diff --git a/stepmania/src/LifeMeterTime.cpp b/stepmania/src/LifeMeterTime.cpp
index 5af711a9ca..3b24586c60 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/LifeMeterTime.cpp
+++ b/stepmania/src/LifeMeterTime.cpp
@@ -78,8 +78,7 @@ void LifeMeterTime::OnLoadSong()
 	const CourseEntry *pEntry = &pCourse->m_vEntries[GAMESTATE->GetCourseSongIndex()];
 	m_fLifeTotalGainedSeconds += pEntry->fGainSeconds;
 
-	if( GAMESTATE->GetCourseSongIndex() > 0 )
-		m_soundGainLife.Play();
+	m_soundGainLife.Play();
 }
 
 
diff --git a/stepmania/src/ScoreDisplayLifeTime.cpp b/stepmania/src/ScoreDisplayLifeTime.cpp
index 609d1f03ee..6b60aa1892 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/ScoreDisplayLifeTime.cpp
+++ b/stepmania/src/ScoreDisplayLifeTime.cpp
@@ -126,10 +126,11 @@ void ScoreDisplayLifeTime::OnJudgment( HoldNoteScore hns, TapNoteScore tns )
 
 void ScoreDisplayLifeTime::PlayGainLoss( const RString &sCommand, float fDeltaLifeSecs )
 {
-	RString s;
-	if( fDeltaLifeSecs != 0 )
-		s = ssprintf( "%+1.1fs", fDeltaLifeSecs);
+	if( fDeltaLifeSecs == 0 )
+		return;	// don't animate if no change
+	RString s = ssprintf( "%+1.1fs", fDeltaLifeSecs);
 	m_textDeltaSeconds.SetText( s );
+	m_textDeltaSeconds.FinishTweening();
 	m_textDeltaSeconds.PlayCommand( sCommand );
 }