diff --git a/Content.Client/Gameplay/GameplayState.cs b/Content.Client/Gameplay/GameplayState.cs
index ca102e32ae..47cbc22e3e 100644
--- a/Content.Client/Gameplay/GameplayState.cs
+++ b/Content.Client/Gameplay/GameplayState.cs
@@ -106,6 +106,8 @@ namespace Content.Client.Gameplay
         {
             _chatController.SetMainChat(false);
             _menuController.UnloadButtons();
+            _ghostController.UnloadGui();
+            _actionController.UnloadGui();
             _uiManager.UnloadScreen();
         }
 
@@ -132,8 +134,8 @@ namespace Content.Client.Gameplay
             _menuController.LoadButtons();
 
             // TODO: This could just be like, the equivalent of an event or something
-            _ghostController.UpdateGui();
-            _actionController.RegisterActionContainer();
+            _ghostController.LoadGui();
+            _actionController.LoadGui();
             _alertsController.SyncAlerts();
             _hotbarController.ReloadHotbar();
 
diff --git a/Content.Client/UserInterface/Systems/Actions/ActionUIController.cs b/Content.Client/UserInterface/Systems/Actions/ActionUIController.cs
index 096fd0bcd2..1685086be8 100644
--- a/Content.Client/UserInterface/Systems/Actions/ActionUIController.cs
+++ b/Content.Client/UserInterface/Systems/Actions/ActionUIController.cs
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ public sealed class ActionUIController : UIController, IOnStateChanged<GameplayS
     private readonly TextureRect _dragShadow;
     private ActionsWindow? _window;
 
-    private ActionsBar? _actionsBar;
+    private ActionsBar? ActionsBar => UIManager.GetActiveUIWidgetOrNull<ActionsBar>();
     private MenuButton? ActionButton => UIManager.GetActiveUIWidgetOrNull<MenuBar.Widgets.GameTopMenuBar>()?.ActionButton;
     private ActionPage CurrentPage => _pages[_currentPageIndex];
 
@@ -88,7 +88,6 @@ public sealed class ActionUIController : UIController, IOnStateChanged<GameplayS
         DebugTools.Assert(_window == null);
 
         _window = UIManager.CreateWindow<ActionsWindow>();
-        _actionsBar = UIManager.GetActiveUIWidget<ActionsBar>();
         LayoutContainer.SetAnchorPreset(_window, LayoutContainer.LayoutPreset.CenterTop);
 
         _window.OnOpen += OnWindowOpened;
@@ -96,8 +95,7 @@ public sealed class ActionUIController : UIController, IOnStateChanged<GameplayS
         _window.ClearButton.OnPressed += OnClearPressed;
         _window.SearchBar.OnTextChanged += OnSearchChanged;
         _window.FilterButton.OnItemSelected += OnFilterSelected;
-        _actionsBar.PageButtons.LeftArrow.OnPressed += OnLeftArrowPressed;
-        _actionsBar.PageButtons.RightArrow.OnPressed += OnRightArrowPressed;
+
 
         if (_actionsSystem != null)
         {
@@ -198,12 +196,6 @@ public sealed class ActionUIController : UIController, IOnStateChanged<GameplayS
             _window = null;
         }
 
-        if (_actionsBar != null)
-        {
-            _actionsBar.PageButtons.LeftArrow.OnPressed += OnLeftArrowPressed;
-            _actionsBar.PageButtons.RightArrow.OnPressed += OnRightArrowPressed;
-        }
-
         CommandBinds.Unregister<ActionUIController>();
     }
 
@@ -231,7 +223,7 @@ public sealed class ActionUIController : UIController, IOnStateChanged<GameplayS
         var page = _pages[_currentPageIndex];
         _container?.SetActionData(page);
 
-        _actionsBar!.PageButtons.Label.Text = $"{_currentPageIndex + 1}";
+        ActionsBar!.PageButtons.Label.Text = $"{_currentPageIndex + 1}";
     }
 
     private void OnLeftArrowPressed(ButtonEventArgs args)
@@ -621,25 +613,35 @@ public sealed class ActionUIController : UIController, IOnStateChanged<GameplayS
 
     public void ReloadActionContainer()
     {
-        RegisterActionContainer();
+        UnloadGui();
+        LoadGui();
     }
 
-    public void RegisterActionContainer()
+    public void UnloadGui()
     {
-        if (UIManager.ActiveScreen == null)
-        {
-            return;
-        }
-
-        var widget = UIManager.ActiveScreen.GetWidget<ActionsBar>();
-        if (widget == null)
-        {
-            return;
-        }
-
         _actionsSystem?.UnlinkAllActions();
 
