diff --git a/autoload/vimwiki/lst.vim b/autoload/vimwiki/lst.vim
index 4e38517..8a01c41 100644
--- a/autoload/vimwiki/lst.vim
+++ b/autoload/vimwiki/lst.vim
@@ -992,6 +992,14 @@ function! s:adjust_mrkr(item) "{{{
     let new_mrkr = neighbor_item.mrkr
   endif
 
+  "if possible, set e.g. *** if parent has ** as marker
+  if neighbor_item.type == 0 && a:item.type == 1 && has_key(g:vimwiki_bullet_points, s:first_char(a:item.mrkr)) && g:vimwiki_bullet_points[s:first_char(a:item.mrkr)] == 1
+    let parent_item = s:get_parent(a:item)
+    if parent_item.type == 1 && s:first_char(parent_item.mrkr) == s:first_char(a:item.mrkr)
+      let new_mrkr = repeat(s:first_char(parent_item.mrkr), s:string_length(parent_item.mrkr)+1)
+    endif
+  endif 
+
   call s:substitute_string_in_line(a:item.lnum, a:item.mrkr, new_mrkr)
   call s:adjust_numbered_list(a:item, 0, 1)
 endfunction "}}}
diff --git a/ftplugin/vimwiki.vim b/ftplugin/vimwiki.vim
index 37ab7c3..71d8822 100644
--- a/ftplugin/vimwiki.vim
+++ b/ftplugin/vimwiki.vim
@@ -44,47 +44,11 @@ setlocal formatoptions-=2
 setlocal formatoptions+=n
 
 
-if VimwikiGet('syntax') == 'default'
-  "1 means multiple bullets, like * ** ***
-  let g:vimwiki_bullet_points = { '-':0, '*':1, '#':1 , '◆':1}
-  let g:vimwiki_bullet_numbers = ['1iIaA', '.)]']
-  "this should contain at least one element
-  "it is used for i_<C-A> among other things
-  let g:vimwiki_list_markers = ['-', '#', '◆', '1.', 'i)', 'a)']
-elseif VimwikiGet('syntax') == 'markdown'
-  let g:vimwiki_bullet_points = { '-':0, '*':0, '+':0 }
-  let g:vimwiki_bullet_numbers = ['1', '.']
-  let g:vimwiki_list_markers = ['-', '*', '+', '1.']
-else "media
-  "better leave this as it is, because media syntax is special
-  let g:vimwiki_bullet_points = { '*':1, '#':1 }
-  let g:vimwiki_bullet_numbers = ['', '']
-  let g:vimwiki_list_markers = ['*', '#']
-endif
-
-let g:vimwiki_rxListBullet = join( map(keys(g:vimwiki_bullet_points), 'vimwiki#u#escape(v:val) . repeat("\\+", g:vimwiki_bullet_points[v:val])') , '\|')
-
-"create regex for numbered list
-if g:vimwiki_bullet_numbers[0] == ''
-  "regex that matches nothing
-  let g:vimwiki_rxListNumber = '$^'
-else
-  let s:char_to_rx = {'1': '\d\+', 'i': '[ivxlcdm]\+', 'I': '[IVXLCDM]\+', 'a': '\l\{1,3}', 'A': '\u\{1,3}'}
-  let g:vimwiki_rxListNumber = '\C\%(' . join( map(split(g:vimwiki_bullet_numbers[0], '.\zs'), "s:char_to_rx[v:val]"), '\|').'\)'
-  let g:vimwiki_rxListNumber .= '['.vimwiki#u#escape(g:vimwiki_bullet_numbers[1]).']'
-endif
-
-if VimwikiGet('syntax') == 'default' || VimwikiGet('syntax') == 'markdown'
-  let g:vimwiki_rxListItemAndChildren = '^\(\s*\)\%('.g:vimwiki_rxListBullet.'\|'.g:vimwiki_rxListNumber.'\)\s\+\['.g:vimwiki_listsyms[4].'\]\s.*\%(\n\%(\1\s.*\|^$\)\)*'
-else
-  let g:vimwiki_rxListItemAndChildren = '^\('.g:vimwiki_rxListBullet.'\)\s\+\['.g:vimwiki_listsyms[4].'\]\s.*\%(\n\%(\1\%('.g:vimwiki_rxListBullet.'\).*\|^$\|^\s.*\)\)*'
-endif
 
 "Create 'formatlistpat'
 let &formatlistpat = vimwiki#lst#get_list_item_rx(1)
 
 
-
 if !empty(&langmap)
   " Valid only if langmap is a comma separated pairs of chars
   let l_o = matchstr(&langmap, '\C,\zs.\zeo,')
diff --git a/syntax/vimwiki.vim b/syntax/vimwiki.vim
index a982298..d7a5f4b 100644
--- a/syntax/vimwiki.vim
+++ b/syntax/vimwiki.vim
@@ -49,7 +49,6 @@ execute 'runtime! syntax/vimwiki_'.VimwikiGet('syntax').'.vim'
 " -------------------------------------------------------------------------
 let time0 = vimwiki#u#time(starttime)  "XXX
 
