diff --git a/osu.Game/Screens/Play/EpilepsyWarning.cs b/osu.Game/Screens/Play/EpilepsyWarning.cs
index e3cf0cd227..6121a0c2a3 100644
--- a/osu.Game/Screens/Play/EpilepsyWarning.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/Screens/Play/EpilepsyWarning.cs
@@ -2,8 +2,6 @@
 // See the LICENCE file in the repository root for full licence text.
 
 using osu.Framework.Allocation;
-using osu.Framework.Audio;
-using osu.Framework.Audio.Track;
 using osu.Framework.Bindables;
 using osu.Framework.Graphics;
 using osu.Framework.Graphics.Containers;
@@ -18,11 +16,6 @@ namespace osu.Game.Screens.Play
 {
     public class EpilepsyWarning : VisibilityContainer
     {
-        public const double FADE_DURATION = 500;
-
-        private readonly BindableDouble trackVolumeOnEpilepsyWarning = new BindableDouble(1f);
-
-        private Track track;
 
         public EpilepsyWarning()
         {
@@ -77,26 +70,15 @@ namespace osu.Game.Screens.Play
                     }
                 }
             };
-
-            track = beatmap.Value.Track;
-            track.AddAdjustment(AdjustableProperty.Volume, trackVolumeOnEpilepsyWarning);
         }
 
         protected override void PopIn()
         {
-            this.TransformBindableTo(trackVolumeOnEpilepsyWarning, 0.25, FADE_DURATION);
-
             DimmableBackground?.FadeColour(OsuColour.Gray(0.5f), FADE_DURATION, Easing.OutQuint);
 
             this.FadeIn(FADE_DURATION, Easing.OutQuint);
         }
 
         protected override void PopOut() => this.FadeOut(FADE_DURATION);
-
-        protected override void Dispose(bool isDisposing)
-        {
-            base.Dispose(isDisposing);
-            track?.RemoveAdjustment(AdjustableProperty.Volume, trackVolumeOnEpilepsyWarning);
-        }
     }
 }
diff --git a/osu.Game/Screens/Play/PlayerLoader.cs b/osu.Game/Screens/Play/PlayerLoader.cs
index be3bad1517..fe774527b8 100644
--- a/osu.Game/Screens/Play/PlayerLoader.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/Screens/Play/PlayerLoader.cs
@@ -104,6 +104,9 @@ namespace osu.Game.Screens.Play
         [Resolved]
         private AudioManager audioManager { get; set; }
 
+        [Resolved]
+        private MusicController musicController { get; set; }
+
         public PlayerLoader(Func<Player> createPlayer)
         {
             this.createPlayer = createPlayer;
@@ -332,9 +335,17 @@ namespace osu.Game.Screens.Play
                         const double epilepsy_display_length = 3000;
 
                         pushSequence
-                            .Schedule(() => epilepsyWarning.State.Value = Visibility.Visible)
+                            .Schedule(() =>
+                            {
+                                musicController.CurrentTrack.VolumeTo(0.25, EpilepsyWarning.FADE_DURATION, Easing.OutQuint);
+                                epilepsyWarning.State.Value = Visibility.Visible;
+                            })
                             .Delay(epilepsy_display_length)
-                            .Schedule(() => epilepsyWarning.Hide())
+                            .Schedule(() =>
+                            {
+                                epilepsyWarning.Hide();
+                                epilepsyWarning.Expire();
+                            })
                             .Delay(EpilepsyWarning.FADE_DURATION);
                     }
 
@@ -348,6 +359,10 @@ namespace osu.Game.Screens.Play
                         // Note that this may change if the player we load requested a re-run.
                         ValidForResume = false;
 
+                        // restore full volume immediately - there's a usually a period of silence at start of gameplay anyway.
+                        // note that this is delayed slightly to avoid volume spikes just before push.
+                        musicController.CurrentTrack.Delay(50).VolumeTo(1);
+
                         if (player.LoadedBeatmapSuccessfully)
                             this.Push(player);
                         else
@@ -363,6 +378,10 @@ namespace osu.Game.Screens.Play
 
         private void cancelLoad()
         {
+            // in case the epilepsy warning is being displayed, restore full volume.
+            if (epilepsyWarning?.IsAlive == true)
+                musicController.CurrentTrack.VolumeTo(1, EpilepsyWarning.FADE_DURATION, Easing.OutQuint);
+
             scheduledPushPlayer?.Cancel();
             scheduledPushPlayer = null;
         }