diff --git a/src/corePlugins.js b/src/corePlugins.js
index 3d3c599e7..9b31afe0e 100644
--- a/src/corePlugins.js
+++ b/src/corePlugins.js
@@ -242,6 +242,9 @@ export let variantPlugins = {
 
     if (mode === 'class') {
       addVariant('dark', `:is(:where(${className}) &)`)
+    } else if (mode === 'legacy') {
+      // Exists for pre v3.4 compatibility
+      addVariant('dark', `:is(${className} &)`)
     } else if (mode === 'media') {
       addVariant('dark', '@media (prefers-color-scheme: dark)')
     } else if (mode === 'variant') {
diff --git a/src/lib/setupContextUtils.js b/src/lib/setupContextUtils.js
index e677399b8..1095145eb 100644
--- a/src/lib/setupContextUtils.js
+++ b/src/lib/setupContextUtils.js
@@ -765,6 +765,27 @@ function resolvePlugins(context, root) {
     variantPlugins['forcedColorsVariants'],
   ]
 
+  // This is a compatibility fix for the pre 3.4 dark mode behavior
+  // You can enable the old behavior by setting `darkMode: ['legacy', selector]`
+  let isLegacyDarkMode = context.tailwindConfig.darkMode === 'legacy'
+    || (Array.isArray(context.tailwindConfig.darkMode) && context.tailwindConfig.darkMode[0] === 'legacy')
+
+  if (isLegacyDarkMode) {
+    afterVariants = [
+      variantPlugins['supportsVariants'],
+      variantPlugins['directionVariants'],
+      variantPlugins['reducedMotionVariants'],
+      variantPlugins['prefersContrastVariants'],
+      variantPlugins['printVariant'],
+      variantPlugins['darkVariants'],
+      variantPlugins['screenVariants'],
+      variantPlugins['orientationVariants'],
+
+      // Forced colors didn't exist before 3.4 so it can keep its position at the end
+      variantPlugins['forcedColorsVariants'],
+    ]
+  }
+
   return [...corePluginList, ...beforeVariants, ...userPlugins, ...afterVariants, ...layerPlugins]
 }
 
diff --git a/tests/dark-mode.test.js b/tests/dark-mode.test.js
index 924a9f335..966bd52ad 100644
--- a/tests/dark-mode.test.js
+++ b/tests/dark-mode.test.js
@@ -120,6 +120,108 @@ it('should default to the `media` mode when mode is set to `false`', () => {
   })
 })
 
