diff --git a/stepmania/Themes/default/Scripts/Branches.lua b/stepmania/Themes/default/Scripts/Branches.lua
index 6d8448f942..9e392830ff 100644
--- a/stepmania/Themes/default/Scripts/Branches.lua
+++ b/stepmania/Themes/default/Scripts/Branches.lua
@@ -100,6 +100,37 @@ function GetGameplayNextScreen()
 	return "ScreenGameOver"
 end
 
+local function ShowScreenInstructions()
+	if not PREFSMAN:GetPreference("ShowInstructions") then
+		return false
+	end
+
+	if GAMESTATE:GetPlayMode() == PLAY_MODE_INVALID then
+		Trace( "ShowScreenInstructions: called without PlayMode set" )
+		return true
+	end
+
+	if GAMESTATE:GetPlayMode() ~= PLAY_MODE_REGULAR then
+		return true
+	end
+
+	for pn = PLAYER_1,NUM_PLAYERS-1 do
+		if GAMESTATE:GetPreferredDifficulty(pn) <= DIFFICULTY_EASY then
+			return true
+		end
+	end
+
+	return false
+end
+
+function GetScreenInstructions()
+	if not ShowScreenInstructions() then
+		return THEME:GetMetric("ScreenInstructions","NextScreen")
+	else
+		return "ScreenInstructions"
+	end
+end
+
 function OptionsMenuAvailable()
 	if GAMESTATE:IsExtraStage() or GAMESTATE:IsExtraStage2() then return false end
 	return true
diff --git a/stepmania/Themes/default/metrics.ini b/stepmania/Themes/default/metrics.ini
index 04c87b455a..e4c691bd66 100644
--- a/stepmania/Themes/default/metrics.ini
+++ b/stepmania/Themes/default/metrics.ini
@@ -292,10 +292,10 @@ NextScreen1=ScreenSelectGroup
 NextScreen2=ScreenSelectGroup
 NextScreen3=ScreenSelectGroup
 NextScreen4=ScreenSelectGroup
-NextScreen5=ScreenInstructions
-NextScreen6=ScreenInstructions
-NextScreen7=ScreenInstructions
-NextScreen8=ScreenInstructions
+NextScreen5=@GetScreenInstructions()
+NextScreen6=@GetScreenInstructions()
+NextScreen7=@GetScreenInstructions()
+NextScreen8=@GetScreenInstructions()
 PrevScreen=@ScreenTitleBranch()
 LockInputSeconds=0.8
 SleepAfterChoiceSeconds=0.3
@@ -400,7 +400,7 @@ DisabledColor=0.2,0.2,0.2,1
 
 [ScreenSelectGroup]
 Class=ScreenSelectGroup
-NextScreen=ScreenInstructions
+NextScreen=@GetScreenInstructions()
 PrevScreen=@ScreenTitleBranch()
 Fallback=ScreenWithMenuElements
 FrameX=SCREEN_CENTER_X-140
diff --git a/stepmania/src/ScreenInstructions.cpp b/stepmania/src/ScreenInstructions.cpp
index a521c243cc..e8e835eb4f 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/ScreenInstructions.cpp
+++ b/stepmania/src/ScreenInstructions.cpp
@@ -1,44 +1,14 @@
 #include "global.h"
 #include "ScreenInstructions.h"
-#include "RageUtil.h"
-#include "GameConstantsAndTypes.h"
-#include "RageLog.h"
-#include "GameState.h"
-#include "PrefsManager.h"
 
 
 REGISTER_SCREEN_CLASS( ScreenInstructions );
 ScreenInstructions::ScreenInstructions( CString sName ) : ScreenWithMenuElements( sName )
 {
-	LOG->Trace( "ScreenInstructions::ScreenInstructions()" );
 }
 
 void ScreenInstructions::Init()
 {
-	//
-	// Skip this screen unless someone chose easy or beginner
-	//
-	if( !PREFSMAN->m_bShowInstructions )
-	{
-		HandleScreenMessage( SM_GoToNextScreen );
-		return;
-	}
-	if( GAMESTATE->m_PlayMode == PLAY_MODE_REGULAR )
-	{
-		Difficulty easiestDifficulty = (Difficulty)(NUM_DIFFICULTIES-1);
-		FOREACH_HumanPlayer(p)
-			easiestDifficulty = min( easiestDifficulty, GAMESTATE->m_PreferredDifficulty[p].Get() );
-
-		if( easiestDifficulty > DIFFICULTY_EASY )
-		{
-			HandleScreenMessage( SM_GoToNextScreen );
-			return;
-		}
-	}
-
-	if( GAMESTATE->m_PlayMode == PLAY_MODE_INVALID )
-		RageException::Throw( "The PlayMode has not been set.  A theme must set the PlayMode before showing ScreenInstructions." );
-
 	ScreenWithMenuElements::Init();
 
 	this->SortByDrawOrder();