diff --git a/stepmania/src/BeginnerHelper.cpp b/stepmania/src/BeginnerHelper.cpp
index 573bd8ebb2..eca846feb6 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/BeginnerHelper.cpp
+++ b/stepmania/src/BeginnerHelper.cpp
@@ -63,12 +63,13 @@ static CString GetAnimPath( Animation a )
 
 BeginnerHelper::BeginnerHelper()
 {
-	LOG->Trace("BeginnerHelper::BeginnerHelper()");
 	m_bFlashEnabled = false;
 	m_bShowBackground = true;
 	m_bInitialized = false;
 	m_iLastRowChecked = 0;
 	this->AddChild(&m_sBackground);
+	for( int pn=0; pn < NUM_PLAYERS; pn++ )
+		m_bPlayerEnabled[pn] = false;
 }
 
 BeginnerHelper::~BeginnerHelper()
@@ -109,9 +110,18 @@ void BeginnerHelper::AddPlayer( int pn, NoteData *pNotes )
 {
 	ASSERT( !m_bInitialized );
 	ASSERT( pNotes != NULL );
-	ASSERT( pn >= 0 && pn < NUM_PLAYERS);
+	ASSERT( pn >= 0 && pn < NUM_PLAYERS );
+	ASSERT( GAMESTATE->IsHumanPlayer(pn) );
+
+	if( !CanUse() )
+		return;
+	const Character *Character = GAMESTATE->m_pCurCharacters[pn];
+	ASSERT( Character != NULL );
+	if( !DoesFileExist( Character->GetModelPath() ) )
+		return;
 
 	m_NoteData[pn].CopyAll( pNotes );
+	m_bPlayerEnabled[pn] = true;
 }
 
 bool BeginnerHelper::CanUse()
@@ -135,7 +145,17 @@ bool BeginnerHelper::Initialize( int iDancePadType )
 {
 	ASSERT( !m_bInitialized );
 
-	if (!CanUse())		// if we can't be used, bail now.
+	/* If no players were successfully added, bail. */
+	{
+		bool bAnyLoaded = false;
+		for( int pn=0; pn < NUM_PLAYERS; pn++ )
+			if( m_bPlayerEnabled[pn] )
+				bAnyLoaded = true;
+		if( !bAnyLoaded )
+			return false;
+	}
+
+	if( !CanUse() )		// if we can't be used, bail now.
 		return false;
 
 	// Load the StepCircle, Background, and flash animation
@@ -171,11 +191,8 @@ bool BeginnerHelper::Initialize( int iDancePadType )
 
 	for( int pl=0; pl<NUM_PLAYERS; pl++ )	// Load players
 	{
-		if( !GAMESTATE->IsHumanPlayer(pl))
-			continue;
-
-		if( GAMESTATE->m_pCurNotes[pl]->GetDifficulty() != DIFFICULTY_BEGINNER )
-			continue;
+		if( !m_bPlayerEnabled[pl] )
+			continue;	// skip
 
 		const Character *Character = GAMESTATE->m_pCurCharacters[pl];
 		ASSERT( Character != NULL );
@@ -281,22 +298,22 @@ void BeginnerHelper::Update( float fDeltaTime )
 
 	for(int pn = 0; pn < NUM_PLAYERS; pn++ )
 	{
-		if( !( GAMESTATE->IsHumanPlayer(pn) && GAMESTATE->m_pCurNotes[pn]->GetDifficulty() == DIFFICULTY_BEGINNER) )
+		if( !m_bPlayerEnabled[pn] )
 			continue;	// skip
 
 		if( (m_NoteData[pn].IsThereATapAtRow( BeatToNoteRowNotRounded((GAMESTATE->m_fSongBeat+0.01f)) ) ) )
 			FlashOnce();
 		for(int iRow=m_iLastRowChecked; iRow<iCurRow; iRow++)
 		{
-			if((m_NoteData[pn].IsThereATapAtRow( iRow )))
-			{
-				int iStep = 0;
-				const int iNumTracks = m_NoteData[pn].GetNumTracks(); 
-				for( int k=0; k<iNumTracks; k++ )
-					if( m_NoteData[pn].GetTapNote(k, iRow ) == TAP_TAP )
-						iStep |= 1 << k;
-				Step( pn, iStep );
-			}
+			if( !m_NoteData[pn].IsThereATapAtRow( iRow ) )
+				continue;
+
+			int iStep = 0;
+			const int iNumTracks = m_NoteData[pn].GetNumTracks(); 
+			for( int k=0; k<iNumTracks; k++ )
+				if( m_NoteData[pn].GetTapNote(k, iRow ) == TAP_TAP )
+					iStep |= 1 << k;
+			Step( pn, iStep );
 		}
 	}
 	m_iLastRowChecked = iCurRow;
diff --git a/stepmania/src/BeginnerHelper.h b/stepmania/src/BeginnerHelper.h
index b2016c628b..e456d1280b 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/BeginnerHelper.h
+++ b/stepmania/src/BeginnerHelper.h
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ protected:
 	void Step( int pn, int CSTEP );
 
