diff --git a/packages/preset-mini/src/_variants/pseudo.ts b/packages/preset-mini/src/_variants/pseudo.ts
index 4bd789b7c7..e02df66e09 100644
--- a/packages/preset-mini/src/_variants/pseudo.ts
+++ b/packages/preset-mini/src/_variants/pseudo.ts
@@ -77,9 +77,13 @@ const PseudoClassesStr = Object.entries(PseudoClasses).filter(([, pseudo]) => !p
 const PseudoClassesColonStr = Object.entries(PseudoClassesColon).filter(([, pseudo]) => !pseudo.startsWith('::')).map(([key]) => key).join('|')
 const PseudoClassFunctionsStr = PseudoClassFunctions.join('|')
 
-const sortValue = (pseudo: string) => {
-  if (pseudo === 'active')
-    return 1
+const pseudoModifier = (pseudo: string) => {
+  if (pseudo === 'active') {
+    return {
+      sort: 1,
+      noMerge: true,
+    }
+  }
 }
 
 const taggedPseudoClassMatcher = (tag: string, parent: string, combinator: string): VariantObject => {
@@ -122,7 +126,7 @@ const taggedPseudoClassMatcher = (tag: string, parent: string, combinator: strin
       label,
       input.slice(original.length),
       `${parent}${escapeSelector(label)}${pseudo}`,
-      sortValue(pseudoKey),
+      pseudoKey,
     ]
   }
 
@@ -142,7 +146,7 @@ const taggedPseudoClassMatcher = (tag: string, parent: string, combinator: strin
       if (!result)
         return
 
-      const [label, matcher, prefix, sort] = result as [string, string, string, number | undefined]
+      const [label, matcher, prefix, pseudoName = ''] = result as [string, string, string, string | undefined]
       if (label !== '')
         warnOnce('The labeled variant is experimental and may not follow semver.')
 
