diff --git a/commonmark/src/main/java/org/commonmark/internal/ListBlockParser.java b/commonmark/src/main/java/org/commonmark/internal/ListBlockParser.java
index 0ff644a47..d77744da7 100644
--- a/commonmark/src/main/java/org/commonmark/internal/ListBlockParser.java
+++ b/commonmark/src/main/java/org/commonmark/internal/ListBlockParser.java
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@
 import org.commonmark.node.*;
 import org.commonmark.parser.block.*;
 
+import java.util.Objects;
+
 public class ListBlockParser extends AbstractBlockParser {
 
     private final ListBlock block;
@@ -90,7 +92,7 @@ private static ListData parseList(CharSequence line, final int markerIndex, fina
 
         if (inParagraph) {
             // If the list item is ordered, the start number must be 1 to interrupt a paragraph.
-            if (listBlock instanceof OrderedList && ((OrderedList) listBlock).getStartNumber() != 1) {
+            if (listBlock instanceof OrderedList && ((OrderedList) listBlock).getMarkerStartNumber() != 1) {
                 return null;
             }
             // Empty list item can not interrupt a paragraph.
@@ -116,7 +118,7 @@ private static ListMarkerData parseListMarker(CharSequence line, int index) {
             case '*':
                 if (isSpaceTabOrEnd(line, index + 1)) {
                     BulletList bulletList = new BulletList();
-                    bulletList.setBulletMarker(c);
+                    bulletList.setMarker(String.valueOf(c));
                     return new ListMarkerData(bulletList, index + 1);
                 } else {
                     return null;
@@ -154,8 +156,8 @@ private static ListMarkerData parseOrderedList(CharSequence line, int index) {
                     if (digits >= 1 && isSpaceTabOrEnd(line, i + 1)) {
                         String number = line.subSequence(index, i).toString();
                         OrderedList orderedList = new OrderedList();
-                        orderedList.setStartNumber(Integer.parseInt(number));
-                        orderedList.setDelimiter(c);
+                        orderedList.setMarkerStartNumber(Integer.parseInt(number));
+                        orderedList.setMarkerDelimiter(String.valueOf(c));
                         return new ListMarkerData(orderedList, i + 1);
                     } else {
                         return null;
@@ -188,17 +190,13 @@ private static boolean isSpaceTabOrEnd(CharSequence line, int index) {
      */
     private static boolean listsMatch(ListBlock a, ListBlock b) {
         if (a instanceof BulletList && b instanceof BulletList) {
-            return equals(((BulletList) a).getBulletMarker(), ((BulletList) b).getBulletMarker());
+            return Objects.equals(((BulletList) a).getMarker(), ((BulletList) b).getMarker());
         } else if (a instanceof OrderedList && b instanceof OrderedList) {
-            return equals(((OrderedList) a).getDelimiter(), ((OrderedList) b).getDelimiter());
+            return Objects.equals(((OrderedList) a).getMarkerDelimiter(), ((OrderedList) b).getMarkerDelimiter());
         }
         return false;
     }
 
-    private static boolean equals(Object a, Object b) {
-        return (a == null) ? (b == null) : a.equals(b);
-    }
-
     public static class Factory extends AbstractBlockParserFactory {
 
         @Override
diff --git a/commonmark/src/main/java/org/commonmark/internal/renderer/text/BulletListHolder.java b/commonmark/src/main/java/org/commonmark/internal/renderer/text/BulletListHolder.java
index f08ccebd6..a9271dcdb 100644
--- a/commonmark/src/main/java/org/commonmark/internal/renderer/text/BulletListHolder.java
+++ b/commonmark/src/main/java/org/commonmark/internal/renderer/text/BulletListHolder.java
@@ -3,14 +3,14 @@
 import org.commonmark.node.BulletList;
 
 public class BulletListHolder extends ListHolder {
-    private final char marker;
+    private final String marker;
 
     public BulletListHolder(ListHolder parent, BulletList list) {
         super(parent);
-        marker = list.getBulletMarker();
+        marker = list.getMarker();
     }
 
