diff --git a/packages/vest/src/core/test/runAsyncTest.ts b/packages/vest/src/core/test/runAsyncTest.ts
index c6259d2d4..c857c0032 100644
--- a/packages/vest/src/core/test/runAsyncTest.ts
+++ b/packages/vest/src/core/test/runAsyncTest.ts
@@ -36,6 +36,8 @@ export default function runAsyncTest(testObject: VestTest): void {
   try {
     asyncTest.then(done, fail);
   } catch (e) {
+    // We will probably never get here, unless the consumer uses a buggy custom Promise
+    // implementation that behaves differently than the native one, or if they for some
     fail();
   }
 }
diff --git a/packages/vest/src/hooks/__tests__/exclusive.test.ts b/packages/vest/src/hooks/__tests__/exclusive.test.ts
index 8cfe11d46..bf615c1e5 100644
--- a/packages/vest/src/hooks/__tests__/exclusive.test.ts
+++ b/packages/vest/src/hooks/__tests__/exclusive.test.ts
@@ -214,7 +214,29 @@ describe('exclusive hooks', () => {
           vest.skip(['group_1', 'group_2']);
           res = isGroupExcluded('group_3');
         })();
-        expect(res).toEqual(false);
+        expect(res).toBe(false);
+      });
+    });
+
+    describe('Field is in a non included group', () => {
+      let suite;
+
+      beforeEach(() => {
+        suite = vest.create(() => {
+          vest.only.group('group_1');
+
+          vest.group('group_1', () => {
+            vest.test('field_1', jest.fn());
+          });
+          vest.group('group_2', () => {
+            vest.test('field_2', jest.fn());
+          });
+        });
+        suite();
+      });
+
+      it('Should exclude test', () => {
+        expect(suite.get().tests.field_2.testCount).toBe(0);
       });
     });
   });
diff --git a/packages/vest/src/hooks/__tests__/include.test.ts b/packages/vest/src/hooks/__tests__/include.test.ts
index 417ec0edf..a9fe0749a 100644
--- a/packages/vest/src/hooks/__tests__/include.test.ts
+++ b/packages/vest/src/hooks/__tests__/include.test.ts
@@ -280,6 +280,21 @@ describe('include', () => {
       expect(res).toMatchSnapshot();
     });
   });
+
+  describe('Field is included via `only`', () => {
+    it('Should disregard `when` condition and test the field anyway', () => {
+      const suite = vest.create(() => {
+        vest.only('field_1');
+        vest.include('field_1').when(false);
+
+        vest.test('field_1', () => false);
+      });
+
+      const res = suite();
+      expect(res.hasErrors('field_1')).toBe(true);
+      expect(res.tests.field_1.testCount).toBe(1);
+    });
+  });
   describe('Test is excluded by being out of an included group', () => {
     it('Should disregard `include` and avoid running the test', () => {
       const suite = vest.create(() => {
diff --git a/packages/vest/src/hooks/exclusive.ts b/packages/vest/src/hooks/exclusive.ts
index 819494f24..5a85702e2 100644
--- a/packages/vest/src/hooks/exclusive.ts
+++ b/packages/vest/src/hooks/exclusive.ts
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ export function isExcluded(testObject: VestTest): boolean {
     }
   }
 
-  if (isMissingFromIncludedGroup(groupName)) {
+  if (isTopLevelWhenThereIsAnIncludedGroup(groupName)) {
     return true;
   }
 
@@ -85,6 +85,8 @@ export function isExcluded(testObject: VestTest): boolean {
   // If there is _ANY_ `only`ed test (and we already know this one isn't) return true
   if (hasIncludedTests(keyTests)) {
     // Check if inclusion rules for this field (`include` hook)
+    // TODO: Check if this may need to be moved outside of the condition.
+    // What if there are no included tests? This shouldn't run then?
     return !optionalFunctionValue(inclusion[fieldName]);
   }
 
@@ -92,41 +94,6 @@ export function isExcluded(testObject: VestTest): boolean {
   return false;
 }
 
-// eslint-disable-next-line max-statements
-function isMissingFromIncludedGroup(groupName?: string): boolean {
-  const context = ctx.useX();
-  const exclusion = context.exclusion;
-
-  if (!hasIncludedGroups()) {
-    return false;
-  }
-
-  if (!groupName) {
-    return true;
-  }
-
-  if (groupName in exclusion.groups) {
-    if (exclusion.groups[groupName]) {
-      return false;
-    }
-    return true;
-  }
-
-  return true;
-}
-
-function hasIncludedGroups(): boolean {
-  const context = ctx.useX();
-  const exclusion = context.exclusion;
-
-  for (const group in exclusion.groups) {
-    if (exclusion.groups[group]) {
-      return true;
-    }
-  }
-  return false;
-}
-
 /**
  * Checks whether a given group is excluded from running.
  */
@@ -144,14 +111,9 @@ export function isGroupExcluded(groupName: string): boolean {
   }
 
   // Group is not present
-  for (const group in keyGroups) {
-    // If any other group is only'ed
-    if (keyGroups[group] === true) {
-      return true;
-    }
-  }
 
-  return false;
+  // Return whether other groups are included
+  return hasIncludedGroups();
 }
 
 /**
@@ -190,6 +152,28 @@ function hasIncludedTests(keyTests: Record<string, boolean>): boolean {
   return false;
 }
 
+// are we not in a group and there is an included group?
+function isTopLevelWhenThereIsAnIncludedGroup(groupName?: string): boolean {
+  if (!hasIncludedGroups()) {
+    return false;
+  }
+
+  // Return whether there's an included group, and we're not inside a group
+  return !groupName;
+}
+
+function hasIncludedGroups(): boolean {
+  const context = ctx.useX();
+  const exclusion = context.exclusion;
+
+  for (const group in exclusion.groups) {
+    if (exclusion.groups[group]) {
+      return true;
+    }
+  }
+  return false;
+}
+
 const enum ExclusionGroup {
   ONLY,
   SKIP,
diff --git a/packages/vest/src/hooks/include.ts b/packages/vest/src/hooks/include.ts
index 59c6687a7..bc008fbbe 100644
--- a/packages/vest/src/hooks/include.ts
+++ b/packages/vest/src/hooks/include.ts
@@ -27,8 +27,12 @@ export default function include(fieldName: string): {
     const context = ctx.useX();
     const { inclusion, exclusion } = context;
 
+    // This callback will run as part of the "isExcluded" series of checks
     inclusion[fieldName] = (): boolean => {
       if (hasOwnProperty(exclusion.tests, fieldName)) {
+        // I suspect this code is technically unreachable because
+        // if there are any skip/only rules applied to the current
+        // field, the "isExcluded" function will have already bailed
         return defaultTo(exclusion.tests[fieldName], true);
       }