diff --git a/stepmania/src/ActiveAttackList.cpp b/stepmania/src/ActiveAttackList.cpp
index 4d00413987..38e9bb8591 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/ActiveAttackList.cpp
+++ b/stepmania/src/ActiveAttackList.cpp
@@ -31,10 +31,9 @@ void ActiveAttackList::Update( float fDelta )
 { 
 	BitmapText::Update( fDelta ); 
 
-	// refresh text only once every 1/2 second
-	float fNowSeconds = RageTimer::GetTimeSinceStart();
-	float fLastSeconds = RageTimer::GetTimeSinceStart() - fDelta;
-	bool bTimeToUpdate = froundf(fNowSeconds,0.5f) != froundf(fLastSeconds,0.5f);
+	bool bTimeToUpdate = 
+		GAMESTATE->m_bAttackBeganThisUpdate[m_PlayerNumber] ||
+		GAMESTATE->m_bAttackEndedThisUpdate[m_PlayerNumber];
 
 	if( bTimeToUpdate )
 	{
diff --git a/stepmania/src/AttackDisplay.cpp b/stepmania/src/AttackDisplay.cpp
index f8ac33d770..dc48b3a788 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/AttackDisplay.cpp
+++ b/stepmania/src/AttackDisplay.cpp
@@ -85,7 +85,6 @@ void AttackDisplay::Update( float fDelta )
 	if( !GAMESTATE->m_bAttackBeganThisUpdate[m_PlayerNumber] )
 		return;
 	// don't handle this again
-	GAMESTATE->m_bAttackBeganThisUpdate[m_PlayerNumber] = false;
 
 	for( unsigned s=0; s<GAMESTATE->m_ActiveAttacks[m_PlayerNumber].size(); s++ )
 	{
diff --git a/stepmania/src/GameState.cpp b/stepmania/src/GameState.cpp
index 870c92ab52..11bca4bf9b 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/GameState.cpp
+++ b/stepmania/src/GameState.cpp
@@ -333,9 +333,13 @@ void GameState::Update( float fDelta )
 	{
 		m_CurrentPlayerOptions[p].Approach( m_PlayerOptions[p], fDelta );
 
-		bool bRebuildPlayerOptions = false;
+		// TRICKY: GAMESTATE->Update is run before any of the Screen update's,
+		// so we'll clear these flags here and let them get turned on later
+		m_bAttackBeganThisUpdate[p] = false;
 		m_bAttackEndedThisUpdate[p] = false;
 
+		bool bRebuildPlayerOptions = false;
+
 		/* See if any delayed attacks are starting or ending. */
 		for( unsigned s=0; s<m_ActiveAttacks[p].size(); s++ )
 		{
@@ -355,6 +359,8 @@ void GameState::Update( float fDelta )
 
 			if( m_ActiveAttacks[p][s].bOn && !bCurrentlyEnabled )
 				m_bAttackEndedThisUpdate[p] = true;
+			else if( !m_ActiveAttacks[p][s].bOn && bCurrentlyEnabled )
+				m_bAttackBeganThisUpdate[p] = true;
 
 			bRebuildPlayerOptions = true;
 
@@ -990,8 +996,6 @@ void GameState::LaunchAttack( PlayerNumber target, Attack a )
 {
 	LOG->Trace( "Launch attack '%s' against P%d at %f", a.sModifier.c_str(), target+1, a.fStartSecond );
 
-	m_bAttackBeganThisUpdate[target] = true;
-
 	/* If fStartSecond is -1, it means "launch as soon as possible".  For m_ActiveAttacks,
 	 * mark the real time it's starting (now), so Update() can know when the attack started
 	 * so it can be removed later.  For m_ModsToApply, leave the -1 in, so Player::Update
diff --git a/stepmania/src/Player.cpp b/stepmania/src/Player.cpp
index 7728d4b10d..129d4c6789 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/Player.cpp
+++ b/stepmania/src/Player.cpp
@@ -244,6 +244,8 @@ void PlayerMinus::Update( float fDeltaTime )
 	if( GAMESTATE->m_pCurSong==NULL )
 		return;
 
+	if( GAMESTATE->m_bAttackBeganThisUpdate[m_PlayerNumber] )
+		m_soundAttackLaunch.Play();
 	if( GAMESTATE->m_bAttackEndedThisUpdate[m_PlayerNumber] )
 		m_soundAttackEnding.Play();