diff --git a/src/features/game/animations/GameAnimationManager.ts b/src/features/game/animations/GameAnimationManager.ts
index 45a670cb9b..91a2d17a62 100644
--- a/src/features/game/animations/GameAnimationManager.ts
+++ b/src/features/game/animations/GameAnimationManager.ts
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ export default class GameAnimationManager {
         GameGlobalAPI.getInstance().addItem(GameItemType.objects, currLoc, image.key);
         break;
       case AnimType.Background:
-        GameGlobalAPI.getInstance().renderBackgroundLayerContainer(image.path);
+        GameGlobalAPI.getInstance().renderBackgroundLayerContainer(image.key);
         break;
     }
   }
@@ -114,7 +114,9 @@ export default class GameAnimationManager {
    */
   public startAnimation(image: ImageAsset) {
     if (this.isSprite(image)) {
-      this.getAnimation(image).play(image.path);
+      const sprite = this.getAnimation(image);
+      sprite.play(image.path, false);
+      this.game.add.existing(sprite);
     }
   }
 
diff --git a/src/features/game/sound/GameSoundManager.ts b/src/features/game/sound/GameSoundManager.ts
index 3e6c6e0c2f..894aa81b69 100644
--- a/src/features/game/sound/GameSoundManager.ts
+++ b/src/features/game/sound/GameSoundManager.ts
@@ -187,6 +187,8 @@ class GameSoundManager {
       duration: fadeDuration
     });
 
+    // TODO: fix `TypeError: Cannot read property 'disconnect' of null` error
+    // when user navigates away from game scene before fadeDuration * 2
     setTimeout(() => sound.destroy(), fadeDuration * 2);
   }