diff --git a/lib/capybara/node/simple.rb b/lib/capybara/node/simple.rb
index d55b410f..4640aefb 100644
--- a/lib/capybara/node/simple.rb
+++ b/lib/capybara/node/simple.rb
@@ -94,10 +94,17 @@ module Capybara
       # Whether or not the element is visible. Does not support CSS, so
       # the result may be inaccurate.
       #
+      # @param  [Boolean] check_ancestors  Whether to inherit visibility from ancestors
       # @return [Boolean]     Whether the element is visible
       #
-      def visible?
-        native.xpath("./ancestor-or-self::*[contains(@style, 'display:none') or contains(@style, 'display: none') or @hidden or name()='script' or name()='head']").size == 0
+      def visible?(check_ancestors = true)
+        if check_ancestors
+          #check size because oldest supported nokogiri doesnt support xpath boolean() function
+          native.xpath("./ancestor-or-self::*[contains(@style, 'display:none') or contains(@style, 'display: none') or @hidden or name()='script' or name()='head']").size() == 0
+        else
+          #no need for an xpath if only checking the current element
+          !(native.has_attribute?('hidden') || (native[:style] =~ /display:\s?none/) || %w(script head).include?(tag_name))
+        end
       end
 
       ##
diff --git a/lib/capybara/rack_test/node.rb b/lib/capybara/rack_test/node.rb
index 37ea24aa..8908405c 100644
--- a/lib/capybara/rack_test/node.rb
+++ b/lib/capybara/rack_test/node.rb
@@ -99,14 +99,14 @@ class Capybara::RackTest::Node < Capybara::Driver::Node
 
 protected
 
-  def unnormalized_text
-    if !visible?
+  def unnormalized_text(check_ancestor_visibility = true)
+    if !string_node.visible?(check_ancestor_visibility)
       ''
     elsif native.text?
       native.text
     elsif native.element?
       native.children.map do |child|
-        Capybara::RackTest::Node.new(driver, child).unnormalized_text
+        Capybara::RackTest::Node.new(driver, child).unnormalized_text(false)
       end.join
     else
       ''
diff --git a/lib/capybara/spec/session/text_spec.rb b/lib/capybara/spec/session/text_spec.rb
index 88abb67e..7008f5c7 100644
--- a/lib/capybara/spec/session/text_spec.rb
+++ b/lib/capybara/spec/session/text_spec.rb
@@ -34,6 +34,11 @@ Capybara::SpecHelper.spec '#text' do
     Capybara.ignore_hidden_elements = false
     expect(@session.find(:id, "hidden-text").text).to eq('Some of this text is')
   end
+  
+  it "ignores invisible text if ancestor is invisible" do
+    @session.visit('/with_html')
+    expect(@session.find(:id, "hidden_via_ancestor", visible: false).text).to eq('')
+  end
 
   context "with css as default selector" do
     before { Capybara.default_selector = :css }