diff --git a/lib/vident/root_component.rb b/lib/vident/root_component.rb
index 4122e77..d4aa9a2 100644
--- a/lib/vident/root_component.rb
+++ b/lib/vident/root_component.rb
@@ -70,7 +70,8 @@ def target_data_attribute(name)
     end
 
     def build_outlet_selector(outlet_selector)
-      "##{@id} [data-controller~=#{outlet_selector}]"
+      prefix = @id ? "##{@id} " : ""
+      "#{prefix}[data-controller~=#{outlet_selector}]"
     end
 
     def outlet(css_selector: nil)
@@ -108,6 +109,13 @@ def with_actions(*actions_to_set)
     end
     alias_method :with_action, :with_actions
 
+    # Return the HTML `data-` attribute for the given outlets
+    def with_outlets(*outlets)
+      attrs = build_outlet_data_attributes(outlets)
+      attrs.map { |dt, n| "data-#{dt}=\"#{n}\"" }.join(" ").html_safe
+    end
+    alias_method :with_outlet, :with_outlets
+
     private
 
     # An implicit Stimulus controller name is built from the implicit controller path
@@ -154,19 +162,29 @@ def tag_data_attributes
 
     def outlet_list
       return {} unless @outlets&.size&.positive?
+      build_outlet_data_attributes(@outlets)
+    end
+
+    def parse_outlet(outlet_config)
+      if outlet_config.is_a?(String)
+        [outlet_config, build_outlet_selector(outlet_config)]
+      elsif outlet_config.is_a?(Symbol)
+        outlet_config = outlet_config.to_s.tr("_", "-")
+        [outlet_config, build_outlet_selector(outlet_config)]
+      elsif outlet_config.is_a?(Array)
+        outlet_config[..1]
+      elsif outlet_config.respond_to?(:stimulus_identifier) # Is a Component
+        [outlet_config.stimulus_identifier, build_outlet_selector(outlet_config.stimulus_identifier)]
+      elsif outlet_config.send(:implied_controller_name) # Is a RootComponent ?
+        [outlet_config.send(:implied_controller_name), build_outlet_selector(outlet_config.send(:implied_controller_name))]
+      else
+        raise ArgumentError, "Invalid outlet config: #{outlet_config}"
+      end
+    end
 
-      @outlets.each_with_object({}) do |outlet_config, obj|
-        identifier, css_selector = if outlet_config.is_a?(String)
-          [outlet_config, build_outlet_selector(outlet_config)]
-        elsif outlet_config.is_a?(Array)
-          outlet_config[..1]
-        elsif outlet_config.respond_to?(:stimulus_identifier) # Is a Component
-          [outlet_config.stimulus_identifier, build_outlet_selector(outlet_config.stimulus_identifier)]
-        elsif outlet_config.send(:implied_controller_name) # Is a RootComponent ?
-          [outlet_config.send(:implied_controller_name), build_outlet_selector(outlet_config.send(:implied_controller_name))]
-        else
-          raise ArgumentError, "Invalid outlet config: #{outlet_config}"
-        end
+    def build_outlet_data_attributes(outlets)
+      outlets.each_with_object({}) do |outlet_config, obj|
+        identifier, css_selector = parse_outlet(outlet_config)
         obj[:"#{implied_controller_name}-#{identifier}-outlet"] = css_selector
       end
     end
diff --git a/test/vident/root_component_test.rb b/test/vident/root_component_test.rb
index 21ac48e..c087795 100644
--- a/test/vident/root_component_test.rb
+++ b/test/vident/root_component_test.rb
@@ -3,14 +3,14 @@
 module Vident
   class RootComponentTest < Minitest::Test
     def setup
-      component = Class.new do
+      @component = Class.new do
         include Vident::RootComponent
 
         def get_all_data_attrs
           tag_data_attributes
         end
       end
-      @root_component = component.new(controllers: ["foo/my_controller"])
+      @root_component = @component.new(controllers: ["foo/my_controller"])
     end
 
     def test_action
@@ -26,8 +26,8 @@ def test_target
     end
 
     def test_named_classes
-      @root_component.instance_variable_set(:@named_classes, {my_class: "my-class"})
-      assert_equal "my-class", @root_component.named_classes(:my_class)
+      root = @component.new(controllers: ["foo/my_controller"], named_classes: {my_class: "my-class"})
+      assert_equal "my-class", root.named_classes(:my_class)
     end
 
     def test_action_data_attribute
@@ -51,27 +51,39 @@ def test_with_actions
       assert_equal "data-action='foo--my-controller#myAction'", @root_component.with_actions(:my_action)
     end
 
+    def test_outlet_selector_when_no_id
+      root_component = @component.new(controllers: ["foo/my_controller"], id: "the-id")
+      assert_equal "data-foo--my-controller-my-outlet-outlet=\"#the-id [data-controller~=my-outlet]\"", root_component.with_outlets(:my_outlet)
+    end
+
+    def test_with_outlets_no_id
+      assert_equal "data-foo--my-controller-my-outlet-outlet=\"[data-controller~=my-outlet]\"", @root_component.with_outlets(:my_outlet)
+    end
+
     def test_get_all_data_attrs
-      # Setup
-      @root_component.instance_variable_set(:@named_classes, {my_class: "my-class"})
-      @root_component.instance_variable_set(:@outlets, ["my-outlet", ["other-component", "#my_id"]])
-      @root_component.instance_variable_set(:@data_maps, [{my_key: "my-value"}])
-      @root_component.instance_variable_set(:@actions, [:my_action])
-      @root_component.instance_variable_set(:@targets, [:my_target])
+      root_component = @component.new(
+        id: "the-id",
+        controllers: ["foo/my_controller"],
+        named_classes: {my_class: "my-class"},
+        outlets: ["my-outlet", ["other-component", ".custom-selector"]],
+        data_maps: [{my_key: "my-value"}],
+        actions: [:my_action],
+        targets: [:my_target]
+      )
 
       # Expected result
       expected_result = {
         controller: "foo--my-controller",
         action: "foo--my-controller#myAction",
         "foo--my-controller-target": "myTarget",
-        "foo--my-controller-my-outlet-outlet": "[data-controller~=my-outlet]",
-        "foo--my-controller-other-component-outlet": "#my_id",
+        "foo--my-controller-my-outlet-outlet": "#the-id [data-controller~=my-outlet]",
+        "foo--my-controller-other-component-outlet": ".custom-selector",
         "foo--my-controller-my-class-class": "my-class",
         "foo--my-controller-my_key": "my-value"
       }
 
       # Test
-      assert_equal expected_result, @root_component.get_all_data_attrs
+      assert_equal expected_result, root_component.get_all_data_attrs
     end
   end
 end