diff --git a/LATEST_RELEASE_NOTES.md b/LATEST_RELEASE_NOTES.md
index 73f63421..c3acc213 100644
--- a/LATEST_RELEASE_NOTES.md
+++ b/LATEST_RELEASE_NOTES.md
@@ -2,5 +2,7 @@
 
 Bugs addressed in this release:
 
+* [#581](../../issues/581) Calchart 3.7.1 crashes on loading a show
+
 Other changes:
 
diff --git a/src/core/CalChartAnimation.cpp b/src/core/CalChartAnimation.cpp
index 271509f6..46e25712 100644
--- a/src/core/CalChartAnimation.cpp
+++ b/src/core/CalChartAnimation.cpp
@@ -75,8 +75,7 @@ auto AnimateShow(const Show& show) -> Sheets
                               }
                               return std::nullopt;
                           }(nextAnimationSheet);
-                          auto const& cont = curr_sheet->GetContinuityBySymbol(current_symbol).GetParsedContinuity();
-                          auto empty_cont = std::vector<std::unique_ptr<Cont::Procedure>>{};
+                          auto cont = curr_sheet->GetContinuityBySymbol(current_symbol);
                           return CalChart::Animate::CreateCompileResult(
                               AnimationData{
                                   static_cast<unsigned>(whichMarcher),
@@ -84,7 +83,7 @@ auto AnimateShow(const Show& show) -> Sheets
                                   endPosition,
                                   numBeats,
                                   isLastSheet },
-                              curr_sheet->ContinuityInUse(current_symbol) ? cont : empty_cont,
+                              curr_sheet->ContinuityInUse(current_symbol) ? &cont : nullptr,
                               variablesStates);
                       }));
 
diff --git a/src/core/CalChartAnimationCompile.cpp b/src/core/CalChartAnimationCompile.cpp
index f9b90b1b..b697c2a4 100644
--- a/src/core/CalChartAnimationCompile.cpp
+++ b/src/core/CalChartAnimationCompile.cpp
@@ -62,13 +62,13 @@ struct CompileState : public Compile {
 
 auto CreateCompileResult(
     AnimationData const& animationData,
-    Proceedures const& proceedures,
+    Continuity const* proceedures,
     Variables& variablesStates) -> CompileResult
 {
     auto ac = CompileState(animationData, variablesStates);
 
     // no continuity was specified
-    if (proceedures.empty()) {
+    if (proceedures == nullptr || !proceedures->HasParsedContinuity()) {
         if (animationData.isLastAnimationSheet) {
             // use MTRM E
             Cont::ProcMTRM defcont(std::make_unique<Cont::ValueDefined>(Cont::CC_E));
@@ -78,11 +78,11 @@ auto CreateCompileResult(
             Cont::ProcEven defcont(std::make_unique<Cont::ValueFloat>(ac.GetBeatsRemaining()), std::make_unique<Cont::NextPoint>());
             defcont.Compile(ac);
         }
-    }
-
-    // compile all the commands
-    for (auto const& proc : proceedures) {
-        proc->Compile(ac);
+    } else {
+        // compile all the commands
+        for (auto const& proc : proceedures->GetParsedContinuity()) {
+            proc->Compile(ac);
+        }
     }
 
     // report if the point didn't make it
diff --git a/src/core/CalChartAnimationCompile.h b/src/core/CalChartAnimationCompile.h
index 729bfb86..b3f63484 100644
--- a/src/core/CalChartAnimationCompile.h
+++ b/src/core/CalChartAnimationCompile.h
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ struct AnimationData {
 
 auto CreateCompileResult(
     AnimationData const& animationData,
-    Proceedures const& proceedures,
+    Continuity const* proceedures,
     Variables& variablesStates) -> CompileResult;
 
 struct Compile {
diff --git a/src/core/CalChartContinuity.h b/src/core/CalChartContinuity.h
index 65c1d7b3..87eb7365 100644
--- a/src/core/CalChartContinuity.h
+++ b/src/core/CalChartContinuity.h
@@ -64,6 +64,7 @@ class Continuity {
     [[nodiscard]] auto Serialize() const -> std::vector<std::byte>;
 
