diff --git a/compiler/src/dotty/tools/dotc/typer/Applications.scala b/compiler/src/dotty/tools/dotc/typer/Applications.scala
index e95e6b5b274f..28ec45d1c3d3 100644
--- a/compiler/src/dotty/tools/dotc/typer/Applications.scala
+++ b/compiler/src/dotty/tools/dotc/typer/Applications.scala
@@ -1452,48 +1452,54 @@ trait Applications extends Compatibility {
     /** Is alternative `alt1` with type `tp1` as specific as alternative
      *  `alt2` with type `tp2` ?
      *
-     *    1. A method `alt1` of type (p1: T1, ..., pn: Tn)U is as specific as `alt2`
+     *    1. A non-varargs method is always as specific as a varargs method.
+     *    2. A varargs method is never as specific as a non-varargs method.
+     *    3. A method `alt1` of type (p1: T1, ..., pn: Tn)U is as specific as `alt2`
      *       if `alt2` is applicable to arguments (p1, ..., pn) of types T1,...,Tn
      *       or if `alt1` is nullary.
-     *    2. A polymorphic member of type [a1 >: L1 <: U1, ..., an >: Ln <: Un]T is as
+     *    4. A polymorphic member of type [a1 >: L1 <: U1, ..., an >: Ln <: Un]T is as
      *       specific as `alt2` of type `tp2` if T is as specific as `tp2` under the
      *       assumption that for i = 1,...,n each ai is an abstract type name bounded
      *       from below by Li and from above by Ui.
-     *    3. A member of any other type `tp1` is:
+     *    5. A member of any other type `tp1` is:
      *       a. always as specific as a method or a polymorphic method.
      *       b. as specific as a member of any other type `tp2` if `tp1` is compatible
      *          with `tp2`.
      */
-    def isAsSpecific(alt1: TermRef, tp1: Type, alt2: TermRef, tp2: Type): Boolean = trace(i"isAsSpecific $tp1 $tp2", overload) { tp1 match {
-      case tp1: MethodType => // (1)
-        val formals1 =
-          if (tp1.isVarArgsMethod && tp2.isVarArgsMethod) tp1.paramInfos.map(_.repeatedToSingle)
-          else tp1.paramInfos
-        isApplicableMethodRef(alt2, formals1, WildcardType) ||
-        tp1.paramInfos.isEmpty && tp2.isInstanceOf[LambdaType]
-      case tp1: PolyType => // (2)
-        inContext(ctx.fresh.setExploreTyperState()) {
-          // Fully define the PolyType parameters so that the infos of the
-          // tparams created below never contain TypeRefs whose underling types
-          // contain uninstantiated TypeVars, this could lead to cycles in
-          // `isSubType` as a TypeVar might get constrained by a TypeRef it's
-          // part of.
-          val tp1Params = tp1.newLikeThis(tp1.paramNames, tp1.paramInfos, defn.AnyType)
-          fullyDefinedType(tp1Params, "type parameters of alternative", alt1.symbol.span)
-
-          val tparams = newTypeParams(alt1.symbol, tp1.paramNames, EmptyFlags, tp1.instantiateParamInfos(_))
-          isAsSpecific(alt1, tp1.instantiate(tparams.map(_.typeRef)), alt2, tp2)
-        }
-      case _ => // (3)
-        tp2 match {
-          case tp2: MethodType => true // (3a)
-          case tp2: PolyType if tp2.resultType.isInstanceOf[MethodType] => true // (3a)
-          case tp2: PolyType => // (3b)
-            explore(isAsSpecificValueType(tp1, constrained(tp2).resultType))
-          case _ => // (3b)
-            isAsSpecificValueType(tp1, tp2)
-        }
-    }}
+    def isAsSpecific(alt1: TermRef, tp1: Type, alt2: TermRef, tp2: Type): Boolean = trace(i"isAsSpecific $tp1 $tp2", overload) {
+      val tp1IsVarArgs = tp1.isVarArgsMethod
+      val tp2IsVarArgs = tp2.isVarArgsMethod
+      if !tp1IsVarArgs && tp2IsVarArgs then true // (1)
+      else if tp1IsVarArgs && !tp2IsVarArgs then false // (2)
+      else tp1 match
+        case tp1: MethodType => // (3)
+          val formals1 =
+            if tp1IsVarArgs && tp2IsVarArgs then tp1.paramInfos.map(_.repeatedToSingle)
+            else tp1.paramInfos
+          isApplicableMethodRef(alt2, formals1, WildcardType) ||
+          tp1.paramInfos.isEmpty && tp2.isInstanceOf[LambdaType]
+        case tp1: PolyType => // (4)
+          inContext(ctx.fresh.setExploreTyperState()) {
+            // Fully define the PolyType parameters so that the infos of the
+            // tparams created below never contain TypeRefs whose underling types
+            // contain uninstantiated TypeVars, this could lead to cycles in
+            // `isSubType` as a TypeVar might get constrained by a TypeRef it's
+            // part of.