 	NoteData m_NoteData[NUM_PLAYERS];
+	bool m_bPlayerEnabled[NUM_PLAYERS];
 	Model m_mDancer[NUM_PLAYERS];
 	Model m_mDancePad;
 	Sprite	m_sFlash;
diff --git a/stepmania/src/ScreenGameplay.cpp b/stepmania/src/ScreenGameplay.cpp
index db15cbb10e..5b236eed3e 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/ScreenGameplay.cpp
+++ b/stepmania/src/ScreenGameplay.cpp
@@ -161,8 +161,11 @@ ScreenGameplay::ScreenGameplay( CString sName, bool bDemonstration ) : Screen("S
 	{
 		const StepsType st = GAMESTATE->GetCurrentStyleDef()->m_StepsType;
 		/* Increment the play count. */
-		for( int mc = 0; mc < NUM_MEMORY_CARDS; ++mc )
-			++GAMESTATE->m_pCurCourse->m_MemCardDatas[st][mc].iNumTimesPlayed;
+		if( !m_bDemonstration )
+		{
+			for( int mc = 0; mc < NUM_MEMORY_CARDS; ++mc )
+				++GAMESTATE->m_pCurCourse->m_MemCardDatas[st][mc].iNumTimesPlayed;
+		}
 
 		vector<Course::Info> ci;
 		GAMESTATE->m_pCurCourse->GetCourseInfo( GAMESTATE->GetCurrentStyleDef()->m_StepsType, ci );
@@ -749,8 +752,11 @@ void ScreenGameplay::LoadNextSong()
 
 		/* Increment the play count even if the player fails.  (It's still popular,
 		 * even if the people playing it aren't good at it.) */
-		for( int mc = 0; mc < NUM_MEMORY_CARDS; ++mc )
-			++GAMESTATE->m_pCurNotes[p]->m_MemCardDatas[mc].iNumTimesPlayed;
+		if( !m_bDemonstration )
+		{
+			for( int mc = 0; mc < NUM_MEMORY_CARDS; ++mc )
+				++GAMESTATE->m_pCurNotes[p]->m_MemCardDatas[mc].iNumTimesPlayed;
+		}
 
 		// Put course options into effect.
 		for( unsigned i=0; i<m_asModifiersQueue[p][iPlaySongIndex].size(); ++i )
@@ -895,31 +901,23 @@ void ScreenGameplay::LoadNextSong()
 	
 	// Check to see if any players are in beginner mode.
 	// Note: steps can be different if turn modifiers are used.
-	if( PREFSMAN->m_bShowBeginnerHelper && BeginnerHelper::CanUse())
+	if( PREFSMAN->m_bShowBeginnerHelper )
 	{
-		bool anybeginners = false;
+		for( p=0; p<NUM_PLAYERS; p++ )
+			if( GAMESTATE->IsHumanPlayer(p) && GAMESTATE->m_pCurNotes[p]->GetDifficulty() == DIFFICULTY_BEGINNER )
+				m_BeginnerHelper.AddPlayer( p, &m_Player[p] );
+	}
 
-		for( int pb=0; pb<NUM_PLAYERS; pb++ )
-			if( GAMESTATE->IsHumanPlayer(pb) && GAMESTATE->m_pCurNotes[pb]->GetDifficulty() == DIFFICULTY_BEGINNER )
-			{
-				anybeginners = true;
-				m_BeginnerHelper.AddPlayer( pb, &m_Player[pb] );
-			}
-
-		if(anybeginners && m_BeginnerHelper.Initialize( 2 ))	// Init for doubles
-		{
-				m_Background.Unload();	// BeginnerHelper has its own BG control.
-				m_Background.StopAnimating();
-				m_BeginnerHelper.SetX( CENTER_X );
-				m_BeginnerHelper.SetY( CENTER_Y );
-		}
-		else
-		{
-			m_Background.LoadFromSong( GAMESTATE->m_pCurSong );
-		}
+	if( m_BeginnerHelper.Initialize( 2 ) )	// Init for doubles
+	{
+		m_Background.Unload();	// BeginnerHelper has its own BG control.
+		m_Background.StopAnimating();
+		m_BeginnerHelper.SetX( CENTER_X );
+		m_BeginnerHelper.SetY( CENTER_Y );
 	}
 	else
 	{
+		/* BeginnerHelper disabled/failed to load. */
 		m_Background.LoadFromSong( GAMESTATE->m_pCurSong );
 	}