diff --git a/source/funkin/play/notes/Strumline.hx b/source/funkin/play/notes/Strumline.hx
index 95e0668be..07d4ab69b 100644
--- a/source/funkin/play/notes/Strumline.hx
+++ b/source/funkin/play/notes/Strumline.hx
@@ -406,7 +406,7 @@ class Strumline extends FlxSpriteGroup
 
         if (Preferences.downscroll)
         {
-          holdNote.y = this.y + calculateNoteYPos(holdNote.strumTime, vwoosh) - holdNote.height + STRUMLINE_SIZE / 2;
+          holdNote.y = this.y - INITIAL_OFFSET + calculateNoteYPos(holdNote.strumTime, vwoosh) - holdNote.height + STRUMLINE_SIZE / 2;
         }
         else
         {
@@ -435,7 +435,7 @@ class Strumline extends FlxSpriteGroup
 
         if (Preferences.downscroll)
         {
-          holdNote.y = this.y - holdNote.height + STRUMLINE_SIZE / 2;
+          holdNote.y = this.y - INITIAL_OFFSET - holdNote.height + STRUMLINE_SIZE / 2;
         }
         else
         {
@@ -450,7 +450,7 @@ class Strumline extends FlxSpriteGroup
 
         if (Preferences.downscroll)
         {
-          holdNote.y = this.y + calculateNoteYPos(holdNote.strumTime, vwoosh) - holdNote.height + STRUMLINE_SIZE / 2;
+          holdNote.y = this.y - INITIAL_OFFSET + calculateNoteYPos(holdNote.strumTime, vwoosh) - holdNote.height + STRUMLINE_SIZE / 2;
         }
         else
         {
diff --git a/source/funkin/play/stage/Stage.hx b/source/funkin/play/stage/Stage.hx
index eb9eb1810..a6a4293a0 100644
--- a/source/funkin/play/stage/Stage.hx
+++ b/source/funkin/play/stage/Stage.hx
@@ -852,6 +852,11 @@ class Stage extends FlxSpriteGroup implements IPlayStateScriptedClass implements
     }
   }
 
+  public override function toString():String
+  {
+    return 'Stage($id)';
+  }
+
   static function _fetchData(id:String):Null<StageData>
   {
     return StageRegistry.instance.parseEntryDataWithMigration(id, StageRegistry.instance.fetchEntryVersion(id));
diff --git a/source/funkin/ui/freeplay/FreeplayState.hx b/source/funkin/ui/freeplay/FreeplayState.hx
index 1c7926f62..7ec92250e 100644
--- a/source/funkin/ui/freeplay/FreeplayState.hx
+++ b/source/funkin/ui/freeplay/FreeplayState.hx
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ import funkin.graphics.shaders.StrokeShader;
 import funkin.input.Controls;
 import funkin.play.PlayStatePlaylist;
 import funkin.play.song.Song;
+import funkin.ui.story.Level;
 import funkin.save.Save;
 import funkin.save.Save.SaveScoreData;
 import funkin.ui.AtlasText;
@@ -191,10 +192,24 @@ class FreeplayState extends MusicBeatSubState
     // programmatically adds the songs via LevelRegistry and SongRegistry
     for (levelId in LevelRegistry.instance.listSortedLevelIds())
     {
-      for (songId in LevelRegistry.instance.parseEntryData(levelId).songs)
+      var level:Level = LevelRegistry.instance.fetchEntry(levelId);
+
+      if (level == null)
+      {
+        trace('[WARN] Could not find level with id (${levelId})');
+        continue;
+      }
+
+      for (songId in level.getSongs())
       {
         var song:Song = SongRegistry.instance.fetchEntry(songId);
 
+        if (song == null)
+        {
+          trace('[WARN] Could not find song with id (${songId})');
+          continue;
+        }
+
         // Only display songs which actually have available charts for the current character.
         var availableDifficultiesForSong:Array<String> = song.listDifficulties(displayedVariations, false);
         if (availableDifficultiesForSong.length == 0) continue;
diff --git a/source/funkin/ui/transition/LoadingState.hx b/source/funkin/ui/transition/LoadingState.hx
index 95c378b24..bc26ad97a 100644
--- a/source/funkin/ui/transition/LoadingState.hx
+++ b/source/funkin/ui/transition/LoadingState.hx
@@ -57,8 +57,7 @@ class LoadingState extends MusicBeatSubState
     funkay.scrollFactor.set();
     funkay.screenCenter();
 
-    loadBar = new FunkinSprite(0, FlxG.height - 20).makeSolidColor(FlxG.width, 10, 0xFFff16d2);
-    loadBar.screenCenter(X);
+    loadBar = new FunkinSprite(0, FlxG.height - 20).makeSolidColor(0, 10, 0xFFff16d2);
     add(loadBar);
 
     initSongsManifest().onComplete(function(lib) {
@@ -163,8 +162,15 @@ class LoadingState extends MusicBeatSubState
       targetShit = FlxMath.remapToRange(callbacks.numRemaining / callbacks.length, 1, 0, 0, 1);
 
       var lerpWidth:Int = Std.int(FlxMath.lerp(loadBar.width, FlxG.width * targetShit, 0.2));
-      loadBar.setGraphicSize(lerpWidth, loadBar.height);
-      loadBar.updateHitbox();
+      // this if-check prevents the setGraphicSize function
+      // from setting the width of the loadBar to the height of the loadBar
+      // this is a behaviour that is implemented in the setGraphicSize function
+      // if the width parameter is equal to 0
+      if (lerpWidth > 0)
+      {
+        loadBar.setGraphicSize(lerpWidth, loadBar.height);
+        loadBar.updateHitbox();
+      }
       FlxG.watch.addQuick('percentage?', callbacks.numRemaining / callbacks.length);
     }