-
 " LINKS: setup of larger regexes {{{
 
 " LINKS: setup wikilink regexps {{{
@@ -275,7 +274,6 @@ call s:add_target_syntax_ON(target, 'VimwikiLink')
 
 " }}}
 
-
 " generic headers "{{{
 if g:vimwiki_symH
   "" symmetric
@@ -379,6 +377,28 @@ let g:vimwiki_rxTodo = '\C\%(TODO:\|DONE:\|STARTED:\|FIXME:\|FIXED:\|XXX:\)'
 execute 'syntax match VimwikiTodo /'. g:vimwiki_rxTodo .'/'
 " }}}
 
+" Lists "{{{
+let g:vimwiki_rxListBullet = join( map(keys(g:vimwiki_bullet_points), 'vimwiki#u#escape(v:val) . repeat("\\+", g:vimwiki_bullet_points[v:val])') , '\|')
+
+"create regex for numbered list
+if g:vimwiki_bullet_numbers[0] == ''
+  "regex that matches nothing
+  let g:vimwiki_rxListNumber = '$^'
+else
+  let s:char_to_rx = {'1': '\d\+', 'i': '[ivxlcdm]\+', 'I': '[IVXLCDM]\+', 'a': '\l\{1,3}', 'A': '\u\{1,3}'}
+  let g:vimwiki_rxListNumber = '\C\%(' . join( map(split(g:vimwiki_bullet_numbers[0], '.\zs'), "s:char_to_rx[v:val]"), '\|').'\)'
+  let g:vimwiki_rxListNumber .= '['.vimwiki#u#escape(g:vimwiki_bullet_numbers[1]).']'
+endif
+
+" XXX: Should this be in corresponding syntax file?
+if VimwikiGet('syntax') == 'default' || VimwikiGet('syntax') == 'markdown'
+  let g:vimwiki_rxListItemAndChildren = '^\(\s*\)\%('.g:vimwiki_rxListBullet.'\|'.g:vimwiki_rxListNumber.'\)\s\+\['.g:vimwiki_listsyms[4].'\]\s.*\%(\n\%(\1\s.*\|^$\)\)*'
+else
+  let g:vimwiki_rxListItemAndChildren = '^\('.g:vimwiki_rxListBullet.'\)\s\+\['.g:vimwiki_listsyms[4].'\]\s.*\%(\n\%(\1\%('.g:vimwiki_rxListBullet.'\).*\|^$\|^\s.*\)\)*'
+endif
+
+"}}}
+
 " main syntax groups {{{
 
 " Tables
@@ -494,8 +514,6 @@ else
 endif
 "}}}
 
-
-
 " syntax group highlighting "{{{ 
 
 hi def link VimwikiMarkers Normal
diff --git a/syntax/vimwiki_default.vim b/syntax/vimwiki_default.vim
index e9fc188..037e519 100644
--- a/syntax/vimwiki_default.vim
+++ b/syntax/vimwiki_default.vim
@@ -72,6 +72,13 @@ let g:vimwiki_rxHR = '^-----*$'
 " Tables. Each line starts and ends with '|'; each cell is separated by '|'
 let g:vimwiki_rxTableSep = '|'
 
+" Lists
+"1 means multiple bullets, like * ** ***
+let g:vimwiki_bullet_points = { '-':0, '*':0, '#':0 , '◆':0}
+let g:vimwiki_bullet_numbers = ['1iIaA', '.)]']
+"this should contain at least one element
+"it is used for i_<C-A> among other things
+let g:vimwiki_list_markers = ['-', '#', '◆', '1.', 'i)', 'a)']
 let g:vimwiki_rxListDefine = '::\(\s\|$\)'
 
 " Preformatted text
diff --git a/syntax/vimwiki_markdown.vim b/syntax/vimwiki_markdown.vim
index 33fd989..fd4722c 100644
--- a/syntax/vimwiki_markdown.vim
+++ b/syntax/vimwiki_markdown.vim
@@ -72,6 +72,10 @@ let g:vimwiki_rxHR = '^-----*$'
 " Tables. Each line starts and ends with '|'; each cell is separated by '|'
 let g:vimwiki_rxTableSep = '|'
 
+" Lists
+let g:vimwiki_bullet_points = { '-':0, '*':0, '+':0 }
+let g:vimwiki_bullet_numbers = ['1', '.']
+let g:vimwiki_list_markers = ['-', '*', '+', '1.']
 let g:vimwiki_rxListDefine = '::\%(\s\|$\)'
 
 " Preformatted text
diff --git a/syntax/vimwiki_media.vim b/syntax/vimwiki_media.vim
index 9d84a1f..a392f47 100644
--- a/syntax/vimwiki_media.vim
+++ b/syntax/vimwiki_media.vim
@@ -53,6 +53,10 @@ let g:vimwiki_rxHR = '^-----*$'
 " Tables. Each line starts and ends with '|'; each cell is separated by '|'
 let g:vimwiki_rxTableSep = '|'
 
+" Lists
+let g:vimwiki_bullet_points = { '*':1, '#':1 }
+let g:vimwiki_bullet_numbers = ['', '']
+let g:vimwiki_list_markers = ['*', '#']
 let g:vimwiki_rxListDefine = '^\%(;\|:\)\s'
 
 " Preformatted text