diff --git a/autoload/vimwiki/lst.vim b/autoload/vimwiki/lst.vim
index 550b76e..1749521 100644
--- a/autoload/vimwiki/lst.vim
+++ b/autoload/vimwiki/lst.vim
@@ -694,7 +694,7 @@ function! s:get_rate(item) "{{{
     return -1
   endif
   let state = a:item.cb
-  return index(g:vimwiki_listsyms, state) * 25
+  return index(g:vimwiki_listsyms_list, state) * 25
 endfunction "}}}
 
 "Set state of the list item to [ ] or [o] or whatever
@@ -731,15 +731,15 @@ endfunction "}}}
 function! s:rate_to_state(rate) "{{{
   let state = ''
   if a:rate == 100
-    let state = g:vimwiki_listsyms[4]
+    let state = g:vimwiki_listsyms_list[4]
   elseif a:rate == 0
-    let state = g:vimwiki_listsyms[0]
+    let state = g:vimwiki_listsyms_list[0]
   elseif a:rate >= 67
-    let state = g:vimwiki_listsyms[3]
+    let state = g:vimwiki_listsyms_list[3]
   elseif a:rate >= 34
-    let state = g:vimwiki_listsyms[2]
+    let state = g:vimwiki_listsyms_list[2]
   else
-    let state = g:vimwiki_listsyms[1]
+    let state = g:vimwiki_listsyms_list[1]
   endif
   return state
 endfunction "}}}
@@ -793,7 +793,7 @@ function! s:create_cb(item) "{{{
   endif
 
   let new_item = a:item
-  let new_item.cb = g:vimwiki_listsyms[0]
+  let new_item.cb = g:vimwiki_listsyms_list[0]
   call s:substitute_rx_in_line(new_item.lnum,
         \ vimwiki#u#escape(new_item.mrkr) . '\zs\ze', ' [' . new_item.cb . ']')
 
@@ -1493,6 +1493,8 @@ function! vimwiki#lst#setup_marker_infos() "{{{
     let g:vimwiki_rxListNumber = '$^'
   endif
 
+  "the user can set the listsyms as string, but vimwiki needs a list
+  let g:vimwiki_listsyms_list = split(g:vimwiki_listsyms, '\zs')
 endfunction "}}}
 
 function! vimwiki#lst#TO_list_item(inner, visual) "{{{
diff --git a/doc/vimwiki.txt b/doc/vimwiki.txt
index 8a00ba1..47386f8 100644
--- a/doc/vimwiki.txt
+++ b/doc/vimwiki.txt
@@ -1879,15 +1879,15 @@ Default: 'Vimwiki'
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 *g:vimwiki_listsyms*
 
-List of 5 symbols for list items with checkboxes.
-Default value is [' ', '.', 'o', 'O', 'X'].
+String of 5 symbols for list items with checkboxes.
+Default value is ' .oOX'.
 
-g:vimwiki_listsyms[0] is for 0% done items.
-g:vimwiki_listsyms[4] is for 100% done items.
+The first char is for 0% done items.
+The fifth is for 100% done items.
 
 You can set it to some more fancy symbols like this:
-
-   let g:vimwiki_listsyms = ['✗', '○', '◐', '●', '✓']
+>
+   let g:vimwiki_listsyms = '✗○◐●✓'
 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 *g:vimwiki_use_mouse*
diff --git a/plugin/vimwiki.vim b/plugin/vimwiki.vim
index aa51e02..40b7045 100644
--- a/plugin/vimwiki.vim
+++ b/plugin/vimwiki.vim
@@ -392,7 +392,7 @@ call s:default('ext2syntax', {}) " syntax map keyed on extension
 call s:default('hl_headers', 0)
 call s:default('hl_cb_checked', 0)
 call s:default('list_ignore_newline', 1)
-call s:default('listsyms', [' ', '.', 'o', 'O', 'X'])
+call s:default('listsyms', ' .oOX')
 call s:default('use_calendar', 1)
 call s:default('table_mappings', 1)
 call s:default('table_auto_fmt', 1)
diff --git a/syntax/vimwiki.vim b/syntax/vimwiki.vim
index 8094d46..e5a3f18 100644
--- a/syntax/vimwiki.vim
+++ b/syntax/vimwiki.vim
@@ -404,7 +404,7 @@ execute 'syntax match VimwikiList /'.g:vimwiki_rxListDefine.'/'
 execute 'syntax match VimwikiListTodo /'.g:vimwiki_rxListItem.'/'
 
 if g:vimwiki_hl_cb_checked == 1
-  execute 'syntax match VimwikiCheckBoxDone /'.g:vimwiki_rxListItemWithoutCB.'\s*\['.g:vimwiki_listsyms[4].'\]\s.*$/ '.
+  execute 'syntax match VimwikiCheckBoxDone /'.g:vimwiki_rxListItemWithoutCB.'\s*\['.g:vimwiki_listsyms_list[4].'\]\s.*$/ '.
         \ 'contains=VimwikiNoExistsLink,VimwikiLink,@Spell'
 elseif g:vimwiki_hl_cb_checked == 2
   execute 'syntax match VimwikiCheckBoxDone /'.g:vimwiki_rxListItemAndChildren.'/ contains=VimwikiNoExistsLink,VimwikiLink,@Spell'
diff --git a/syntax/vimwiki_default.vim b/syntax/vimwiki_default.vim
index 00af626..3c3f7d7 100644
--- a/syntax/vimwiki_default.vim
+++ b/syntax/vimwiki_default.vim
@@ -83,8 +83,8 @@ let g:vimwiki_rxListDefine = '::\(\s\|$\)'
 call vimwiki#lst#setup_marker_infos()
 