     std::vector<std::unique_ptr<Cont::Procedure>> const& GetParsedContinuity() const noexcept { return m_parsedContinuity; }
+    [[nodiscard]] auto HasParsedContinuity() const { return !m_parsedContinuity.empty(); }
     auto GetText() const { return m_legacyText; }
 
     friend void swap(Continuity& lhs, Continuity& rhs)
diff --git a/tests/CalChartContinuityTokenTests.cpp b/tests/CalChartContinuityTokenTests.cpp
index a4cd90ae..3ebd5476 100644
--- a/tests/CalChartContinuityTokenTests.cpp
+++ b/tests/CalChartContinuityTokenTests.cpp
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ auto GetCompiledResults(Sheets const& sheets, Conts const& proc)
         true
     };
 
-    return Animate::CreateCompileResult(animationData, proc, vars);
+    return Animate::CreateCompileResult(animationData, &proc, vars);
 }
 
 auto CreateSheetsForTest(Coord begin, Coord end, int beats)
@@ -84,7 +84,8 @@ TEST_CASE("Fountain", "CalChartContinuityToken")
     auto procs = std::vector<std::unique_ptr<Cont::Procedure>>{};
     procs.push_back(std::move(uut));
     auto sheets = CreateSheetsForTest({ 0, 0 }, { 8, 16 }, 14);
-    auto [compiledResults, errors] = GetCompiledResults(sheets, procs);
+    auto continuity = Continuity(std::move(procs));
+    auto [compiledResults, errors] = GetCompiledResults(sheets, continuity);
 
     auto goldCompile = std::vector<Animate::Command>{
         Animate::CommandMove{ Coord{ 0, 0 }, 6, Coord{ 128, 128 } },
@@ -105,7 +106,8 @@ TEST_CASE("Fountain with nulls", "CalChartContinuityToken")
     auto procs = std::vector<std::unique_ptr<Cont::Procedure>>{};
     procs.push_back(std::move(uut));
     auto sheets = CreateSheetsForTest({ 0, 0 }, { 8, 16 }, 16);
-    auto [compiledResults, errors] = GetCompiledResults(sheets, procs);
+    auto continuity = Continuity(std::move(procs));
+    auto [compiledResults, errors] = GetCompiledResults(sheets, continuity);
 
     auto goldCompile = std::vector<Animate::Command>{
         Animate::CommandMove{ Coord{ 0, 0 }, 8, Coord{ 128, 128 } },
@@ -127,7 +129,8 @@ TEST_CASE("HSCM", "CalChartContinuityToken")
     auto procs = std::vector<std::unique_ptr<Cont::Procedure>>{};
     procs.push_back(std::move(uut));
     auto sheets = CreateSheetsForTest({ 0, 0 }, { -8, 0 }, { 8, -2 }, { 0, 0 }, 40);
-    auto [compiledResults, errors] = GetCompiledResults(sheets, procs);
+    auto continuity = Continuity(std::move(procs));
+    auto [compiledResults, errors] = GetCompiledResults(sheets, continuity);
 
     auto goldCompile = std::vector<Animate::Command>{
         Animate::CommandMove{ Coord{ 0, 0 }, 9, Coord{ -16 * 9, 0 } },
@@ -151,7 +154,8 @@ TEST_CASE("DMCM", "CalChartContinuityToken")
     auto procs = std::vector<std::unique_ptr<Cont::Procedure>>{};
     procs.push_back(std::move(uut));
     auto sheets = CreateSheetsForTest({ 0, 0 }, { -8, 8 }, { 8, -10 }, { 0, 0 }, 40);
-    auto [compiledResults, errors] = GetCompiledResults(sheets, procs);
+    auto continuity = Continuity(std::move(procs));
+    auto [compiledResults, errors] = GetCompiledResults(sheets, continuity);
 
     auto goldCompile = std::vector<Animate::Command>{
         Animate::CommandMove{ Coord{ 0, 0 }, 9, Coord{ -16 * 9, 16 * 9 } },