-        RegisterActionContainer(widget.ActionsContainer);
+        if (ActionsBar == null)
+        {
+            return;
+        }
+
+        ActionsBar.PageButtons.LeftArrow.OnPressed -= OnLeftArrowPressed;
+        ActionsBar.PageButtons.RightArrow.OnPressed -= OnRightArrowPressed;
+    }
+
+    public void LoadGui()
+    {
+        if (ActionsBar == null)
+        {
+            return;
+        }
+
+        ActionsBar.PageButtons.LeftArrow.OnPressed += OnLeftArrowPressed;
+        ActionsBar.PageButtons.RightArrow.OnPressed += OnRightArrowPressed;
+
+
+        RegisterActionContainer(ActionsBar.ActionsContainer);
 
         _actionsSystem?.LinkAllActions();
     }
diff --git a/Content.Client/UserInterface/Systems/EscapeMenu/EscapeUIController.cs b/Content.Client/UserInterface/Systems/EscapeMenu/EscapeUIController.cs
index 5f4232dc32..4af5c04216 100644
--- a/Content.Client/UserInterface/Systems/EscapeMenu/EscapeUIController.cs
+++ b/Content.Client/UserInterface/Systems/EscapeMenu/EscapeUIController.cs
@@ -36,15 +36,7 @@ public sealed class EscapeUIController : UIController, IOnStateEntered<GameplayS
         }
 
         EscapeButton.Pressed = false;
-        EscapeButton.OnPressed += EscapeButtonOnOnPressed;
-
-        if (_escapeWindow == null)
-        {
-            return;
-        }
-
-        _escapeWindow.OnClose -= DeactivateButton;
-        _escapeWindow.OnOpen -= ActivateButton;
+        EscapeButton.OnPressed -= EscapeButtonOnOnPressed;
     }
 
     public void LoadButton()
@@ -55,14 +47,6 @@ public sealed class EscapeUIController : UIController, IOnStateEntered<GameplayS
         }
 
         EscapeButton.OnPressed += EscapeButtonOnOnPressed;
-
-        if (_escapeWindow == null)
-        {
-            return;
-        }
-
-        _escapeWindow.OnClose += DeactivateButton;
-        _escapeWindow.OnOpen += ActivateButton;
     }
 
     private void ActivateButton() => EscapeButton!.Pressed = true;
@@ -74,6 +58,9 @@ public sealed class EscapeUIController : UIController, IOnStateEntered<GameplayS
 
         _escapeWindow = UIManager.CreateWindow<Options.UI.EscapeMenu>();
 
+        _escapeWindow.OnClose += DeactivateButton;
+        _escapeWindow.OnOpen += ActivateButton;
+
         _escapeWindow.ChangelogButton.OnPressed += _ =>
         {
             CloseEscapeWindow();
@@ -144,6 +131,7 @@ public sealed class EscapeUIController : UIController, IOnStateEntered<GameplayS
         if (_escapeWindow.IsOpen)
         {
             CloseEscapeWindow();
+            EscapeButton!.Pressed = false;
         }
         else
         {
diff --git a/Content.Client/UserInterface/Systems/Ghost/GhostUIController.cs b/Content.Client/UserInterface/Systems/Ghost/GhostUIController.cs
index 3af3da86eb..c379cbf643 100644
--- a/Content.Client/UserInterface/Systems/Ghost/GhostUIController.cs
+++ b/Content.Client/UserInterface/Systems/Ghost/GhostUIController.cs
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ using Robust.Client.UserInterface.Controllers;
 namespace Content.Client.UserInterface.Systems.Ghost;
 
 // TODO hud refactor BEFORE MERGE fix ghost gui being too far up
-public sealed class GhostUIController : UIController, IOnStateChanged<GameplayState>, IOnSystemChanged<GhostSystem>
+public sealed class GhostUIController : UIController, IOnSystemChanged<GhostSystem>
 {
     [Dependency] private readonly IEntityNetworkManager _net = default!;
 
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ public sealed class GhostUIController : UIController, IOnStateChanged<GameplaySt
         _net.SendSystemNetworkMessage(msg);
     }
 
-    public void OnStateEntered(GameplayState state)
+    public void LoadGui()
     {
         if (Gui == null)
             return;
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ public sealed class GhostUIController : UIController, IOnStateChanged<GameplaySt
         UpdateGui();
     }
 
-    public void OnStateExited(GameplayState state)
+    public void UnloadGui()
     {
         if (Gui == null)
             return;