diff --git a/src/lib/resolveDefaultsAtRules.js b/src/lib/resolveDefaultsAtRules.js
index 95887b359395..e8c1399b9769 100644
--- a/src/lib/resolveDefaultsAtRules.js
+++ b/src/lib/resolveDefaultsAtRules.js
@@ -3,7 +3,20 @@ import selectorParser from 'postcss-selector-parser'
 import { flagEnabled } from '../featureFlags'
 
 function minimumImpactSelector(nodes) {
-  let pseudos = nodes.filter((n) => n.type === 'pseudo')
+  let rest = nodes
+    // Keep all pseudo & combinator types (:not([hidden]) ~ :not([hidden]))
+    .filter((n) => n.type === 'pseudo' || n.type === 'combinator')
+    // Remove leading pseudo's (:hover, :focus, ...)
+    .filter((n, idx, all) => {
+      // Keep pseudo elements
+      if (n.type === 'pseudo' && n.value.startsWith('::')) return true
+
+      if (idx === 0 && n.type === 'pseudo') return false
+      if (idx > 0 && n.type === 'pseudo' && all[idx - 1].type === 'pseudo') return false
+
+      return true
+    })
+
   let [bestNode] = nodes
 
   for (let [type, getNode = (n) => n] of [
@@ -28,16 +41,12 @@ function minimumImpactSelector(nodes) {
     }
   }
 
-  return [bestNode, ...pseudos].join('').trim()
+  return [bestNode, ...rest].join('').trim()
 }
 
