diff --git a/Docs/Luadoc/Lua.xml b/Docs/Luadoc/Lua.xml
index 6b0c5f0555..1a62d075e3 100644
--- a/Docs/Luadoc/Lua.xml
+++ b/Docs/Luadoc/Lua.xml
@@ -824,6 +824,7 @@
 			<Function name='SetCurrentSong'/>
 			<Function name='SetCurrentSteps'/>
 			<Function name='SetCurrentTrail'/>
+			<Function name='SetFailTypeExplicitlySet'/>
 			<Function name='SetJukeboxUsesModifiers'/>
 			<Function name='SetMultiplayer'/>
 			<Function name='SetNumMultiplayerNoteFields'/>
diff --git a/Docs/Luadoc/LuaDocumentation.xml b/Docs/Luadoc/LuaDocumentation.xml
index 6a916c3c27..e4aa851d2c 100644
--- a/Docs/Luadoc/LuaDocumentation.xml
+++ b/Docs/Luadoc/LuaDocumentation.xml
@@ -2470,6 +2470,9 @@ save yourself some time, copy this for undocumented things:
 	<Function name='SetCurrentTrail' return='void' arguments='Trail trail'>
 		Sets the current Trail to <code>trail</code>.
 	</Function>
+	<Function name='SetFailTypeExplicitlySet' return='void' arguments=''>
+		Tells the engine that the theme explicitly set the fail type for the players so that it won't override it with the easier settings for beginner or easy.
+	</Function>
 	<Function name='SetJukeboxUsesModifiers' return='void' arguments='bool bUseMods'>
 		Sets if the Jukebox should use modifiers.
 	</Function>
diff --git a/Themes/_fallback/Scripts/02 StageMods.lua b/Themes/_fallback/Scripts/02 StageMods.lua
index 2dcedadaac..0dc51d8cba 100644
--- a/Themes/_fallback/Scripts/02 StageMods.lua	
+++ b/Themes/_fallback/Scripts/02 StageMods.lua	
@@ -10,23 +10,26 @@ function AreStageSongModsForced()
 	return GAMESTATE:IsAnExtraStage() or bOni or bBattle or bRave
 end
 
+local default_fail_applied= {}
+
+function ResetDefaultFail()
+	default_fail_applied= {}
+end
+
 function SetFail()
 	local sFail = ""
-
 	if GetGamePref("DefaultFail") then
-		sFail = string.format("Fail%s", GetGamePref("DefaultFail"))
+		sFail = string.format("FailType_%s", GetGamePref("DefaultFail"))
 	else
-		sFail = "FailOff"
+		sFail = "FailType_Off"
 	end
-
-	sFail = tostring(sFail)
-
 	for pn in ivalues(GAMESTATE:GetHumanPlayers()) do
-		MESSAGEMAN:Broadcast( "PlayerOptionsChanged", {PlayerNumber = pn} )
+		if not default_fail_applied[pn] then
+			GAMESTATE:GetPlayerState(pn):GetPlayerOptions("ModsLevel_Preferred"):FailSetting(sFail)
+			default_fail_applied[pn]= true
+			MESSAGEMAN:Broadcast( "PlayerOptionsChanged", {PlayerNumber = pn} )
+		end
 	end
-
-	GAMESTATE:ApplyGameCommand( "mod," .. sFail)
-	MESSAGEMAN:Broadcast( "SongOptionsChanged" )
 end
 
 function ScreenSelectMusic:setupmusicstagemods()
diff --git a/Themes/_fallback/Scripts/03 ThemeAndGamePrefs.lua b/Themes/_fallback/Scripts/03 ThemeAndGamePrefs.lua
index d2bf26e575..fb26f0912a 100644
--- a/Themes/_fallback/Scripts/03 ThemeAndGamePrefs.lua	
+++ b/Themes/_fallback/Scripts/03 ThemeAndGamePrefs.lua	
@@ -151,57 +151,82 @@ end;
 --[[ end themeoption rows ]]
 
