diff --git a/osu.Game.Tests/Visual/TestCasePlayerLoader.cs b/osu.Game.Tests/Visual/TestCasePlayerLoader.cs
index 16cb94c65e..3e3f9eb9f3 100644
--- a/osu.Game.Tests/Visual/TestCasePlayerLoader.cs
+++ b/osu.Game.Tests/Visual/TestCasePlayerLoader.cs
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 using osu.Framework.Graphics;
 using osu.Framework.Screens;
 using osu.Game.Beatmaps;
+using osu.Game.Screens;
 using osu.Game.Screens.Play;
 
 namespace osu.Game.Tests.Visual
@@ -15,13 +16,20 @@ public class TestCasePlayerLoader : ManualInputManagerTestCase
         private PlayerLoader loader;
         private ScreenStack stack;
 
+        [Cached]
+        private BackgroundScreenStack backgroundStack;
+
+        public TestCasePlayerLoader()
+        {
+            InputManager.Add(backgroundStack = new BackgroundScreenStack {RelativeSizeAxes = Axes.Both});
+            InputManager.Add(stack = new ScreenStack { RelativeSizeAxes = Axes.Both });
+        }
+
         [BackgroundDependencyLoader]
         private void load(OsuGameBase game)
         {
             Beatmap.Value = new DummyWorkingBeatmap(game);
 
-            InputManager.Add(stack = new ScreenStack { RelativeSizeAxes = Axes.Both });
-
             AddStep("load dummy beatmap", () => stack.Push(loader = new PlayerLoader(() => new Player
             {
                 AllowPause = false,
diff --git a/osu.Game/Screens/Play/Player.cs b/osu.Game/Screens/Play/Player.cs
index fe12fce09b..8caa09cc7b 100644
--- a/osu.Game/Screens/Play/Player.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/Screens/Play/Player.cs
@@ -354,8 +354,8 @@ public override void OnEntering(IScreen last)
 
             Background.EnableUserDim.Value = true;
 
-            storyboardReplacesBackground.BindTo(Background?.StoryboardReplacesBackground);
-            storyboardReplacesBackground.BindTo(storyboardContainer.StoryboardReplacesBackground);
+            storyboardReplacesBackground.BindTo(Background.StoryboardReplacesBackground);
+            storyboardContainer.StoryboardReplacesBackground.BindTo(Background.StoryboardReplacesBackground);
             storyboardReplacesBackground.Value = Beatmap.Value.Storyboard.ReplacesBackground && Beatmap.Value.Storyboard.HasDrawable;
 
             Task.Run(() =>
diff --git a/osu.Game/Screens/Play/PlayerLoader.cs b/osu.Game/Screens/Play/PlayerLoader.cs
index 6b066fbe91..e358188fe9 100644
--- a/osu.Game/Screens/Play/PlayerLoader.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/Screens/Play/PlayerLoader.cs
@@ -159,7 +159,7 @@ protected override bool OnHover(HoverEvent e)
         {
             // restore our screen defaults
             InitializeBackgroundElements();
-            if (this.IsCurrentScreen() && (Background?.IsLoaded ?? false))
+            if (this.IsCurrentScreen())
                 Background.EnableUserDim.Value = false;
             return base.OnHover(e);
         }
@@ -168,7 +168,8 @@ protected override void OnHoverLost(HoverLostEvent e)
         {
             if (GetContainingInputManager()?.HoveredDrawables.Contains(VisualSettings) == true)
             {
-                // show user setting preview
+                // Update background elements is only being called here because blur logic still exists in Player.
+                // Will need to be removed when resolving https://github.com/ppy/osu/issues/4322
                 UpdateBackgroundElements();
                 if (this.IsCurrentScreen())
                     Background.EnableUserDim.Value = true;
@@ -245,8 +246,7 @@ public override bool OnExiting(IScreen next)
             this.FadeOut(150);
             cancelLoad();
 
-            if (Background != null)
-                Background.EnableUserDim.Value = false;
+            Background.EnableUserDim.Value = false;
 
             return base.OnExiting(next);
         }