-    public char getMarker() {
+    public String getMarker() {
         return marker;
     }
 }
diff --git a/commonmark/src/main/java/org/commonmark/internal/renderer/text/OrderedListHolder.java b/commonmark/src/main/java/org/commonmark/internal/renderer/text/OrderedListHolder.java
index e02ecea7c..e5e470951 100644
--- a/commonmark/src/main/java/org/commonmark/internal/renderer/text/OrderedListHolder.java
+++ b/commonmark/src/main/java/org/commonmark/internal/renderer/text/OrderedListHolder.java
@@ -3,16 +3,16 @@
 import org.commonmark.node.OrderedList;
 
 public class OrderedListHolder extends ListHolder {
-    private final char delimiter;
+    private final String delimiter;
     private int counter;
 
     public OrderedListHolder(ListHolder parent, OrderedList list) {
         super(parent);
-        delimiter = list.getDelimiter();
-        counter = list.getStartNumber();
+        delimiter = list.getMarkerDelimiter() != null ? list.getMarkerDelimiter() : ".";
+        counter = list.getMarkerStartNumber() != null ? list.getMarkerStartNumber() : 1;
     }
 
-    public char getDelimiter() {
+    public String getDelimiter() {
         return delimiter;
     }
 
diff --git a/commonmark/src/main/java/org/commonmark/node/BulletList.java b/commonmark/src/main/java/org/commonmark/node/BulletList.java
index 127862312..4d5c2a894 100644
--- a/commonmark/src/main/java/org/commonmark/node/BulletList.java
+++ b/commonmark/src/main/java/org/commonmark/node/BulletList.java
@@ -2,19 +2,37 @@
 
 public class BulletList extends ListBlock {
 
-    private char bulletMarker;
+    private String marker;
 
     @Override
     public void accept(Visitor visitor) {
         visitor.visit(this);
     }
 
+    /**
+     * @return the bullet list marker that was used, e.g. {@code -}, {@code *} or {@code +}, if available, or null otherwise
+     */
+    public String getMarker() {
+        return marker;
+    }
+
+    public void setMarker(String marker) {
+        this.marker = marker;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * @deprecated use {@link #getMarker()} instead
+     */
+    @Deprecated
     public char getBulletMarker() {
-        return bulletMarker;
+        return marker != null && !marker.isEmpty() ? marker.charAt(0) : '\0';
     }
 
+    /**
+     * @deprecated use {@link #getMarker()} instead
+     */
+    @Deprecated
     public void setBulletMarker(char bulletMarker) {
-        this.bulletMarker = bulletMarker;
+        this.marker = bulletMarker != '\0' ? String.valueOf(bulletMarker) : null;
     }
-
 }
diff --git a/commonmark/src/main/java/org/commonmark/node/ListItem.java b/commonmark/src/main/java/org/commonmark/node/ListItem.java
index 21f4e2b82..4e63b6145 100644
--- a/commonmark/src/main/java/org/commonmark/node/ListItem.java
+++ b/commonmark/src/main/java/org/commonmark/node/ListItem.java
@@ -2,8 +2,8 @@
 
 public class ListItem extends Block {
 
-    private int markerIndent;
-    private int contentIndent;
+    private Integer markerIndent;
+    private Integer contentIndent;
 
     @Override
     public void accept(Visitor visitor) {
@@ -11,7 +11,8 @@ public void accept(Visitor visitor) {
     }
 
     /**
-     * Returns the indent of the marker such as "-" or "1." in columns (spaces or tab stop of 4).
+     * Returns the indent of the marker such as "-" or "1." in columns (spaces or tab stop of 4) if available, or null
+     * otherwise.
      * <p>
      * Some examples and their marker indent:
      * <pre>- Foo</pre>
@@ -21,17 +22,17 @@ public void accept(Visitor visitor) {
      * <pre>  1. Foo</pre>
      * Marker indent: 2
      */
-    public int getMarkerIndent() {
+    public Integer getMarkerIndent() {
         return markerIndent;
     }
 
