diff --git a/osu.Framework/Graphics/Audio/WaveformGraph.cs b/osu.Framework/Graphics/Audio/WaveformGraph.cs
index bbd819f2e89..c8a3f0849f3 100644
--- a/osu.Framework/Graphics/Audio/WaveformGraph.cs
+++ b/osu.Framework/Graphics/Audio/WaveformGraph.cs
@@ -14,7 +14,6 @@
 using osu.Framework.Graphics.Rendering.Vertices;
 using osu.Framework.Graphics.Shaders;
 using osu.Framework.Graphics.Textures;
-using osu.Framework.Layout;
 using osu.Framework.Logging;
 using osu.Framework.Utils;
 using osuTK;
@@ -158,18 +157,15 @@ public Color4? HighColour
             }
         }
 
-        protected override bool OnInvalidate(Invalidation invalidation, InvalidationSource source)
+        private Vector2? lastGeneratedDrawSize;
+
+        protected override void Update()
         {
-            bool result = base.OnInvalidate(invalidation, source);
+            base.Update();
 
-            if ((invalidation & Invalidation.RequiredParentSizeToFit) > 0)
-            {
-                // We should regenerate when `Scale` changed, but not `Position`.
-                // Unfortunately both of these are grouped together in `MiscGeometry`.
+            // Can't use invalidation for this as RequiredParentSizeToFit is closest, but also triggers on DrawPosition changes.
+            if (lastGeneratedDrawSize != null && DrawSize != lastGeneratedDrawSize)
                 queueRegeneration();
-            }
-
-            return result;
         }
 
         private CancellationTokenSource? cancelSource = new CancellationTokenSource();
@@ -189,6 +185,8 @@ private void queueRegeneration() => Scheduler.AddOnce(() =>
 
             cancelGeneration();
 
+            lastGeneratedDrawSize = DrawSize;
+
             var originalWaveform = Waveform;
 
             if (originalWaveform == null)
diff --git a/osu.Framework/Platform/GameHost.cs b/osu.Framework/Platform/GameHost.cs
index 926a08dbd63..495ba30a6ef 100644
--- a/osu.Framework/Platform/GameHost.cs
+++ b/osu.Framework/Platform/GameHost.cs
@@ -53,6 +53,11 @@ public abstract class GameHost : IIpcHost, IDisposable
     {
         public IWindow Window { get; private set; }
 
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Whether <see cref="Window"/> needs to be non-null for startup to succeed.
+        /// </summary>
+        protected virtual bool RequireWindowExists => true;
+
         public IRenderer Renderer { get; private set; }
 
         public string RendererInfo { get; private set; }
@@ -724,6 +729,14 @@ public void Run(Game game)
 
                 ChooseAndSetupRenderer();
 
+                // Window creation may fail in the case of a catastrophic failure (ie. graphics driver or SDL2 level).
+                // In such cases, we want to throw here to immediately mark this renderer setup as failed.
+                if (RequireWindowExists && Window == null)
+                {
+                    Logger.Log("Aborting startup as no window could be created.");
+                    return;
+                }
+
                 initialiseInputHandlers();
 
                 // Prepare renderer (requires config).
@@ -961,17 +974,20 @@ protected void SetupRendererAndWindow(IRenderer renderer, GraphicsSurfaceType su
             Renderer = renderer;
             Renderer.CacheStorage = CacheStorage.GetStorageForDirectory("shaders");
 
-            // Prepare window
-            Window = CreateWindow(surfaceType);
-
-            if (Window == null)
-            {
-                Logger.Log("🖼️ Renderer could not be initialised, no window exists.");
-                return;
-            }
-
             try
             {
+                // Prepare window
+                Window = CreateWindow(surfaceType);
+
+                if (Window == null)
+                {
+                    // Can be null, usually via Headless execution.
+                    if (!RequireWindowExists)
+                        return;
+
+                    throw new InvalidOperationException("🖼️ Renderer could not be initialised as window creation failed.");
+                }
+
                 Window.SetupWindow(Config);
                 Window.Create();
                 Window.Title = $@"osu!framework (running ""{Name}"")";
diff --git a/osu.Framework/Platform/HeadlessGameHost.cs b/osu.Framework/Platform/HeadlessGameHost.cs
index bff5953f5cc..21bed6de1bb 100644
--- a/osu.Framework/Platform/HeadlessGameHost.cs
+++ b/osu.Framework/Platform/HeadlessGameHost.cs
@@ -47,6 +47,8 @@ public HeadlessGameHost(string gameName = null, HostOptions options = null, bool
             this.realtime = realtime;
         }
 
+        protected override bool RequireWindowExists => false;
+
         protected override IWindow CreateWindow(GraphicsSurfaceType preferredSurface) => null;
 
         protected override Clipboard CreateClipboard() => new HeadlessClipboard();