diff --git a/lib/capybara/queries/selector_query.rb b/lib/capybara/queries/selector_query.rb
index 3ce97b5d..85cc14d8 100644
--- a/lib/capybara/queries/selector_query.rb
+++ b/lib/capybara/queries/selector_query.rb
@@ -76,18 +76,10 @@ module Capybara
       end
 
       def visible
-        if options.has_key?(:visible)
-          case @options[:visible]
-            when true then :visible
-            when false then :all
-            else @options[:visible]
-          end
-        else
-          if Capybara.ignore_hidden_elements
-            :visible
-          else
-            :all
-          end
+        case (vis = options.fetch(:visible){ @selector.default_visibility })
+          when true then :visible
+          when false then :all
+          else vis
         end
       end
 
diff --git a/lib/capybara/selector/selector.rb b/lib/capybara/selector/selector.rb
index 5e44c651..1f49a646 100644
--- a/lib/capybara/selector/selector.rb
+++ b/lib/capybara/selector/selector.rb
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ module Capybara
       @format = nil
       @expression = nil
       @expression_filters = []
+      @default_visibility = nil
       instance_eval(&block)
     end
 
@@ -186,6 +187,27 @@ module Capybara
       @filter_set.describe &block
     end
 
+    ##
+    #
+    # Set the default visibility mode that shouble be used if no visibile option is passed when using the selector.
+    # If not specified will default to the behavior indicated by Capybara.ignore_hidden_elements
+    #
+    # @param [Symbol] default_visibility  Only find elements with the specified visibility:
+    #                                              * :all - finds visible and invisible elements.
+    #                                              * :hidden - only finds invisible elements.
+    #                                              * :visible - only finds visible elements.
+    def visible(default_visibility)
+      @default_visibility = default_visibility
+    end
+
+    def default_visibility
+      if @default_visibility.nil?
+        Capybara.ignore_hidden_elements
+      else
+        @default_visibility
+      end
+    end
+
     private
 
     def locate_field(xpath, locator, options={})
diff --git a/spec/selector_spec.rb b/spec/selector_spec.rb
index 7c3a3799..f7c24670 100644
--- a/spec/selector_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/selector_spec.rb
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ RSpec.describe Capybara do
             <label for="my_text_input">My Text Input</label>
             <input type="text" name="form[my_text_input]" placeholder="my text" id="my_text_input"/>
             <input type="file" id="file" class=".special file"/>
+            <input type="hidden" id="hidden_field" value="this is hidden"/>
             <a href="#">link</a>
             <fieldset></fieldset>
             <select>
@@ -51,6 +52,18 @@ RSpec.describe Capybara do
       end
     end
 
+    describe "adding a selector" do
+      it "can set default visiblity" do
+        Capybara.add_selector :hidden_field do
+          visible :hidden
+          css { |sel| 'input[type="hidden"]' }
+        end
+
+        expect(string).to have_no_css('input[type="hidden"]')
+        expect(string).to have_selector(:hidden_field)
+      end
+    end
+
     describe "modify_selector" do
       it "allows modifying a selector" do
         el = string.find(:custom_selector, 'a')