diff --git a/osu.Game/Beatmaps/Formats/OsuLegacyDecoder.cs b/osu.Game/Beatmaps/Formats/OsuLegacyDecoder.cs
index d3dfddda0f..ea91ff9efb 100644
--- a/osu.Game/Beatmaps/Formats/OsuLegacyDecoder.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/Beatmaps/Formats/OsuLegacyDecoder.cs
@@ -358,7 +358,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Beatmaps.Formats
                         handleColours(beatmap, key, val, ref hasCustomColours);
                         break;
                     case Section.HitObjects:
-                        var obj = parser?.Parse(val);
+                        var obj = parser.Parse(val);
 
                         if (obj != null)
                             beatmap.HitObjects.Add(obj);
diff --git a/osu.Game/Modes/Objects/LegacyHitObjectParser.cs b/osu.Game/Modes/Objects/LegacyHitObjectParser.cs
index ae85cd8cf4..2316e5dc5d 100644
--- a/osu.Game/Modes/Objects/LegacyHitObjectParser.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/Modes/Objects/LegacyHitObjectParser.cs
@@ -22,8 +22,8 @@ namespace osu.Game.Modes.Objects
             type &= ~LegacyHitObjectType.NewCombo;
 
             int sampleVolume = 0;
-            string normalSampleBank = string.Empty;
-            string addSampleBank = string.Empty;
+            string normalSampleBank = null;
+            string addSampleBank = null;
 
             HitObject result;
 
@@ -181,10 +181,10 @@ namespace osu.Game.Modes.Objects
 
             string stringBank = bank.ToString().ToLower();
             if (stringBank == @"none")
-                stringBank = string.Empty;
+                stringBank = null;
             string stringAddBank = addbank.ToString().ToLower();
             if (stringAddBank == @"none")
-                stringAddBank = string.Empty;
+                stringAddBank = null;
 
             normalSampleBank = stringBank;
             addSampleBank = stringAddBank;