-    public void setMarkerIndent(int markerIndent) {
+    public void setMarkerIndent(Integer markerIndent) {
         this.markerIndent = markerIndent;
     }
 
     /**
-     * Returns the indent of the content in columns (spaces or tab stop of 4). The content indent is counted from the
-     * beginning of the line and includes the marker on the first line.
+     * Returns the indent of the content in columns (spaces or tab stop of 4) if available, or null otherwise.
+     * The content indent is counted from the beginning of the line and includes the marker on the first line.
      * <p>
      * Some examples and their content indent:
      * <pre>- Foo</pre>
@@ -44,11 +45,11 @@ public void setMarkerIndent(int markerIndent) {
      * Note that subsequent lines in the same list item need to be indented by at least the content indent to be counted
      * as part of the list item.
      */
-    public int getContentIndent() {
+    public Integer getContentIndent() {
         return contentIndent;
     }
 
-    public void setContentIndent(int contentIndent) {
+    public void setContentIndent(Integer contentIndent) {
         this.contentIndent = contentIndent;
     }
 }
diff --git a/commonmark/src/main/java/org/commonmark/node/OrderedList.java b/commonmark/src/main/java/org/commonmark/node/OrderedList.java
index 1f988234c..0bbe09917 100644
--- a/commonmark/src/main/java/org/commonmark/node/OrderedList.java
+++ b/commonmark/src/main/java/org/commonmark/node/OrderedList.java
@@ -2,28 +2,65 @@
 
 public class OrderedList extends ListBlock {
 
-    private int startNumber;
-    private char delimiter;
+    private String markerDelimiter;
+    private Integer markerStartNumber;
 
     @Override
     public void accept(Visitor visitor) {
         visitor.visit(this);
     }
 
+    /**
+     * @return the start number used in the marker, e.g. {@code 1}, if available, or null otherwise
+     */
+    public Integer getMarkerStartNumber() {
+        return markerStartNumber;
+    }
+
+    public void setMarkerStartNumber(Integer markerStartNumber) {
+        this.markerStartNumber = markerStartNumber;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * @return the delimiter used in the marker, e.g. {@code .} or {@code )}, if available, or null otherwise
+     */
+    public String getMarkerDelimiter() {
+        return markerDelimiter;
+    }
+
+    public void setMarkerDelimiter(String markerDelimiter) {
+        this.markerDelimiter = markerDelimiter;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * @deprecated use {@link #getMarkerStartNumber()} instead
+     */
+    @Deprecated
     public int getStartNumber() {
-        return startNumber;
+        return markerStartNumber != null ? markerStartNumber : 0;
     }
 
+    /**
+     * @deprecated use {@link #setMarkerStartNumber} instead
+     */
+    @Deprecated
     public void setStartNumber(int startNumber) {
-        this.startNumber = startNumber;
+        this.markerStartNumber = startNumber != 0 ? startNumber : null;
     }
 
+    /**
+     * @deprecated use {@link #getMarkerDelimiter()} instead
+     */
+    @Deprecated
     public char getDelimiter() {
-        return delimiter;
+        return markerDelimiter != null && !markerDelimiter.isEmpty() ? markerDelimiter.charAt(0) : '\0';
     }
 