 --[[ game option rows ]]
+local fail_choices= { "Immediate","ImmediateContinue", "EndOfSong", "Off" }
 function GamePrefDefaultFail()
-	local t = {
+	return {
 		Name = "GamePrefDefaultFail";
 		LayoutType = "ShowAllInRow";
 		SelectType = "SelectOne";
 		OneChoiceForAllPlayers = true;
 		ExportOnChange = false;
-		Choices = { "Immediate","ImmediateContinue", "AtEnd", "Off" };
+		Choices = fail_choices;
 		LoadSelections = function(self, list, pn)
 			if ReadGamePrefFromFile("DefaultFail") ~= nil then
-				if GetGamePref("DefaultFail") then
-					if GetGamePref("DefaultFail") == "Immediate" then
-						list[1] = true;
-					elseif GetGamePref("DefaultFail") == "ImmediateContinue" then
-						list[2] = true;
-					elseif GetGamePref("DefaultFail") == "AtEnd" then
-						list[3] = true;
-					elseif GetGamePref("DefaultFail") == "Off" then
-						list[4] = true;
+				local default= GetGamePref("DefaultFail")
+				if default then
+					if default == "Immediate" then
+						list[1] = true
+					elseif default == "ImmediateContinue" then
+						list[2] = true
+					elseif default == "EndOfSong" or default == "AtEnd" then
+						list[3] = true
+					elseif default == "Off" then
+						list[4] = true
 					else
-						list[1] = true;
+						list[1] = true
 					end
-					-- list[table.find( list, GetGamePref("DefaultFail") )] = true;
 				else
-					list[1] = true;
-				end;
+					list[1] = true
+				end
 			else
-				WriteGamePrefToFile("DefaultFail","Immediate");
-				list[1] = true;
-			end;
+				WriteGamePrefToFile("DefaultFail","Immediate")
+				list[1] = true
+			end
 		end;
 		SaveSelections = function(self, list, pn)
-			-- This is so stupid.
-			local tChoices = { "Immediate","ImmediateContinue", "AtEnd", "Off" };
-			local val;
+			local val
 			if list[1] then
-				val = tChoices[1];
+				val = fail_choices[1]
 			elseif list[2] then
-				val = tChoices[2];
+				val = fail_choices[2]
 			elseif list[3] then
-				val = tChoices[3];
+				val = fail_choices[3]
 			elseif list[4] then
-				val = tChoices[4];
+				val = fail_choices[4]
 			else
-				val = tChoices[1];
+				val = fail_choices[1]
 			end
-			WriteGamePrefToFile("DefaultFail",val);
-			MESSAGEMAN:Broadcast("PreferenceSet", { Message == "Set Preference" } );
-			THEME:ReloadMetrics();
+			WriteGamePrefToFile("DefaultFail",val)
+			MESSAGEMAN:Broadcast("PreferenceSet", { Message == "Set Preference" } )
+			THEME:ReloadMetrics()
 		end;
-	};
-	setmetatable( t, t );
-	return t;
+	}
+end
+
+function SongPrefFail()
+	-- Apply the default fail type to any players that haven't had it applied.
+	SetFail()
+	return {
+		Name= "Fail",
+		LayoutType= "ShowAllInRow",
+		SelectType= "SelectOne",
+		OneChoiceForAllPlayers= false,
+		ExportOnChange= false,
+		Choices= fail_choices,
+		LoadSelections= function(self, list, pn)
+			local fail= GAMESTATE:GetPlayerState(pn):GetPlayerOptions("ModsLevel_Preferred"):FailSetting():sub(10)
+			for i, c in ipairs(self.Choices) do
+				if c == fail then
+					list[i]= true
+				end
+			end
+		end,
+		SaveSelections= function(self, list, pn)
+			for i, c in ipairs(self.Choices) do
+				if list[i] then
+					GAMESTATE:GetPlayerState(pn):GetPlayerOptions("ModsLevel_Preferred"):FailSetting("FailType_" .. c)
+				end
+			end
+		end
+	}
 end
diff --git a/Themes/_fallback/metrics.ini b/Themes/_fallback/metrics.ini
index dad21231b0..ffd8d8d3e6 100644
--- a/Themes/_fallback/metrics.ini
+++ b/Themes/_fallback/metrics.ini
@@ -1809,6 +1809,7 @@ Fallback="ScreenSelectMaster"
 PrevScreen="ScreenInit"
 NextScreen="ScreenInit"
 #
+ScreenBeginCommand=%ResetDefaultFail
 StopMusicOnBack=true
 #
 CoinModeChangeScreen=Branch.TitleMenu()
@@ -2222,7 +2223,7 @@ TimerMetricsGroup="MenuTimerNoSound"
 WaitForChildrenBeforeTweeningOut=true
 TimerSeconds=1
 #
-ScreenBeginCommand=%SetFail
+ScreenBeginCommand=
 
