diff --git a/src/subtype.c b/src/subtype.c
index 6ecea1840559f3..0575a3c830dbf7 100644
--- a/src/subtype.c
+++ b/src/subtype.c
@@ -2619,18 +2619,6 @@ static int args_morespecific_fix1(jl_value_t *a, jl_value_t *b, int swap, jl_typ
     return ret;
 }
 
-static int partially_morespecific(jl_value_t *a, jl_value_t *b, int invariant, jl_typeenv_t *env)
-{
-    if (jl_is_uniontype(b)) {
-        jl_uniontype_t *u = (jl_uniontype_t*)b;
-        if (type_morespecific_(a, u->a, invariant, env) ||
-            type_morespecific_(a, u->b, invariant, env))
-            return 1;
-        return 0;
-    }
-    return type_morespecific_(a, b, invariant, env);
-}
-
 static int count_occurs(jl_value_t *t, jl_tvar_t *v)
 {
     if (t == (jl_value_t*)v)
@@ -2702,9 +2690,18 @@ static int type_morespecific_(jl_value_t *a, jl_value_t *b, int invariant, jl_ty
     if (jl_is_uniontype(a)) {
         // Union a is more specific than b if some element of a is more specific than b, but
         // not vice-versa.
+        if (sub_msp(b, a, env))
+            return 0;
         jl_uniontype_t *u = (jl_uniontype_t*)a;
-        return ((partially_morespecific(u->a, b, invariant, env) || partially_morespecific(u->b, b, invariant, env)) &&
-                !partially_morespecific(b, a, invariant, env));
+        if (type_morespecific_(u->a, b, invariant, env) || type_morespecific_(u->b, b, invariant, env)) {
+            if (jl_is_uniontype(b)) {
+                jl_uniontype_t *v = (jl_uniontype_t*)b;
+                if (type_morespecific_(v->a, a, invariant, env) || type_morespecific_(v->b, a, invariant, env))
+                    return 0;
+            }
+            return 1;
+        }
+        return 0;
     }
 
     if (jl_is_type_type(a) && !invariant) {
diff --git a/test/specificity.jl b/test/specificity.jl
index f65776a3c44669..bcfd1e5284ee1a 100644
--- a/test/specificity.jl
+++ b/test/specificity.jl
@@ -214,3 +214,14 @@ f27361(::M) where M <: Tuple{3} = nothing
 
 @test  args_morespecific(Tuple{Type{Any}, Type}, Tuple{Type{T}, Type{T}} where T)
 @test !args_morespecific(Tuple{Type{Any}, Type}, Tuple{Type{T}, Type{T}} where T<:Union{})
+
+# issue #22592
+abstract type Colorant22592{T,N} end
+abstract type Color22592{T, N} <: Colorant22592{T,N} end
+abstract type AbstractRGB22592{T} <: Color22592{T,3} end
+AbstractGray22592{T} = Color22592{T,1}
+MathTypes22592{T,C} = Union{AbstractRGB22592{T},AbstractGray22592{T}}
+@test !args_morespecific(Tuple{MathTypes22592}, Tuple{AbstractGray22592})
+@test !args_morespecific(Tuple{MathTypes22592, MathTypes22592}, Tuple{AbstractGray22592})
+
+@test args_morespecific(Union{Set,Dict,Vector}, Union{Vector,AbstractSet})