+    /**
+     * @deprecated use {@link #setMarkerDelimiter} instead
+     */
+    @Deprecated
     public void setDelimiter(char delimiter) {
-        this.delimiter = delimiter;
+        this.markerDelimiter = delimiter != '\0' ? String.valueOf(delimiter) : null;
     }
-
 }
diff --git a/commonmark/src/main/java/org/commonmark/renderer/html/CoreHtmlNodeRenderer.java b/commonmark/src/main/java/org/commonmark/renderer/html/CoreHtmlNodeRenderer.java
index 7d3552668..47343b53c 100644
--- a/commonmark/src/main/java/org/commonmark/renderer/html/CoreHtmlNodeRenderer.java
+++ b/commonmark/src/main/java/org/commonmark/renderer/html/CoreHtmlNodeRenderer.java
@@ -168,7 +168,7 @@ public void visit(ListItem listItem) {
 
     @Override
     public void visit(OrderedList orderedList) {
-        int start = orderedList.getStartNumber();
+        int start = orderedList.getMarkerStartNumber() != null ? orderedList.getMarkerStartNumber() : 1;
         Map<String, String> attrs = new LinkedHashMap<>();
         if (start != 1) {
             attrs.put("start", String.valueOf(start));
diff --git a/commonmark/src/main/java/org/commonmark/renderer/markdown/CoreMarkdownNodeRenderer.java b/commonmark/src/main/java/org/commonmark/renderer/markdown/CoreMarkdownNodeRenderer.java
index e0cc4eb25..d5770155a 100644
--- a/commonmark/src/main/java/org/commonmark/renderer/markdown/CoreMarkdownNodeRenderer.java
+++ b/commonmark/src/main/java/org/commonmark/renderer/markdown/CoreMarkdownNodeRenderer.java
@@ -227,33 +227,32 @@ public void visit(OrderedList orderedList) {
 
     @Override
     public void visit(ListItem listItem) {
-        int contentIndent = listItem.getContentIndent();
-        boolean pushedPrefix = false;
+        int markerIndent = listItem.getMarkerIndent() != null ? listItem.getMarkerIndent() : 0;
+        String marker;
         if (listHolder instanceof BulletListHolder) {
             BulletListHolder bulletListHolder = (BulletListHolder) listHolder;
-            String marker = repeat(" ", listItem.getMarkerIndent()) + bulletListHolder.bulletMarker;
-            writer.writePrefix(marker);
-            writer.writePrefix(repeat(" ", contentIndent - marker.length()));
-            writer.pushPrefix(repeat(" ", contentIndent));
-            pushedPrefix = true;
+            marker = repeat(" ", markerIndent) + bulletListHolder.marker;
         } else if (listHolder instanceof OrderedListHolder) {
             OrderedListHolder orderedListHolder = (OrderedListHolder) listHolder;
-            String marker = repeat(" ", listItem.getMarkerIndent()) + orderedListHolder.number + orderedListHolder.delimiter;
+            marker = repeat(" ", markerIndent) + orderedListHolder.number + orderedListHolder.delimiter;
             orderedListHolder.number++;
-            writer.writePrefix(marker);
-            writer.writePrefix(repeat(" ", contentIndent - marker.length()));
-            writer.pushPrefix(repeat(" ", contentIndent));
-            pushedPrefix = true;
+        } else {
+            throw new IllegalStateException("Unknown list holder type: " + listHolder);
         }
+        Integer contentIndent = listItem.getContentIndent();
+        String spaces = contentIndent != null ? repeat(" ", contentIndent - marker.length()) : " ";
+        writer.writePrefix(marker);
+        writer.writePrefix(spaces);
+        writer.pushPrefix(repeat(" ", marker.length() + spaces.length()));
+
         if (listItem.getFirstChild() == null) {
             // Empty list item
             writer.block();
         } else {
             visitChildren(listItem);
         }
-        if (pushedPrefix) {
-            writer.popPrefix();
-        }
+
+        writer.popPrefix();
     }
 