 [ScreenOptions]
 Fallback="ScreenWithMenuElements"
@@ -3130,7 +3131,7 @@ Line8="list,AutoAdjust"
 Line9="list,Background"
 Line10="list,SaveScores"
 Line11="list,SaveReplays"
-Line4="list,Fail"
+Line4="lua,SongPrefFail()"
 
 [ScreenSplash]
 Class="ScreenSplash"
diff --git a/src/GameState.cpp b/src/GameState.cpp
index 715922d2b4..b1c5eb90c2 100644
--- a/src/GameState.cpp
+++ b/src/GameState.cpp
@@ -292,7 +292,7 @@ void GameState::Reset()
 	*m_Environment = LuaTable();
 	m_sPreferredSongGroup.Set( GROUP_ALL );
 	m_sPreferredCourseGroup.Set( GROUP_ALL );
-	m_bChangedFailTypeOnScreenSongOptions = false;
+	m_bFailTypeWasExplicitlySet = false;
 	m_SortOrder.Set( SortOrder_Invalid );
 	m_PreferredSortOrder = GetDefaultSort();
 	m_PlayMode.Set( PlayMode_Invalid );
@@ -1540,7 +1540,7 @@ FailType GameState::GetPlayerFailType( const PlayerState *pPlayerState ) const
 	FailType ft = pPlayerState->m_PlayerOptions.GetCurrent().m_FailType;
 
 	// If the player changed the fail mode explicitly, leave it alone.
-	if( m_bChangedFailTypeOnScreenSongOptions )
+	if( m_bFailTypeWasExplicitlySet )
 		return ft;
 
 	if( IsCourseMode() )
@@ -2579,6 +2579,12 @@ public:
 		return 0;
 	}
 
+	static int SetFailTypeExplicitlySet(T* p, lua_State* L)
+	{
+		p->m_bFailTypeWasExplicitlySet= true;
+		return 0;
+	}
+
 	static int StoreRankingName( T* p, lua_State *L )
 	{
 		p->StoreRankingName(Enum::Check<PlayerNumber>(L, 1), SArg(2));
@@ -2703,6 +2709,7 @@ public:
 		ADD_METHOD( SaveProfiles );
 		ADD_METHOD( HaveProfileToLoad );
 		ADD_METHOD( HaveProfileToSave );
+		ADD_METHOD( SetFailTypeExplicitlySet );
 		ADD_METHOD( StoreRankingName );
 	}
 };
diff --git a/src/GameState.h b/src/GameState.h
index 2b971b6f32..58eee84f07 100644
--- a/src/GameState.h
+++ b/src/GameState.h
@@ -176,7 +176,7 @@ public:
 
 	BroadcastOnChange<RString>	m_sPreferredSongGroup;		// GROUP_ALL denotes no preferred group
 	BroadcastOnChange<RString>	m_sPreferredCourseGroup;	// GROUP_ALL denotes no preferred group
-	bool		m_bChangedFailTypeOnScreenSongOptions;	// true if FailType was changed in the song options screen
+	bool		m_bFailTypeWasExplicitlySet;	// true if FailType was changed in the song options screen
 	BroadcastOnChange<StepsType>				m_PreferredStepsType;
 	BroadcastOnChange1D<Difficulty,NUM_PLAYERS>		m_PreferredDifficulty;
 	BroadcastOnChange1D<CourseDifficulty,NUM_PLAYERS>	m_PreferredCourseDifficulty;// used in nonstop
diff --git a/src/ScreenSongOptions.cpp b/src/ScreenSongOptions.cpp
index c9ca58732e..1c105c9b13 100644
--- a/src/ScreenSongOptions.cpp
+++ b/src/ScreenSongOptions.cpp
@@ -30,7 +30,9 @@ void ScreenSongOptions::ExportOptions( int iRow, const vector<PlayerNumber> &vpn
 	ScreenOptionsMaster::ExportOptions( iRow, vpns );
 
 	if( ft != pPS->m_PlayerOptions.GetPreferred().m_FailType )
-		GAMESTATE->m_bChangedFailTypeOnScreenSongOptions = true;
+	{
+		GAMESTATE->m_bFailTypeWasExplicitlySet = true;
+	}
 }
 
 /*