diff --git a/src/Text/Pandoc/Writers/Ms.hs b/src/Text/Pandoc/Writers/Ms.hs
index f162c4213..e4daa1be0 100644
--- a/src/Text/Pandoc/Writers/Ms.hs
+++ b/src/Text/Pandoc/Writers/Ms.hs
@@ -347,7 +347,7 @@ blockToMs opts (BulletList items) = do
   return (vcat contents)
 blockToMs opts (OrderedList attribs items) = do
   let markers = take (length items) $ orderedListMarkers attribs
-  let indent = 1 + (maximum $ map length markers)
+  let indent = 2 + (maximum $ map length markers)
   contents <- mapM (\(num, item) -> orderedListItemToMs opts num indent item) $
               zip markers items
   setFirstPara
@@ -365,15 +365,15 @@ bulletListItemToMs opts ((Para first):rest) =
 bulletListItemToMs opts ((Plain first):rest) = do
   first' <- blockToMs opts (Plain first)
   rest' <- blockListToMs opts rest
-  let first'' = text ".IP \\[bu] 2" $$ first'
+  let first'' = text ".IP \\[bu] 3" $$ first'
   let rest''  = if null rest
                    then empty
-                   else text ".RS 2" $$ rest' $$ text ".RE"
+                   else text ".RS 3" $$ rest' $$ text ".RE"
   return (first'' $$ rest'')
 bulletListItemToMs opts (first:rest) = do
   first' <- blockToMs opts first
   rest' <- blockListToMs opts rest
-  return $ text "\\[bu] .RS 2" $$ first' $$ rest' $$ text ".RE"
+  return $ text "\\[bu] .RS 3" $$ first' $$ rest' $$ text ".RE"
 
 -- | Convert ordered list item (a list of blocks) to ms.
 orderedListItemToMs :: PandocMonad m
@@ -392,7 +392,8 @@ orderedListItemToMs opts num indent (first:rest) = do
   let first'' = text (".IP \"" ++ num' ++ "\" " ++ show indent) $$ first'
   let rest''  = if null rest
                    then empty
-                   else text ".RS 4" $$ rest' $$ text ".RE"
+                   else text ".RS " <> text (show indent) $$
+                         rest' $$ text ".RE"
   return $ first'' $$ rest''
 
 -- | Convert definition list item (label, list of blocks) to ms.
diff --git a/test/writer.ms b/test/writer.ms
index a133c62cf..617ccc752 100644
--- a/test/writer.ms
+++ b/test/writer.ms
@@ -162,9 +162,9 @@ sub\ status\ {
 .fi
 .LP
 A list:
-.IP "1." 3
+.IP " 1." 4
 item one
-.IP "2." 3
+.IP " 2." 4
 item two
 .LP
 Nested block quotes:
@@ -221,51 +221,51 @@ Unordered
 .pdfhref M "unordered"
 .LP
 Asterisks tight:
-.IP \[bu] 2
+.IP \[bu] 3
 asterisk 1
-.IP \[bu] 2
+.IP \[bu] 3
 asterisk 2
-.IP \[bu] 2
+.IP \[bu] 3
 asterisk 3
 .LP
 Asterisks loose:
-.IP \[bu] 2
+.IP \[bu] 3
 asterisk 1
-.IP \[bu] 2
+.IP \[bu] 3
 asterisk 2
-.IP \[bu] 2
+.IP \[bu] 3
 asterisk 3
 .LP
 Pluses tight:
-.IP \[bu] 2
+.IP \[bu] 3
 Plus 1
-.IP \[bu] 2
+.IP \[bu] 3
 Plus 2
-.IP \[bu] 2
+.IP \[bu] 3
 Plus 3
 .LP
 Pluses loose:
-.IP \[bu] 2
