diff --git a/Text/Markdown/Block.hs b/Text/Markdown/Block.hs
--- a/Text/Markdown/Block.hs
+++ b/Text/Markdown/Block.hs
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
     ) where
 
 import Prelude
+import Control.Monad (msum)
 #if MIN_VERSION_conduit(1, 0, 0)
 import Data.Conduit
 #else
@@ -275,10 +276,8 @@
 
 listStart :: Text -> Maybe (ListType, Text)
 listStart t0
-    | Just t' <- T.stripPrefix "* " t = Just (Unordered, t')
-    | Just t' <- T.stripPrefix "+ " t = Just (Unordered, t')
-    | Just t' <- T.stripPrefix "- " t = Just (Unordered, t')
-    | Just t' <- stripNumber t, Just t'' <- stripSeparator t' = Just (Ordered, t'')
+    | Just t' <- stripUnorderedListSeparator t = Just (Unordered, t')
+    | Just t' <- stripNumber t, Just t'' <- stripOrderedListSeparator t' = Just (Ordered, t'')
     | otherwise = Nothing
   where
     t = T.stripStart t0
@@ -290,13 +289,19 @@
   where
     (y, z) = T.span isDigit x
 
-stripSeparator :: Text -> Maybe Text
-stripSeparator x =
-    case T.uncons x of
-        Nothing -> Nothing
-        Just ('.', y) -> Just y
-        Just (')', y) -> Just y
-        _ -> Nothing
+stripUnorderedListSeparator :: Text -> Maybe Text
+stripUnorderedListSeparator =
+  stripPrefixChoice ["* ", "*\t", "+ ", "+\t", "- ", "-\t"]
+
+stripOrderedListSeparator :: Text -> Maybe Text
+stripOrderedListSeparator =
+  stripPrefixChoice [". ", ".\t", ") ", ")\t"]
+
+-- | Attempt to strip each of the prefixes in @xs@ from the start of @x@. As
+-- soon as one matches, return the remainder of @x@. Prefixes are tried in
+-- order. If none match, return @Nothing@.
+stripPrefixChoice :: [Text] -> Text -> Maybe Text
+stripPrefixChoice xs x = msum $ map (flip T.stripPrefix x) xs
 
 getIndented :: Monad m => Int -> Conduit Text m Text
 getIndented leader =
diff --git a/markdown.cabal b/markdown.cabal
--- a/markdown.cabal
+++ b/markdown.cabal
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 Name:                markdown
-Version:             0.1.7.1
+Version:             0.1.8
 Synopsis:            Convert Markdown to HTML, with XSS protection
 Description:         This library leverages existing high-performance libraries (attoparsec, blaze-html, text, and conduit), and should integrate well with existing codebases.
 Homepage:            https://github.com/snoyberg/markdown
diff --git a/test/Block.hs b/test/Block.hs
--- a/test/Block.hs
+++ b/test/Block.hs
@@ -29,11 +29,18 @@
             "~~~\nfoo\n\nbar\n"
             [BlockPara " ~~~\nfoo", BlockPara "bar"]
     describe "list" $ do
-        it "simple" $ check
-            "* foo\n\n*    bar\n\n"
+        it "simple unordered" $ check
+            "* foo\n\n*    bar\n\n*\t\tqux"
             [ BlockList Unordered (Right [BlockPara "foo"])
             , BlockList Unordered (Right [BlockPara "bar"])
+            , BlockList Unordered (Right [BlockPara "qux"])
             ]
+        it "simple ordered" $ check
+            "1. foo\n\n3.    bar\n\n17.\t\tqux"
+            [ BlockList Ordered (Right [BlockPara "foo"])
+            , BlockList Ordered (Right [BlockPara "bar"])
+            , BlockList Ordered (Right [BlockPara "qux"])
+            ]
         it "nested" $ check
             "* foo\n* \n    1. bar\n    2. baz"
             [ BlockList Unordered (Left "foo")
@@ -51,6 +58,11 @@
             , BlockList Unordered $ Right
                 [ BlockPara "baz"
                 ]
+            ]
+        it "without whitespace" $ check
+            "*foo\n\n1.bar"
+            [ BlockPara "*foo"
+            , BlockPara "1.bar"
             ]
     describe "blockquote" $ do
         it "simple" $ check