     @Override
@@ -489,22 +488,22 @@ protected ListHolder(ListHolder parent) {
     }
 
     private static class BulletListHolder extends ListHolder {
-        final char bulletMarker;
+        final String marker;
 
         public BulletListHolder(ListHolder parent, BulletList bulletList) {
             super(parent);
-            this.bulletMarker = bulletList.getBulletMarker();
+            this.marker = bulletList.getMarker() != null ? bulletList.getMarker() : "-";
         }
     }
 
     private static class OrderedListHolder extends ListHolder {
-        final char delimiter;
+        final String delimiter;
         private int number;
 
         protected OrderedListHolder(ListHolder parent, OrderedList orderedList) {
             super(parent);
-            delimiter = orderedList.getDelimiter();
-            number = orderedList.getStartNumber();
+            delimiter = orderedList.getMarkerDelimiter() != null ? orderedList.getMarkerDelimiter() : ".";
+            number = orderedList.getMarkerStartNumber() != null ? orderedList.getMarkerStartNumber() : 1;
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/commonmark/src/test/java/org/commonmark/renderer/markdown/MarkdownRendererTest.java b/commonmark/src/test/java/org/commonmark/renderer/markdown/MarkdownRendererTest.java
index 9bab92bcc..522b16cd4 100644
--- a/commonmark/src/test/java/org/commonmark/renderer/markdown/MarkdownRendererTest.java
+++ b/commonmark/src/test/java/org/commonmark/renderer/markdown/MarkdownRendererTest.java
@@ -2,8 +2,10 @@
 
 import org.commonmark.node.*;
 import org.commonmark.parser.Parser;
+import org.commonmark.testutil.Asserts;
 import org.junit.Test;
 
+import static org.commonmark.testutil.Asserts.assertRendering;
 import static org.junit.Assert.assertEquals;
 
 public class MarkdownRendererTest {
@@ -103,6 +105,21 @@ public void testBulletListItems() {
         assertRoundTrip("- \n\nFoo\n");
     }
 
+    @Test
+    public void testBulletListItemsFromAst() {
+        var doc = new Document();
+        var list = new BulletList();
+        var item = new ListItem();
+        item.appendChild(new Text("Test"));
+        list.appendChild(item);
+        doc.appendChild(list);
+
+        assertRendering("", "- Test\n", render(doc));
+
+        list.setMarker("*");
+        assertRendering("", "* Test\n", render(doc));
+    }
+
     @Test
     public void testOrderedListItems() {
         assertRoundTrip("1. foo\n");
@@ -116,6 +133,22 @@ public void testOrderedListItems() {
         assertRoundTrip(" 1.  one\n\n    two\n");
     }
 
+    @Test
+    public void testOrderedListItemsFromAst() {
+        var doc = new Document();
+        var list = new OrderedList();
+        var item = new ListItem();
+        item.appendChild(new Text("Test"));
+        list.appendChild(item);
+        doc.appendChild(list);
+
+        assertRendering("", "1. Test\n", render(doc));
+
+        list.setMarkerStartNumber(2);
+        list.setMarkerDelimiter(")");
+        assertRendering("", "2) Test\n", render(doc));
+    }
+
     // Inlines
 
     @Test
diff --git a/commonmark/src/test/java/org/commonmark/test/ListBlockParserTest.java b/commonmark/src/test/java/org/commonmark/test/ListBlockParserTest.java
index 2ba2116d4..667d60efe 100644
--- a/commonmark/src/test/java/org/commonmark/test/ListBlockParserTest.java
+++ b/commonmark/src/test/java/org/commonmark/test/ListBlockParserTest.java
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ public void testOrderedListIndents() {
     private void assertListItemIndents(String input, int expectedMarkerIndent, int expectedContentIndent) {
         Node doc = PARSER.parse(input);
         ListItem listItem = Nodes.find(doc, ListItem.class);
-        assertEquals(expectedMarkerIndent, listItem.getMarkerIndent());
-        assertEquals(expectedContentIndent, listItem.getContentIndent());
+        assertEquals(expectedMarkerIndent, (int) listItem.getMarkerIndent());
+        assertEquals(expectedContentIndent, (int) listItem.getContentIndent());
     }
 }