+.IP \[bu] 3
 Plus 1
-.IP \[bu] 2
+.IP \[bu] 3
 Plus 2
-.IP \[bu] 2
+.IP \[bu] 3
 Plus 3
 .LP
 Minuses tight:
-.IP \[bu] 2
+.IP \[bu] 3
 Minus 1
-.IP \[bu] 2
+.IP \[bu] 3
 Minus 2
-.IP \[bu] 2
+.IP \[bu] 3
 Minus 3
 .LP
 Minuses loose:
-.IP \[bu] 2
+.IP \[bu] 3
 Minus 1
-.IP \[bu] 2
+.IP \[bu] 3
 Minus 2
-.IP \[bu] 2
+.IP \[bu] 3
 Minus 3
 .SH 2
 Ordered
@@ -273,39 +273,39 @@ Ordered
 .pdfhref M "ordered"
 .LP
 Tight:
-.IP "1." 3
+.IP " 1." 4
 First
-.IP "2." 3
+.IP " 2." 4
 Second
-.IP "3." 3
+.IP " 3." 4
 Third
 .LP
 and:
-.IP "1." 3
+.IP " 1." 4
 One
-.IP "2." 3
+.IP " 2." 4
 Two
-.IP "3." 3
+.IP " 3." 4
 Three
 .LP
 Loose using tabs:
-.IP "1." 3
+.IP " 1." 4
 First
-.IP "2." 3
+.IP " 2." 4
 Second
-.IP "3." 3
+.IP " 3." 4
 Third
 .LP
 and using spaces:
-.IP "1." 3
+.IP " 1." 4
 One
-.IP "2." 3
+.IP " 2." 4
 Two
-.IP "3." 3
+.IP " 3." 4
 Three
 .LP
 Multiple paragraphs:
-.IP "1." 3
+.IP " 1." 4
 Item 1, graf one.
 .RS 4
 .PP
@@ -313,116 +313,116 @@ Item 1.
 graf two.
 The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog's back.
 .RE
-.IP "2." 3
+.IP " 2." 4
 Item 2.
-.IP "3." 3
+.IP " 3." 4
 Item 3.
 .SH 2
 Nested
 .pdfhref O 2 "Nested"
 .pdfhref M "nested"
-.IP \[bu] 2
+.IP \[bu] 3
 Tab
-.RS 2
-.IP \[bu] 2
+.RS 3
+.IP \[bu] 3
 Tab
-.RS 2
-.IP \[bu] 2
+.RS 3
+.IP \[bu] 3
 Tab
 .RE
 .RE
 .LP
 Here's another:
-.IP "1." 3
+.IP " 1." 4
 First
-.IP "2." 3
+.IP " 2." 4
 Second:
 .RS 4
-.IP \[bu] 2
+.IP \[bu] 3
 Fee
-.IP \[bu] 2
+.IP \[bu] 3
 Fie
-.IP \[bu] 2
+.IP \[bu] 3
 Foe
 .RE
-.IP "3." 3
+.IP " 3." 4
 Third
 .LP
 Same thing but with paragraphs:
-.IP "1." 3
+.IP " 1." 4
 First
-.IP "2." 3
+.IP " 2." 4
 Second:
 .RS 4
-.IP \[bu] 2
+.IP \[bu] 3
 Fee
-.IP \[bu] 2
+.IP \[bu] 3
 Fie
-.IP \[bu] 2
+.IP \[bu] 3
 Foe
 .RE
-.IP "3." 3
+.IP " 3." 4
 Third
 .SH 2
 Tabs and spaces
 .pdfhref O 2 "Tabs and spaces"
 .pdfhref M "tabs-and-spaces"
-.IP \[bu] 2
+.IP \[bu] 3
 this is a list item indented with tabs
-.IP \[bu] 2
+.IP \[bu] 3
 this is a list item indented with spaces
-.RS 2
-.IP \[bu] 2
+.RS 3
+.IP \[bu] 3
 this is an example list item indented with tabs
-.IP \[bu] 2
+.IP \[bu] 3
 this is an example list item indented with spaces
 .RE
 .SH 2
 Fancy list markers
 .pdfhref O 2 "Fancy list markers"
 .pdfhref M "fancy-list-markers"
-.IP "(2)" 4
+.IP " (2)" 5
 begins with 2
-.IP "(3)" 4
+.IP " (3)" 5
 and now 3
-.RS 4
+.RS 5
 .LP
 with a continuation
-.IP "iv." 4
+.IP " iv." 5
 sublist with roman numerals, starting with 4
-.IP " v." 4
+.IP "  v." 5
 more items
-.RS 4
-.IP "(A)" 4
+.RS 5
+.IP " (A)" 5
 a subsublist
-.IP "(B)" 4
+.IP " (B)" 5
 a subsublist
 .RE
 .RE
 .LP
 Nesting:
-.IP "A." 3
+.IP " A." 4
 Upper Alpha
 .RS 4
-.IP "I." 3
+.IP " I." 4
 Upper Roman.