+            val tp1Params = tp1.newLikeThis(tp1.paramNames, tp1.paramInfos, defn.AnyType)
+            fullyDefinedType(tp1Params, "type parameters of alternative", alt1.symbol.span)
+
+            val tparams = newTypeParams(alt1.symbol, tp1.paramNames, EmptyFlags, tp1.instantiateParamInfos(_))
+            isAsSpecific(alt1, tp1.instantiate(tparams.map(_.typeRef)), alt2, tp2)
+          }
+        case _ => // (5)
+          tp2 match
+            case tp2: MethodType => true // (5a)
+            case tp2: PolyType if tp2.resultType.isInstanceOf[MethodType] => true // (5a)
+            case tp2: PolyType => // (5b)
+              explore(isAsSpecificValueType(tp1, constrained(tp2).resultType))
+            case _ => // (5b)
+              isAsSpecificValueType(tp1, tp2)
+    }
 
     /** Test whether value type `tp1` is as specific as value type `tp2`.
      *  Let's abbreviate this to `tp1 <:s tp2`.
diff --git a/tests/run/overload_repeated/A_1.java b/tests/run/overload_repeated/A_1.java
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..c891eaff6920
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/run/overload_repeated/A_1.java
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+class A_1 {
+  public static int foo1(String x) { return 1; }
+  public static int foo1(Object... x) { return 2; }
+
+  public static int foo2(Object x) { return 1; }
+  public static int foo2(Object... x) { return 2; }
+
+  public static <T> int foo3(T x) { return 1; }
+  public static <T> int foo3(T... x) { return 2; }
+
+  public static <T> int foo4(T x) { return 1; }
+  public static <T> int foo4(T x, T... y) { return 2; }
+
+  public static boolean check() {
+    // Java prefers non-varargs to varargs:
+    // https://docs.oracle.com/javase/specs/jls/se8/html/jls-15.html#jls-15.12.2
+    return
+        foo1("") == 1 &&
+        foo2("") == 1 &&
+        foo3("") == 1 &&
+        foo4("") == 1;
+  }
+}
diff --git a/tests/run/overload_repeated/B_2.scala b/tests/run/overload_repeated/B_2.scala
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..6ee606943be0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/run/overload_repeated/B_2.scala
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+object Test {
+  def bar1(x: Any) = 1
+  def bar1(x: String*) = 2
+
+  def bar2(x: Any) = 1
+  def bar2(x: Any*) = 2
+
+  def bar3[T](x: T): Int = 1
+  def bar3[T](x: T*): Int = 2
+
+  def bar4[T](x: T): Int = 1
+  def bar4[T](x: T, xs: T*): Int = 2
+
+  def main(args: Array[String]): Unit = {
+    // Java, Scala 2 and Dotty all agree that Java varargs are
+    // less specific than Java non-varargs:
+    assert(A_1.check())
+    assert(A_1.foo1("") == 1) // Same as in Java and Scala 2
+    assert(A_1.foo2("") == 1) // Same as in Java and Scala 2
+    assert(A_1.foo3("") == 1) // Same as in Java and Scala 2
+    assert(A_1.foo4("") == 1) // Same as in Java and Scala 2
+
+    // ... but Scala 2 seems to treat Scala varargs specially
+    // (or maybe it's Object coming from Java which is treated
+    // specially), in Dotty this doesn't make a difference:
+    assert(bar1("") == 1) // ambiguous in Scala 2
+    assert(bar2("") == 1) // same in Scala 2
+    assert(bar3("") == 1) // same in Scala 2
+    assert(bar4("") == 1) // same in Scala 2
+  }
+}
diff --git a/tests/run/t8197.scala b/tests/run/t8197.scala
index 27212cbbd3c2..d3e37644d952 100644
--- a/tests/run/t8197.scala
+++ b/tests/run/t8197.scala
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ class Foo(val x: A = null) {
 
 object Test extends App {
   // both constructors of `Foo` are applicable. Overloading resolution
-  // will eliminate the alternative that uses a default argument, therefore
-  // the vararg constructor is chosen.
-  assert((new Foo).x != null)
+  // used to select the varargs alternative, but we now always
+  // prefer non-varargs to varargs overloads.
+  assert((new Foo).x == null)
 }