diff --git a/src/Player.cpp b/src/Player.cpp
index 14925f44c1..f653d3dd72 100644
--- a/src/Player.cpp
+++ b/src/Player.cpp
@@ -2021,7 +2021,8 @@ void Player::StepStrumHopo( int col, int row, const RageTimer &tm, bool bHeld, b
 			case TapNote::hold_head:
 				// oh wow, this was causing the trigger before the hold heads
 				// bug. (It was fNoteOffset > 0.f before) -DaisuMaster
-				if( !REQUIRE_STEP_ON_HOLD_HEADS && fNoteOffset <= 0.f )
+				// todo: make this part a metric or a preference
+				if( !REQUIRE_STEP_ON_HOLD_HEADS && fNoteOffset <= GetWindowSeconds( TW_W5 ) )
 				{
 					score = TNS_W1;
 					break;