diff --git a/lib/capybara/spec/session/all_spec.rb b/lib/capybara/spec/session/all_spec.rb
index 15fe8ed0c..413bea52c 100644
--- a/lib/capybara/spec/session/all_spec.rb
+++ b/lib/capybara/spec/session/all_spec.rb
@@ -48,22 +48,23 @@
       @session.all('h1').first.text.should == 'This is a test'
       @session.all("input[id='test_field']").first[:value].should == 'monkey'
     end
-    after { Capybara.default_selector = :xpath }
   end
 
   context "with visible filter" do
-    after { Capybara.ignore_hidden_elements = true }
-    it "should only find visible nodes" do
-      @session.all(:css, "a.simple").should have(1).elements
-      Capybara.ignore_hidden_elements = false
-      @session.all(:css, "a.simple").should have(2).elements
+    it "should only find visible nodes when true" do
       @session.all(:css, "a.simple", :visible => true).should have(1).elements
     end
 
-    it "should only find invisible nodes" do
-      Capybara.ignore_hidden_elements = true
+    it "should find nodes regardless of whether they are invisible when false" do
       @session.all(:css, "a.simple", :visible => false).should have(2).elements
     end
+
+    it "should default to Capybara.ignore_hidden_elements" do
+      Capybara.ignore_hidden_elements = true
+      @session.all(:css, "a.simple").should have(1).elements
+      Capybara.ignore_hidden_elements = false
+      @session.all(:css, "a.simple").should have(2).elements
+    end
   end
 
   context "within a scope" do
diff --git a/lib/capybara/spec/session/first_spec.rb b/lib/capybara/spec/session/first_spec.rb
index 30ee66edf..6875ceedb 100644
--- a/lib/capybara/spec/session/first_spec.rb
+++ b/lib/capybara/spec/session/first_spec.rb
@@ -38,22 +38,24 @@
       @session.first('h1').text.should == 'This is a test'
       @session.first("input[id='test_field']")[:value].should == 'monkey'
     end
-    after { Capybara.default_selector = :xpath }
   end
 
   context "with visible filter" do
-    after { Capybara.ignore_hidden_elements = false }
-    it "should only find visible nodes if true given" do
-      @session.first(:css, "a#invisible").should_not be_nil
+    it "should only find visible nodes when true" do
       @session.first(:css, "a#invisible", :visible => true).should be_nil
-      Capybara.ignore_hidden_elements = true
-      @session.first(:css, "a#invisible").should be_nil
     end
 
-    it "should include invisible nodes if false given" do
-      Capybara.ignore_hidden_elements = true
+    it "should find nodes regardless of whether they are invisible when false" do
       @session.first(:css, "a#invisible", :visible => false).should_not be_nil
+      @session.first(:css, "a", :visible => false).should_not be_nil
+    end
+
+    it "should default to Capybara.ignore_hidden_elements" do
+      Capybara.ignore_hidden_elements = true
       @session.first(:css, "a#invisible").should be_nil
+      Capybara.ignore_hidden_elements = false
+      @session.first(:css, "a#invisible").should_not be_nil
+      @session.first(:css, "a").should_not be_nil
     end
   end
 
diff --git a/lib/capybara/spec/session/node_spec.rb b/lib/capybara/spec/session/node_spec.rb
index a039947f1..9e5a601c2 100644
--- a/lib/capybara/spec/session/node_spec.rb
+++ b/lib/capybara/spec/session/node_spec.rb
@@ -83,6 +83,7 @@
 
   describe "#visible?" do
     it "should extract node visibility" do
+      Capybara.ignore_hidden_elements = false
       @session.first('//a').should be_visible
 
       @session.find('//div[@id="hidden"]').should_not be_visible
diff --git a/lib/capybara/spec/spec_helper.rb b/lib/capybara/spec/spec_helper.rb
index 0b1700179..7cebf6238 100644
--- a/lib/capybara/spec/spec_helper.rb
+++ b/lib/capybara/spec/spec_helper.rb
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ def reset!
         Capybara.app_host = nil
         Capybara.default_selector = :xpath
         Capybara.default_wait_time = 1
+        Capybara.ignore_hidden_elements = true
         Capybara.exact = false
         Capybara.match = :smart
       end