diff --git a/pcsx2/GS/Renderers/HW/GSRendererHW.cpp b/pcsx2/GS/Renderers/HW/GSRendererHW.cpp
index 0647966f1aa54..27536fa17bd8d 100644
--- a/pcsx2/GS/Renderers/HW/GSRendererHW.cpp
+++ b/pcsx2/GS/Renderers/HW/GSRendererHW.cpp
@@ -5206,7 +5206,7 @@ __ri void GSRendererHW::DrawPrims(GSTextureCache::Target* rt, GSTextureCache::Ta
 #endif
 
 	const GSDrawingEnvironment& env = *m_draw_env;
-	bool DATE = m_cached_ctx.TEST.DATE && m_cached_ctx.FRAME.PSM != PSMCT24;
+	bool DATE = rt && m_cached_ctx.TEST.DATE && m_cached_ctx.FRAME.PSM != PSMCT24;
 	bool DATE_PRIMID = false;
 	bool DATE_BARRIER = false;
 	bool DATE_one = false;
@@ -5243,29 +5243,24 @@ __ri void GSRendererHW::DrawPrims(GSTextureCache::Target* rt, GSTextureCache::Ta
 
 	if (DATE)
 	{
-		// Should always be true, but sanity check...
-		if (rt)
+		const bool is_overlap_alpha = m_prim_overlap != PRIM_OVERLAP_NO && !(m_cached_ctx.FRAME.FBMSK & 0x80000000);
+		if (m_cached_ctx.TEST.DATM == 0)
 		{
-			const bool is_overlap_alpha = m_prim_overlap != PRIM_OVERLAP_NO && !(m_cached_ctx.FRAME.FBMSK & 0x80000000);
-
-			if (m_cached_ctx.TEST.DATM == 0)
-			{
-				// Some pixles are >= 1 so some fail, or some pixels get written but the written alpha matches or exceeds 1 (so overlap doesn't always pass).
-				DATE = rt->m_alpha_max >= 128 || (is_overlap_alpha && rt->m_alpha_min < 128 && (GetAlphaMinMax().max >= 128 || (m_context->FBA.FBA || IsCoverageAlpha())));
+			// Some pixles are >= 1 so some fail, or some pixels get written but the written alpha matches or exceeds 1 (so overlap doesn't always pass).
+			DATE = rt->m_alpha_max >= 128 || (is_overlap_alpha && rt->m_alpha_min < 128 && (GetAlphaMinMax().max >= 128 || (m_context->FBA.FBA || IsCoverageAlpha())));
 
-				// All pixels fail.
-				if (DATE && rt->m_alpha_min >= 128)
-					return;
-			}
-			else
-			{
-				// Some pixles are < 1 so some fail, or some pixels get written but the written alpha goes below 1 (so overlap doesn't always pass).
-				DATE = rt->m_alpha_min < 128 || (is_overlap_alpha && rt->m_alpha_max >= 128 && (GetAlphaMinMax().min < 128 && !(m_context->FBA.FBA || IsCoverageAlpha())));
+			// All pixels fail.
+			if (DATE && rt->m_alpha_min >= 128)
+				return;
+		}
+		else
+		{
+			// Some pixles are < 1 so some fail, or some pixels get written but the written alpha goes below 1 (so overlap doesn't always pass).
+			DATE = rt->m_alpha_min < 128 || (is_overlap_alpha && rt->m_alpha_max >= 128 && (GetAlphaMinMax().min < 128 && !(m_context->FBA.FBA || IsCoverageAlpha())));
 
-				// All pixels fail.
-				if (DATE && rt->m_alpha_max < 128)
-					return;
-			}
+			// All pixels fail.
+			if (DATE && rt->m_alpha_max < 128)
+				return;
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -5280,18 +5275,11 @@ __ri void GSRendererHW::DrawPrims(GSTextureCache::Target* rt, GSTextureCache::Ta
 	int rt_new_alpha_min = 0, rt_new_alpha_max = 255;
 	if (rt)
 	{
-		rt_new_alpha_min = rt->m_alpha_min;
-		rt_new_alpha_max = rt->m_alpha_max;
+		blend_alpha_min = rt_new_alpha_min = rt->m_alpha_min;
+		blend_alpha_max = rt_new_alpha_max = rt->m_alpha_max;
 
-		blend_alpha_min = rt_new_alpha_min;
-		blend_alpha_max = rt_new_alpha_max;
-
-		const bool is_24_bit = (GSLocalMemory::m_psm[rt->m_TEX0.PSM].trbpp == 24);
-		// On DX FBMask emulation can be missing on lower blend levels, so we'll do whatever the API does.
-		const u32 fb_mask = m_conf.colormask.wa ? (m_conf.ps.fbmask ? m_conf.cb_ps.FbMask.a : 0) : 0xFF;
-		const u32 alpha_mask = (GSLocalMemory::m_psm[rt->m_TEX0.PSM].fmsk & 0xFF000000) >> 24;
 		const int fba_value = m_draw_env->CTXT[m_draw_env->PRIM.CTXT].FBA.FBA * 128;
-
+		const bool is_24_bit = (GSLocalMemory::m_psm[rt->m_TEX0.PSM].trbpp == 24);
 		if (is_24_bit)
 		{
 			// C24/Z24 - alpha is 1.
@@ -5308,6 +5296,9 @@ __ri void GSRendererHW::DrawPrims(GSTextureCache::Target* rt, GSTextureCache::Ta
 			const bool always_passing_alpha = !m_cached_ctx.TEST.ATE || afail_always_fb_alpha || (m_cached_ctx.TEST.ATE && m_cached_ctx.TEST.ATST == ATST_ALWAYS);
 			const bool full_cover = rt->m_valid.rintersect(m_r).eq(rt->m_valid) && PrimitiveCoversWithoutGaps() && !(DATE || !always_passing_alpha || !IsDepthAlwaysPassing());
 
+			// On DX FBMask emulation can be missing on lower blend levels, so we'll do whatever the API does.
+			const u32 fb_mask = m_conf.colormask.wa ? (m_conf.ps.fbmask ? m_conf.cb_ps.FbMask.a : 0) : 0xFF;
+			const u32 alpha_mask = (GSLocalMemory::m_psm[rt->m_TEX0.PSM].fmsk & 0xFF000000) >> 24;
 			if ((fb_mask & alpha_mask) == 0)
 			{
 				if (full_cover)