 .RS 4
-.IP "(6)" 4
+.IP " (6)" 5
 Decimal start with 6
-.RS 4
-.IP "c)" 3
+.RS 5
+.IP " c)" 4
 Lower alpha with paren
 .RE
 .RE
 .RE
 .LP
 Autonumbering:
-.IP "1." 3
+.IP " 1." 4
 Autonumber.
-.IP "2." 3
+.IP " 2." 4
 More.
 .RS 4
-.IP "1." 3
+.IP " 1." 4
 Nested.
 .RE
 .LP
@@ -545,9 +545,9 @@ computer
 .IP "orange"
 orange fruit
 .RS
-.IP "1." 3
+.IP " 1." 4
 sublist
-.IP "2." 3
+.IP " 2." 4
 sublist
 .RE
 .SH 1
@@ -680,35 +680,35 @@ Ellipses\&...and\&...and\&....
 LaTeX
 .pdfhref O 1 "LaTeX"
 .pdfhref M "latex"
-.IP \[bu] 2
-.IP \[bu] 2
+.IP \[bu] 3
+.IP \[bu] 3
 @2 + 2 = 4@
-.IP \[bu] 2
+.IP \[bu] 3
 @x \[u2208] y@
-.IP \[bu] 2
+.IP \[bu] 3
 @alpha \[u2227] omega@
-.IP \[bu] 2
+.IP \[bu] 3
 @223@
-.IP \[bu] 2
+.IP \[bu] 3
 @p@\-Tree
-.IP \[bu] 2
+.IP \[bu] 3
 Here's some display math:
 .EQ
 d over {d x} f ( x ) = lim sub {h -> 0} {f ( x + h ) \[u2212] f ( x )} over h
 .EN
-.IP \[bu] 2
+.IP \[bu] 3
 Here's one that has a line break in it: @alpha + omega times x sup 2@.
 .LP
 These shouldn't be math:
-.IP \[bu] 2
+.IP \[bu] 3
 To get the famous equation, write \f[C]$e\ =\ mc\[ha]2$\f[].
-.IP \[bu] 2
+.IP \[bu] 3
 $22,000 is a \f[I]lot\f[] of money.
 So is $34,000.
 (It worked if \[lq]lot\[rq] is emphasized.)
-.IP \[bu] 2
+.IP \[bu] 3
 Shoes ($20) and socks ($5).
-.IP \[bu] 2
+.IP \[bu] 3
 Escaped \f[C]$\f[]: $73 \f[I]this should be emphasized\f[] 23$.
 .LP
 Here's a LaTeX table:
@@ -719,15 +719,15 @@ Special Characters
 .pdfhref M "special-characters"
 .LP
 Here is some unicode:
-.IP \[bu] 2
+.IP \[bu] 3
 I hat: Î
-.IP \[bu] 2
+.IP \[bu] 3
 o umlaut: ö
-.IP \[bu] 2
+.IP \[bu] 3
 section: §
-.IP \[bu] 2
+.IP \[bu] 3
 set membership: ∈
-.IP \[bu] 2
+.IP \[bu] 3
 copyright: ©
 .LP
 AT&T has an ampersand in their name.
@@ -920,14 +920,14 @@ With an ampersand: \c
 .pdfhref W -D "http://example.com/?foo=1&bar=2" -A "\c" \
  -- "http://example.com/?foo=1&bar=2"
 \&
-.IP \[bu] 2
+.IP \[bu] 3
 In a list?
-.IP \[bu] 2
+.IP \[bu] 3
 \c
 .pdfhref W -D "http://example.com/" -A "\c" \
  -- "http://example.com/"
 \&
-.IP \[bu] 2
+.IP \[bu] 3
 It should.
 .LP
 An e\-mail address: \c
@@ -1005,7 +1005,7 @@ Notes can go in quotes.\**
 In quote.
 .FE
 .RE
-.IP "1." 3
+.IP " 1." 4
 And in list items.\**
 .FS
 In list.