 let g:vimwiki_rxListItemWithoutCB = '^\s*\%(\('.g:vimwiki_rxListBullet.'\)\|\('.g:vimwiki_rxListNumber.'\)\)\s'
-let g:vimwiki_rxListItem = g:vimwiki_rxListItemWithoutCB . '\+\%(\[\(['.join(g:vimwiki_listsyms, '').']\)\]\s\)\?'
-let g:vimwiki_rxListItemAndChildren = '^\(\s*\)\%('.g:vimwiki_rxListBullet.'\|'.g:vimwiki_rxListNumber.'\)\s\+\['.g:vimwiki_listsyms[4].'\]\s.*\%(\n\%(\1\s.*\|^$\)\)*'
+let g:vimwiki_rxListItem = g:vimwiki_rxListItemWithoutCB . '\+\%(\[\(['.g:vimwiki_listsyms.']\)\]\s\)\?'
+let g:vimwiki_rxListItemAndChildren = '^\(\s*\)\%('.g:vimwiki_rxListBullet.'\|'.g:vimwiki_rxListNumber.'\)\s\+\['.g:vimwiki_listsyms_list[4].'\]\s.*\%(\n\%(\1\s.*\|^$\)\)*'
 
 " Preformatted text
 let g:vimwiki_rxPreStart = '{{{'
diff --git a/syntax/vimwiki_markdown.vim b/syntax/vimwiki_markdown.vim
index 652b05c..992b6c9 100644
--- a/syntax/vimwiki_markdown.vim
+++ b/syntax/vimwiki_markdown.vim
@@ -80,8 +80,8 @@ let g:vimwiki_rxListDefine = '::\%(\s\|$\)'
 call vimwiki#lst#setup_marker_infos()
 
 let g:vimwiki_rxListItemWithoutCB = '^\s*\%(\('.g:vimwiki_rxListBullet.'\)\|\('.g:vimwiki_rxListNumber.'\)\)\s'
-let g:vimwiki_rxListItem = g:vimwiki_rxListItemWithoutCB . '\+\%(\[\(['.join(g:vimwiki_listsyms, '').']\)\]\s\)\?'
-let g:vimwiki_rxListItemAndChildren = '^\(\s*\)\%('.g:vimwiki_rxListBullet.'\|'.g:vimwiki_rxListNumber.'\)\s\+\['.g:vimwiki_listsyms[4].'\]\s.*\%(\n\%(\1\s.*\|^$\)\)*'
+let g:vimwiki_rxListItem = g:vimwiki_rxListItemWithoutCB . '\+\%(\[\(['.g:vimwiki_listsyms.']\)\]\s\)\?'
+let g:vimwiki_rxListItemAndChildren = '^\(\s*\)\%('.g:vimwiki_rxListBullet.'\|'.g:vimwiki_rxListNumber.'\)\s\+\['.g:vimwiki_listsyms_list[4].'\]\s.*\%(\n\%(\1\s.*\|^$\)\)*'
 
 " Preformatted text
 let g:vimwiki_rxPreStart = '```'
diff --git a/syntax/vimwiki_media.vim b/syntax/vimwiki_media.vim
index d11626e..96a2791 100644
--- a/syntax/vimwiki_media.vim
+++ b/syntax/vimwiki_media.vim
@@ -61,8 +61,8 @@ let g:vimwiki_rxListDefine = '^\%(;\|:\)\s'
 call vimwiki#lst#setup_marker_infos()
 
 let g:vimwiki_rxListItemWithoutCB = '^\s*\%(\('.g:vimwiki_rxListBullet.'\)\|\('.g:vimwiki_rxListNumber.'\)\)\s'
-let g:vimwiki_rxListItem = g:vimwiki_rxListItemWithoutCB . '\+\%(\[\(['.join(g:vimwiki_listsyms, '').']\)\]\s\)\?'
-let g:vimwiki_rxListItemAndChildren = '^\(\s*\)\%('.g:vimwiki_rxListBullet.'\|'.g:vimwiki_rxListNumber.'\)\s\+\['.g:vimwiki_listsyms[4].'\]\s.*\%(\n\%(\1\s.*\|^$\)\)*'
+let g:vimwiki_rxListItem = g:vimwiki_rxListItemWithoutCB . '\+\%(\[\(['.g:vimwiki_listsyms.']\)\]\s\)\?'
+let g:vimwiki_rxListItemAndChildren = '^\('.g:vimwiki_rxListBullet.'\)\s\+\['.g:vimwiki_listsyms_list[4].'\]\s.*\%(\n\%(\1\%('.g:vimwiki_rxListBullet.'\).*\|^$\|\s.*\)\)*'
 
 " Preformatted text
 let g:vimwiki_rxPreStart = '<pre>'