+it('should support legacy dark mode behavior', () => {
+  let config = {
+    darkMode: 'legacy',
+    content: [{ raw: html`<div class="dark:font-bold"></div>` }],
+    corePlugins: { preflight: false },
+  }
+
+  let input = css`
+    @tailwind utilities;
+  `
+
+  return run(input, config).then((result) => {
+    expect(result.css).toMatchFormattedCss(css`
+      :is(.dark .dark\:font-bold) {
+        font-weight: 700;
+      }
+    `)
+  })
+})
+
+it('should support custom classes with legacy dark mode', () => {
+  let config = {
+    darkMode: ['legacy', '.my-dark'],
+    content: [{ raw: html`<div class="dark:font-bold"></div>` }],
+    corePlugins: { preflight: false },
+  }
+
+  let input = css`
+    @tailwind utilities;
+  `
+
+  return run(input, config).then((result) => {
+    expect(result.css).toMatchFormattedCss(css`
+      :is(.my-dark .dark\:font-bold) {
+        font-weight: 700;
+      }
+    `)
+  })
+})
+
+it('should use legacy sorting when using darkMode: legacy', () => {
+  let config = {
+    darkMode: 'legacy',
+    content: [{ raw: html`<div class="dark:text-green-100  hover:text-green-200 lg:text-green-300"></div>` }],
+    corePlugins: { preflight: false },
+  }
+
+  let input = css`
+    @tailwind utilities;
+  `
+
+  return run(input, config).then((result) => {
+    expect(result.css).toMatchFormattedCss(css`
+      .hover\:text-green-200:hover {
+        --tw-text-opacity: 1;
+        color: rgb(187 247 208 / var(--tw-text-opacity));
+      }
+      :is(.dark .dark\:text-green-100) {
+        --tw-text-opacity: 1;
+        color: rgb(220 252 231 / var(--tw-text-opacity));
+      }
+      @media (min-width: 1024px) {
+        .lg\:text-green-300 {
+          --tw-text-opacity: 1;
+          color: rgb(134 239 172 / var(--tw-text-opacity));
+        }
+      }
+    `)
+  })
+})
+
+it('should use modern sorting otherwise', () => {
+  let config = {
+    darkMode: 'class',
+    content: [{ raw: html`<div class="dark:text-green-100  hover:text-green-200 lg:text-green-300"></div>` }],
+    corePlugins: { preflight: false },
+  }
+
+  let input = css`
+    @tailwind utilities;
+  `
+
+  return run(input, config).then((result) => {
+    expect(result.css).toMatchFormattedCss(css`
+      .hover\:text-green-200:hover {
+        --tw-text-opacity: 1;
+        color: rgb(187 247 208 / var(--tw-text-opacity));
+      }
+      @media (min-width: 1024px) {
+        .lg\:text-green-300 {
+          --tw-text-opacity: 1;
+          color: rgb(134 239 172 / var(--tw-text-opacity));
+        }
+      }
+      :is(:where(.dark) .dark\:text-green-100) {
+        --tw-text-opacity: 1;
+        color: rgb(220 252 231 / var(--tw-text-opacity));
+      }
+    `)
+  })
+})
+
 it('should allow customization of the dark mode variant', () => {
   let config = {
     darkMode: ['variant', '&:not(.light *)'],
@@ -128,17 +230,37 @@ it('should allow customization of the dark mode variant', () => {
   }
 
   let input = css`
-    @tailwind base;
-    @tailwind components;
     @tailwind utilities;
   `
 
   return run(input, config).then((result) => {
     expect(result.css).toMatchFormattedCss(css`
-      ${defaults}
       .dark\:font-bold:not(.light *) {
         font-weight: 700;
       }
     `)
   })
 })
+
+it('should support parallel selectors for the dark mode variant', () => {
+  let config = {
+    darkMode: ['variant', ['&:not(.light *)', '&:not(.extralight *)']],
+    content: [{ raw: html`<div class="dark:font-bold"></div>` }],
+    corePlugins: { preflight: false },
+  }
+
+  let input = css`
+    @tailwind utilities;
+  `
+
+  return run(input, config).then((result) => {
+    expect(result.css).toMatchFormattedCss(css`
+      .dark\:font-bold:not(.light *) {
+        font-weight: 700;
+      }
+      .dark\:font-bold:not(.extralight *) {
+        font-weight: 700;
+      }
+    `)
+  })
+})
diff --git a/types/config.d.ts b/types/config.d.ts
index 69ea448df..87a7fdfd2 100644
--- a/types/config.d.ts
+++ b/types/config.d.ts
@@ -75,8 +75,13 @@ type DarkModeConfig =
   | 'class'
   // Use the `class` strategy with a custom class instead of `.dark`.
   | ['class', string]
+  // Use the `legacy` strategy — same as `class` but restores pre-v3.4 behavior
+  | 'legacy'
+  // Use the `legacy` strategy with a custom class instead of `.dark`
+  | ['legacy', string]
   // Use the `variant` strategy, which allows you to completely customize the selector
-  | ['variant', string]
+  // It takes a string or an array of strings, which are passed directly to `addVariant()`
+  | ['variant', string | string[]]
 
 type Screen = { raw: string } | { min: string } | { max: string } | { min: string; max: string }
 type ScreensConfig = string[] | KeyValuePair<string, string | Screen | Screen[]>