ b/osu.Game.Tests/Visual/Menus/TestSceneScreenNavigation.cs
@@ -92,8 +92,9 @@ namespace osu.Game.Tests.Visual.Menus
             exitViaEscapeAndConfirm();
         }
 
-        [Test]
-        public void TestSongContinuesAfterExitPlayer()
+        [TestCase(true)]
+        [TestCase(false)]
+        public void TestSongContinuesAfterExitPlayer(bool withUserPause)
         {
             Player player = null;
 
@@ -106,6 +107,9 @@ namespace osu.Game.Tests.Visual.Menus
 
             AddUntilStep("wait for selected", () => !game.Beatmap.IsDefault);
 
+            if (withUserPause)
+                AddStep("pause", () => game.Dependencies.Get<MusicController>().Stop());
+
             AddStep("press enter", () => pressAndRelease(Key.Enter));
 
             AddUntilStep("wait for player", () => (player = game.ScreenStack.CurrentScreen as Player) != null);
diff --git a/osu.Game/Overlays/MusicController.cs b/osu.Game/Overlays/MusicController.cs
index 2547d7515e..9ec0364420 100644
--- a/osu.Game/Overlays/MusicController.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/Overlays/MusicController.cs
@@ -129,11 +129,9 @@ namespace osu.Game.Overlays
         {
             var track = current?.Track;
 
-            if (track.IsRunning)
-            {
-                IsUserPaused = true;
+            IsUserPaused = true;
+            if (track?.IsRunning == true)
                 track.Stop();
-            }
         }
 
         /// <summary>
diff --git a/osu.Game/Screens/Select/SongSelect.cs b/osu.Game/Screens/Select/SongSelect.cs
index 8187dd04d1..2d0c2e254c 100644
--- a/osu.Game/Screens/Select/SongSelect.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/Screens/Select/SongSelect.cs
@@ -490,7 +490,9 @@ namespace osu.Game.Screens.Select
             if (Beatmap != null && !Beatmap.Value.BeatmapSetInfo.DeletePending)
             {
                 UpdateBeatmap(Beatmap.Value);
-                ensurePlayingSelected(false);
+
+                // restart playback on returning to song select, regardless.
+                music?.Play();
             }
 
             base.OnResuming(last);
@@ -587,8 +589,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Screens.Select
         /// Ensures some music is playing for the current track.
         /// Will resume playback from a manual user pause if the track has changed.
         /// </summary>
-        /// <param name="fromPreviewPoint">Whether to restart from the preview point, rather than resuming from previous location.</param>
-        private void ensurePlayingSelected(bool fromPreviewPoint = true)
+        private void ensurePlayingSelected()
         {
             Track track = Beatmap.Value.Track;
 
@@ -597,7 +598,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Screens.Select
             track.RestartPoint = Beatmap.Value.Metadata.PreviewTime;
 
             if (!track.IsRunning && (music?.IsUserPaused != true || isNewTrack))
-                music?.Play(fromPreviewPoint);
+                music?.Play(true);
 
             lastTrack.SetTarget(track);
         }