 let elementSelectorParser = selectorParser((selectors) => {
   return selectors.map((s) => {
-    let nodes = s
-      .split((n) => n.type === 'combinator')
-      .pop()
-      .filter((n) => n.type !== 'pseudo' || n.value.startsWith('::'))
-
+    let nodes = s.split((n) => n.type === 'combinator' && n.value === ' ').pop()
     return minimumImpactSelector(nodes)
   })
 })
diff --git a/tests/experimental.test.js b/tests/experimental.test.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..6404c0013c59
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/experimental.test.js
@@ -0,0 +1,209 @@
+import { run, html, css } from './util/run'
+
+test('experimental universal selector improvements (box-shadow)', () => {
+  let config = {
+    experimental: 'all',
+    content: [{ raw: html`<div class="shadow resize"></div>` }],
+    corePlugins: { preflight: false },
+  }
+
+  let input = css`
+    @tailwind base;
+    @tailwind utilities;
+  `
+
+  return run(input, config).then((result) => {
+    expect(result.css).toMatchCss(css`
+      .shadow {
+        --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000;
+        --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000;
+        --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000;
+      }
+
+      .resize {
+        resize: both;
+      }
+
+      .shadow {
+        --tw-shadow: 0 1px 3px 0 rgb(0 0 0 / 0.1), 0 1px 2px 0 rgb(0 0 0 / 0.06);
+        box-shadow: var(--tw-ring-offset-shadow, 0 0 #0000), var(--tw-ring-shadow, 0 0 #0000),
+          var(--tw-shadow);
+      }
+    `)
+  })
+})
+
+test('experimental universal selector improvements (pseudo hover)', () => {
+  let config = {
+    experimental: 'all',
+    content: [{ raw: html`<div class="hover:shadow resize"></div>` }],
+    corePlugins: { preflight: false },
+  }
+
+  let input = css`
+    @tailwind base;
+    @tailwind utilities;
+  `
+
+  return run(input, config).then((result) => {
+    expect(result.css).toMatchCss(css`
+      .hover\\:shadow {
+        --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000;
+        --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000;
+        --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000;
+      }
+
+      .resize {
+        resize: both;
+      }
+
+      .hover\\:shadow:hover {
+        --tw-shadow: 0 1px 3px 0 rgb(0 0 0 / 0.1), 0 1px 2px 0 rgb(0 0 0 / 0.06);
+        box-shadow: var(--tw-ring-offset-shadow, 0 0 #0000), var(--tw-ring-shadow, 0 0 #0000),
+          var(--tw-shadow);
+      }
+    `)
+  })
+})
+
+test('experimental universal selector improvements (multiple classes: group)', () => {
+  let config = {
+    experimental: 'all',
+    content: [{ raw: html`<div class="group-hover:shadow resize"></div>` }],
+    corePlugins: { preflight: false },
+  }
+
+  let input = css`
+    @tailwind base;
+    @tailwind utilities;
+  `
+
+  return run(input, config).then((result) => {
+    expect(result.css).toMatchCss(css`
+      .group-hover\\:shadow {
+        --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000;
+        --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000;
+        --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000;
+      }
+
+      .resize {
+        resize: both;
+      }
+
+      .group:hover .group-hover\\:shadow {
+        --tw-shadow: 0 1px 3px 0 rgb(0 0 0 / 0.1), 0 1px 2px 0 rgb(0 0 0 / 0.06);
+        box-shadow: var(--tw-ring-offset-shadow, 0 0 #0000), var(--tw-ring-shadow, 0 0 #0000),
+          var(--tw-shadow);
+      }
+    `)
+  })
+})
+
+test('experimental universal selector improvements (child selectors: divide-y)', () => {
+  let config = {
+    experimental: 'all',
+    content: [{ raw: html`<div class="divide-y resize"></div>` }],
+    corePlugins: { preflight: false },
+  }
+
+  let input = css`
+    @tailwind base;
+    @tailwind utilities;
+  `
+
+  return run(input, config).then((result) => {
+    expect(result.css).toMatchCss(css`
+      .divide-y > :not([hidden]) ~ :not([hidden]) {
+        --tw-border-opacity: 1;
+        border-color: rgb(229 231 235 / var(--tw-border-opacity));
+      }
+
+      .resize {
+        resize: both;
+      }
+
+      .divide-y > :not([hidden]) ~ :not([hidden]) {
+        --tw-divide-y-reverse: 0;
+        border-top-width: calc(1px * calc(1 - var(--tw-divide-y-reverse)));
+        border-bottom-width: calc(1px * var(--tw-divide-y-reverse));
+      }
+    `)
+  })
+})
+
+test('experimental universal selector improvements (hover:divide-y)', () => {
+  let config = {
+    experimental: 'all',
+    content: [{ raw: html`<div class="hover:divide-y resize"></div>` }],
+    corePlugins: { preflight: false },
+  }
+
+  let input = css`
+    @tailwind base;
+    @tailwind utilities;
+  `
+
+  return run(input, config).then((result) => {
+    expect(result.css).toMatchCss(css`
+      .hover\\:divide-y > :not([hidden]) ~ :not([hidden]) {
+        --tw-border-opacity: 1;
+        border-color: rgb(229 231 235 / var(--tw-border-opacity));
+      }
+
+      .resize {
+        resize: both;
+      }
+
+      .hover\\:divide-y:hover > :not([hidden]) ~ :not([hidden]) {
+        --tw-divide-y-reverse: 0;
+        border-top-width: calc(1px * calc(1 - var(--tw-divide-y-reverse)));
+        border-bottom-width: calc(1px * var(--tw-divide-y-reverse));
+      }
+    `)
+  })
+})
+
+test('experimental universal selector improvements (#app important)', () => {
+  let config = {
+    experimental: 'all',
+    important: '#app',
+    content: [{ raw: html`<div class="shadow divide-y resize"></div>` }],
+    corePlugins: { preflight: false },
+  }
+
+  let input = css`
+    @tailwind base;
+    @tailwind utilities;
+  `
+
+  return run(input, config).then((result) => {
+    expect(result.css).toMatchCss(css`
+      .divide-y > :not([hidden]) ~ :not([hidden]) {
+        --tw-border-opacity: 1;
+        border-color: rgb(229 231 235 / var(--tw-border-opacity));
+      }
+
+      .shadow {
+        --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000;
+        --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000;
+        --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000;
+      }
+
+      #app .resize {
+        resize: both;
+      }
+
+      #app .divide-y > :not([hidden]) ~ :not([hidden]) {
+        --tw-divide-y-reverse: 0;
+        border-top-width: calc(1px * calc(1 - var(--tw-divide-y-reverse)));
+        border-bottom-width: calc(1px * var(--tw-divide-y-reverse));
+      }
+
+      #app .shadow {
+        --tw-shadow: 0 1px 3px 0 rgb(0 0 0 / 0.1), 0 1px 2px 0 rgb(0 0 0 / 0.06);
+        box-shadow: var(--tw-ring-offset-shadow, 0 0 #0000), var(--tw-ring-shadow, 0 0 #0000),
+          var(--tw-shadow);
+      }
+    `)
+  })
+})
diff --git a/tests/resolve-defaults-at-rules.test.js b/tests/resolve-defaults-at-rules.test.js
index 0a4d2af13a41..6f250bc6b177 100644
--- a/tests/resolve-defaults-at-rules.test.js
+++ b/tests/resolve-defaults-at-rules.test.js
@@ -527,6 +527,7 @@ test('when a utility uses defaults but they do not exist', async () => {
 
 test('selectors are reduced to the lowest possible specificity', async () => {
   let config = {
+    experimental: 'all',
     content: [{ raw: html`<div class="foo"></div>` }],
     corePlugins: [],
   }
@@ -576,9 +577,13 @@ test('selectors are reduced to the lowest possible specificity', async () => {
 
   return run(input, config).then((result) => {
     expect(result.css).toMatchFormattedCss(css`
-      *,
-      ::before,
-      ::after {
+      .foo,
+      [id='app'],
+      [id='page'],
+      [id='other'],
+      [data-bar='baz'],
+      article,
+      [id='another']::before {
         --color: black;
       }