diff --git a/bundler/lib/bundler/definition.rb b/bundler/lib/bundler/definition.rb
index 3fe783acb53a..22070b6b1771 100644
--- a/bundler/lib/bundler/definition.rb
+++ b/bundler/lib/bundler/definition.rb
@@ -570,7 +570,9 @@ def resolution_packages
         last_resolve = converge_locked_specs
         remove_invalid_platforms!(current_dependencies)
         packages = Resolver::Base.new(source_requirements, expanded_dependencies, last_resolve, @platforms, locked_specs: @originally_locked_specs, unlock: @gems_to_unlock, prerelease: gem_version_promoter.pre?)
-        additional_base_requirements_for_resolve(packages, last_resolve)
+        packages = additional_base_requirements_to_prevent_downgrades(packages, last_resolve)
+        packages = additional_base_requirements_to_force_updates(packages)
+        packages
       end
     end
 
@@ -1015,7 +1017,7 @@ def lockfiles_equal?(current, proposed, preserve_unknown_sections)
       current == proposed
     end
 
-    def additional_base_requirements_for_resolve(resolution_packages, last_resolve)
+    def additional_base_requirements_to_prevent_downgrades(resolution_packages, last_resolve)
       return resolution_packages unless @locked_gems && !sources.expired_sources?(@locked_gems.sources)
       converge_specs(@originally_locked_specs - last_resolve).each do |locked_spec|
         next if locked_spec.source.is_a?(Source::Path)
@@ -1024,6 +1026,28 @@ def additional_base_requirements_for_resolve(resolution_packages, last_resolve)
       resolution_packages
     end
 
+    def additional_base_requirements_to_force_updates(resolution_packages)
+      return resolution_packages if @explicit_unlocks.empty?
+      full_update = dup_for_full_unlock.resolve
+      @explicit_unlocks.each do |name|
+        version = full_update[name].first&.version
+        resolution_packages.base_requirements[name] = Gem::Requirement.new("= #{version}") if version
+      end
+      resolution_packages
+    end
+
+    def dup_for_full_unlock
+      unlocked_definition = self.class.new(@lockfile, @dependencies, @sources, true, @ruby_version, @optional_groups, @gemfiles)
+      unlocked_definition.resolution_mode = { "local" => !@remote }
+      unlocked_definition.setup_sources_for_resolve
+      unlocked_definition.gem_version_promoter.tap do |gvp|
+        gvp.level = gem_version_promoter.level
+        gvp.strict = gem_version_promoter.strict
+        gvp.pre = gem_version_promoter.pre
+      end
+      unlocked_definition
+    end
+
     def remove_invalid_platforms!(dependencies)
       return if Bundler.frozen_bundle?
 
diff --git a/bundler/spec/commands/lock_spec.rb b/bundler/spec/commands/lock_spec.rb
index f6793d393ba8..c6bb0f58afe0 100644
--- a/bundler/spec/commands/lock_spec.rb
+++ b/bundler/spec/commands/lock_spec.rb
@@ -252,6 +252,128 @@
     expect(read_lockfile).to eq(remove_checksums_from_lockfile(@lockfile, "(2.3.2)", "(#{rake_version})"))
   end
 
+  it "updates specific gems using --update, even if that requires unlocking other top level gems" do
+    build_repo4 do
+      build_gem "prism", "0.15.1"
+      build_gem "prism", "0.24.0"
+
+      build_gem "ruby-lsp", "0.12.0" do |s|
+        s.add_dependency "prism", "< 0.24.0"
+      end
+
+      build_gem "ruby-lsp", "0.16.1" do |s|
+        s.add_dependency "prism", ">= 0.24.0"
+      end
+
+      build_gem "tapioca", "0.11.10" do |s|
+        s.add_dependency "prism", "< 0.24.0"
+      end
+
+      build_gem "tapioca", "0.13.1" do |s|
+        s.add_dependency "prism", ">= 0.24.0"
+      end
+    end
+
+    gemfile <<~G
+      source "#{file_uri_for(gem_repo4)}"
+
+      gem "tapioca"
+      gem "ruby-lsp"
+    G
+
+    lockfile <<~L
+      GEM
+        remote: #{file_uri_for(gem_repo4)}
+        specs:
+          prism (0.15.1)
+          ruby-lsp (0.12.0)
+            prism (< 0.24.0)
+          tapioca (0.11.10)
+            prism (< 0.24.0)
+
+      PLATFORMS
+        #{lockfile_platforms}
+
+      DEPENDENCIES
+        ruby-lsp
+        tapioca
+
+      BUNDLED WITH
+         #{Bundler::VERSION}
+    L
+
+    bundle "lock --update tapioca --verbose"
+
+    expect(lockfile).to include("tapioca (0.13.1)")
+  end
+
+  it "updates specific gems using --update, even if that requires unlocking other top level gems, but only as few as possible" do
+    build_repo4 do
+      build_gem "prism", "0.15.1"
+      build_gem "prism", "0.24.0"
+
+      build_gem "ruby-lsp", "0.12.0" do |s|
+        s.add_dependency "prism", "< 0.24.0"
+      end
+
+      build_gem "ruby-lsp", "0.16.1" do |s|
+        s.add_dependency "prism", ">= 0.24.0"
+      end
+
+      build_gem "tapioca", "0.11.10" do |s|
+        s.add_dependency "prism", "< 0.24.0"
+      end
+
+      build_gem "tapioca", "0.13.1" do |s|
+        s.add_dependency "prism", ">= 0.24.0"
+      end
+
+      build_gem "other-prism-dependent", "1.0.0" do |s|
+        s.add_dependency "prism", ">= 0.15.1"
+      end
+
+      build_gem "other-prism-dependent", "1.1.0" do |s|
+        s.add_dependency "prism", ">= 0.15.1"
+      end
+    end
+
+    gemfile <<~G
+      source "#{file_uri_for(gem_repo4)}"
+
+      gem "tapioca"
+      gem "ruby-lsp"
+      gem "other-prism-dependent"
+    G
+
+    lockfile <<~L
+      GEM
+        remote: #{file_uri_for(gem_repo4)}
+        specs:
+          other-prism-dependent (1.0.0)
+            prism (>= 0.15.1)
+          prism (0.15.1)
+          ruby-lsp (0.12.0)
+            prism (< 0.24.0)
+          tapioca (0.11.10)
+            prism (< 0.24.0)
+
+      PLATFORMS
+        #{lockfile_platforms}
+
+      DEPENDENCIES
+        ruby-lsp
+        tapioca
+
+      BUNDLED WITH
+         #{Bundler::VERSION}
+    L
+
+    bundle "lock --update tapioca"
+
+    expect(lockfile).to include("tapioca (0.13.1)")
+    expect(lockfile).to include("other-prism-dependent (1.0.0)")
+  end
+
   it "preserves unknown checksum algorithms" do
     lockfile @lockfile.gsub(/(sha256=[a-f0-9]+)$/, "constant=true,\\1,xyz=123")