diff --git a/src/Text/Pandoc/Writers/RST.hs b/src/Text/Pandoc/Writers/RST.hs
index 434cd1cf7..e2b55daa0 100644
--- a/src/Text/Pandoc/Writers/RST.hs
+++ b/src/Text/Pandoc/Writers/RST.hs
@@ -225,7 +225,7 @@ blockToRST opts (DefinitionList items) = do
 bulletListItemToRST :: WriterOptions -> [Block] -> State WriterState Doc
 bulletListItemToRST opts items = do
   contents <- blockListToRST opts items
-  return $ hang (text "-  ") (writerTabStop opts) contents
+  return $ hang (text "- ") 3 contents
 
 -- | Convert ordered list item (a list of blocks) to RST.
 orderedListItemToRST :: WriterOptions -- ^ options
@@ -234,7 +234,7 @@ orderedListItemToRST :: WriterOptions -- ^ options
                           -> State WriterState Doc
 orderedListItemToRST opts marker items = do
   contents <- blockListToRST opts items
-  return $ hang (text marker) (writerTabStop opts) contents 
+  return $ hang (text marker) (length marker + 1) contents 
 
 -- | Convert defintion list item (label, list of blocks) to RST.
 definitionListItemToRST :: WriterOptions -> ([Inline], [Block]) -> State WriterState Doc
diff --git a/tests/writer.rst b/tests/writer.rst
index 77888c234..78ebd3ebf 100644
--- a/tests/writer.rst
+++ b/tests/writer.rst
@@ -155,52 +155,52 @@ Unordered
 Asterisks tight:
 
 
--   asterisk 1
--   asterisk 2
--   asterisk 3
+-  asterisk 1
+-  asterisk 2
+-  asterisk 3
 
 Asterisks loose:
 
 
--   asterisk 1
+-  asterisk 1
 
--   asterisk 2
+-  asterisk 2
 
--   asterisk 3
+-  asterisk 3
 
 
 Pluses tight:
 
 
--   Plus 1
--   Plus 2
--   Plus 3
+-  Plus 1
+-  Plus 2
+-  Plus 3
 
 Pluses loose:
 
 
--   Plus 1
+-  Plus 1
 
--   Plus 2
+-  Plus 2
 
--   Plus 3
+-  Plus 3
 
 
 Minuses tight:
 
 
--   Minus 1
--   Minus 2
--   Minus 3
+-  Minus 1
+-  Minus 2
+-  Minus 3
 
 Minuses loose:
 
 
--   Minus 1
+-  Minus 1
 
--   Minus 2
+-  Minus 2
 
--   Minus 3
+-  Minus 3
 
 
 Ordered
@@ -243,10 +243,10 @@ and using spaces:
 Multiple paragraphs:
 
 
-1.  Item 1, graf one.
+1. Item 1, graf one.
 
-    Item 1. graf two. The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog's
-    back.
+   Item 1. graf two. The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog's
+   back.
 
 2. Item 2.
 
@@ -257,11 +257,11 @@ Nested
 ------
 
 
--   Tab
-    
-    -   Tab
-        
-        -   Tab
+-  Tab
+   
+   -  Tab
+      
+      -  Tab
 
 
 
@@ -269,11 +269,11 @@ Here's another:
 
 
 1. First
-2.  Second:
-    
-    -   Fee
-    -   Fie
-    -   Foe
+2. Second:
+   
+   -  Fee
+   -  Fie
+   -  Foe
 
 3. Third
 
@@ -282,12 +282,12 @@ Same thing but with paragraphs:
 
 1. First
 
-2.  Second:
+2. Second:
 
-    
-    -   Fee
-    -   Fie
-    -   Foe
+   
+   -  Fee
+   -  Fie
+   -  Foe
 
 3. Third
 
@@ -296,14 +296,14 @@ Tabs and spaces
 ---------------
 
 
--   this is a list item indented with tabs
+-  this is a list item indented with tabs
 
--   this is a list item indented with spaces
+-  this is a list item indented with spaces
 
-    
-    -   this is an example list item indented with tabs
+   
+   -  this is an example list item indented with tabs
 
-    -   this is an example list item indented with spaces
+   -  this is an example list item indented with spaces
 
 
 
@@ -328,13 +328,13 @@ Fancy list markers
 Nesting:
 
 
-A.  Upper Alpha
-    
-    I.  Upper Roman.
-        
-        (6) Decimal start with 6
-            
-            c) Lower alpha with paren
+A. Upper Alpha
+   
+   I. Upper Roman.
+      
+      (6) Decimal start with 6
+          
+          c) Lower alpha with paren
 
 
 
@@ -343,9 +343,9 @@ Autonumbering:
 
 
 #. Autonumber.
-#.  More.
-    
-    #. Nested.
+#. More.
+   
+   #. Nested.
 
 
 Should not be a list item:
@@ -642,24 +642,24 @@ LaTeX
 =====
 
 
--   \cite[22-23]{smith.1899}
--   \doublespacing
--   $2+2=4$
--   $x \in y$
--   $\alpha \wedge \omega$
--   $223$
--   $p$-Tree
--   $\frac{d}{dx}f(x)=\lim_{h\to 0}\frac{f(x+h)-f(x)}{h}$
--   Here's one that has a line break in it:
-    $\alpha + \omega \times x^2$.
+-  \cite[22-23]{smith.1899}
+-  \doublespacing
+-  $2+2=4$
+-  $x \in y$
+-  $\alpha \wedge \omega$
+-  $223$
+-  $p$-Tree
+-  $\frac{d}{dx}f(x)=\lim_{h\to 0}\frac{f(x+h)-f(x)}{h}$
+-  Here's one that has a line break in it:
+   $\alpha + \omega \times x^2$.
 
 These shouldn't be math:
 
 
--   To get the famous equation, write ``$e = mc^2$``.
--   $22,000 is a *lot* of money. So is $34,000. (It worked if "lot"
-    is emphasized.)
--   Escaped ``$``: $73 *this should be emphasized* 23$.
+-  To get the famous equation, write ``$e = mc^2$``.
+-  $22,000 is a *lot* of money. So is $34,000. (It worked if "lot"
+   is emphasized.)
+-  Escaped ``$``: $73 *this should be emphasized* 23$.
 
 Here's a LaTeX table:
 
@@ -680,11 +680,11 @@ Special Characters
 Here is some unicode:
 
 
--   I hat: Î
--   o umlaut: ö
--   section: §
--   set membership: ∈
--   copyright: ©
+-  I hat: Î
+-  o umlaut: ö
+-  section: §
+-  set membership: ∈
+-  copyright: ©
 
 AT&T has an ampersand in their name.
 
@@ -802,9 +802,9 @@ Autolinks
 With an ampersand: http://example.com/?foo=1&bar=2
 
 
--   In a list?
--   http://example.com/
--   It should.
+-  In a list?
+-  http://example.com/
+-  It should.
 
 An e-mail address: nobody@nowhere.net