@@ -151,8 +155,8 @@ const taggedPseudoClassMatcher = (tag: string, parent: string, combinator: strin
         handle: (input, next) => next({
           ...input,
           prefix: `${prefix}${combinator}${input.prefix}`.replace(rawRE, '$1$2:'),
+          ...pseudoModifier(pseudoName),
         }),
-        sort,
       }
     },
     multiPass: true,
@@ -189,7 +193,7 @@ export const variantPseudoClassesAndElements = (): VariantObject => {
             return next({
               ...input,
               ...selectors,
-              sort: sortValue(match[1]),
+              ...pseudoModifier(match[1]),
             })
           },
         }
diff --git a/test/__snapshots__/preset-mini.test.ts.snap b/test/__snapshots__/preset-mini.test.ts.snap
index 00883c8d4e..75b0f128da 100644
--- a/test/__snapshots__/preset-mini.test.ts.snap
+++ b/test/__snapshots__/preset-mini.test.ts.snap
@@ -951,9 +951,9 @@ unocss .scope-\\\\[unocss\\\\]\\\\:block{display:block;}
 .skew-y-10deg{--un-skew-y:10deg;transform:translateX(var(--un-translate-x)) translateY(var(--un-translate-y)) translateZ(var(--un-translate-z)) rotate(var(--un-rotate)) rotateX(var(--un-rotate-x)) rotateY(var(--un-rotate-y)) rotateZ(var(--un-rotate-z)) skewX(var(--un-skew-x)) skewY(var(--un-skew-y)) scaleX(var(--un-scale-x)) scaleY(var(--un-scale-y)) scaleZ(var(--un-scale-z));}
 .skew-y-2grad{--un-skew-y:2grad;transform:translateX(var(--un-translate-x)) translateY(var(--un-translate-y)) translateZ(var(--un-translate-z)) rotate(var(--un-rotate)) rotateX(var(--un-rotate-x)) rotateY(var(--un-rotate-y)) rotateZ(var(--un-rotate-z)) skewX(var(--un-skew-x)) skewY(var(--un-skew-y)) scaleX(var(--un-scale-x)) scaleY(var(--un-scale-y)) scaleZ(var(--un-scale-z));}
 .skew-y-3\\\\.14rad{--un-skew-y:3.14rad;transform:translateX(var(--un-translate-x)) translateY(var(--un-translate-y)) translateZ(var(--un-translate-z)) rotate(var(--un-rotate)) rotateX(var(--un-rotate-x)) rotateY(var(--un-rotate-y)) rotateZ(var(--un-rotate-z)) skewX(var(--un-skew-x)) skewY(var(--un-skew-y)) scaleX(var(--un-scale-x)) scaleY(var(--un-scale-y)) scaleZ(var(--un-scale-z));}
-.hover\\\\:scale-4:hover,
-.active\\\\:scale-4:active{--un-scale-x:0.04;--un-scale-y:0.04;transform:translateX(var(--un-translate-x)) translateY(var(--un-translate-y)) translateZ(var(--un-translate-z)) rotate(var(--un-rotate)) rotateX(var(--un-rotate-x)) rotateY(var(--un-rotate-y)) rotateZ(var(--un-rotate-z)) skewX(var(--un-skew-x)) skewY(var(--un-skew-y)) scaleX(var(--un-scale-x)) scaleY(var(--un-scale-y)) scaleZ(var(--un-scale-z));}
+.hover\\\\:scale-4:hover{--un-scale-x:0.04;--un-scale-y:0.04;transform:translateX(var(--un-translate-x)) translateY(var(--un-translate-y)) translateZ(var(--un-translate-z)) rotate(var(--un-rotate)) rotateX(var(--un-rotate-x)) rotateY(var(--un-rotate-y)) rotateZ(var(--un-rotate-z)) skewX(var(--un-skew-x)) skewY(var(--un-skew-y)) scaleX(var(--un-scale-x)) scaleY(var(--un-scale-y)) scaleZ(var(--un-scale-z));}
 .scale-\\\\$variable{--un-scale-x:var(--variable);--un-scale-y:var(--variable);transform:translateX(var(--un-translate-x)) translateY(var(--un-translate-y)) translateZ(var(--un-translate-z)) rotate(var(--un-rotate)) rotateX(var(--un-rotate-x)) rotateY(var(--un-rotate-y)) rotateZ(var(--un-rotate-z)) skewX(var(--un-skew-x)) skewY(var(--un-skew-y)) scaleX(var(--un-scale-x)) scaleY(var(--un-scale-y)) scaleZ(var(--un-scale-z));}
+.active\\\\:scale-4:active{--un-scale-x:0.04;--un-scale-y:0.04;transform:translateX(var(--un-translate-x)) translateY(var(--un-translate-y)) translateZ(var(--un-translate-z)) rotate(var(--un-rotate)) rotateX(var(--un-rotate-x)) rotateY(var(--un-rotate-y)) rotateZ(var(--un-rotate-z)) skewX(var(--un-skew-x)) skewY(var(--un-skew-y)) scaleX(var(--un-scale-x)) scaleY(var(--un-scale-y)) scaleZ(var(--un-scale-z));}
 .-scale-x-full{--un-scale-x:-100%;transform:translateX(var(--un-translate-x)) translateY(var(--un-translate-y)) translateZ(var(--un-translate-z)) rotate(var(--un-rotate)) rotateX(var(--un-rotate-x)) rotateY(var(--un-rotate-y)) rotateZ(var(--un-rotate-z)) skewX(var(--un-skew-x)) skewY(var(--un-skew-y)) scaleX(var(--un-scale-x)) scaleY(var(--un-scale-y)) scaleZ(var(--un-scale-z));}
 .scale-x-\\\\$variable{--un-scale-x:var(--variable);transform:translateX(var(--un-translate-x)) translateY(var(--un-translate-y)) translateZ(var(--un-translate-z)) rotate(var(--un-rotate)) rotateX(var(--un-rotate-x)) rotateY(var(--un-rotate-y)) rotateZ(var(--un-rotate-z)) skewX(var(--un-skew-x)) skewY(var(--un-skew-y)) scaleX(var(--un-scale-x)) scaleY(var(--un-scale-y)) scaleZ(var(--un-scale-z));}
 .preserve-3d{transform-style:preserve-3d;}
@@ -1051,3 +1051,10 @@ unocss .scope-\\\\[unocss\\\\]\\\\:block{display:block;}
 /* layer: uno_css */
 .uno-layer-uno_css\\\\:block{display:block;}"
 `;
+
+exports[`preset-mini > the :active pseudo is sorted and separated after other pseudo 1`] = `
+"/* layer: default */
+.focus\\\\:bg-blue-3:focus,
+.hover\\\\:bg-blue-3:hover{--un-bg-opacity:1;background-color:rgba(147,197,253,var(--un-bg-opacity));}
+.active\\\\:bg-blue-3:active{--un-bg-opacity:1;background-color:rgba(147,197,253,var(--un-bg-opacity));}"
+`;
diff --git a/test/__snapshots__/shortcuts.test.ts.snap b/test/__snapshots__/shortcuts.test.ts.snap
index 32afb518ec..1cd3b8f038 100644
--- a/test/__snapshots__/shortcuts.test.ts.snap
+++ b/test/__snapshots__/shortcuts.test.ts.snap
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ exports[`shortcuts > static 1`] = `
 exports[`shortcuts > variant order 1`] = `
 "/* layer: shortcuts */
 .shortcut-hover-active-1:focus,
-.shortcut-hover-active-1:hover,
+.shortcut-hover-active-1:hover{--un-bg-opacity:1;background-color:rgba(134,239,172,var(--un-bg-opacity));}
 .shortcut-hover-active-1:active{--un-bg-opacity:1;background-color:rgba(134,239,172,var(--un-bg-opacity));}"
 `;
 
@@ -138,6 +138,6 @@ exports[`shortcuts > variant order 5`] = `
 "/* layer: shortcuts */
 .shortcut-hover-active-2:focus{--un-bg-opacity:1;background-color:rgba(252,165,165,var(--un-bg-opacity));}
 .shortcut-hover-active-2:hover{--un-bg-opacity:1;background-color:rgba(253,224,71,var(--un-bg-opacity));}
-.uno-layer-shortcuts\\\\:bg-blue-300,
+.uno-layer-shortcuts\\\\:bg-blue-300{--un-bg-opacity:1;background-color:rgba(147,197,253,var(--un-bg-opacity));}
 .shortcut-hover-active-2:active{--un-bg-opacity:1;background-color:rgba(147,197,253,var(--un-bg-opacity));}"
 `;
diff --git a/test/preset-mini.test.ts b/test/preset-mini.test.ts
index 2666047371..8e4f1e642c 100644
--- a/test/preset-mini.test.ts
+++ b/test/preset-mini.test.ts
@@ -176,4 +176,22 @@ describe('preset-mini', () => {
 
     expect(css).toMatchSnapshot()
   })
+
+  test('the :active pseudo is sorted and separated after other pseudo', async () => {
+    const uno = createGenerator({
+      presets: [
+        presetMini(),
+      ],
+    })
+
+    const { css } = await uno.generate([
+      'hover:bg-blue-3',
+      'active:bg-blue-3',
+      'focus:bg-blue-3',
+    ].join(' '), {
+      preflights: false,
+    })
+
+    expect(css).toMatchSnapshot()
+  })
 })