diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 872870ca9577..9c56f4067a4a 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 ### Fixes
 
 - `[jest-cli]` Refactor `-o` and `--coverage` combined ([#7611](https://github.com/facebook/jest/pull/7611))
+- `[jest-changed-files]` Improve default file selection for Mercurial repos ([#7880](https://github.com/facebook/jest/pull/7880))
 
 ### Chore & Maintenance
 
diff --git a/packages/jest-changed-files/src/hg.ts b/packages/jest-changed-files/src/hg.ts
index 0b3b3ecf7963..96cb347a5882 100644
--- a/packages/jest-changed-files/src/hg.ts
+++ b/packages/jest-changed-files/src/hg.ts
@@ -13,17 +13,6 @@ import {Path, Options, SCMAdapter} from './types';
 
 const env = {...process.env, HGPLAIN: '1'};
 
-const ANCESTORS = [
-  // Parent commit to this one.
-  '.^',
-
-  // The first commit of my branch, only if we are not on the default branch.
-  'min(branch(.)) and not min(branch(default))',
-
-  // Latest public commit.
-  'max(public())',
-];
-
 const adapter: SCMAdapter = {
   findChangedFiles: async (
     cwd: string,
@@ -33,7 +22,7 @@ const adapter: SCMAdapter = {
 
     const args = ['status', '-amnu'];
     if (options && options.withAncestor) {
-      args.push('--rev', `ancestor(${ANCESTORS.join(', ')})`);
+      args.push('--rev', `min(!public() & ::.)^`);
     } else if (options && options.changedSince) {
       args.push('--rev', `ancestor(., ${options.changedSince})`);
     } else if (options && options.lastCommit === true) {