diff --git a/MANUAL.txt b/MANUAL.txt
index 3c06d0a9c..0954286b3 100644
--- a/MANUAL.txt
+++ b/MANUAL.txt
@@ -3162,6 +3162,15 @@ output format.
 Some aspects of [Pandoc's Markdown citation syntax](#citations)
 are also accepted in `org` input.
 
+#### Extension: `fancy_lists` {#org-fancy-lists}
+
+Some aspects of [Pandoc's Markdown fancy lists](#extension-fancy_lists) are also
+accepted in `org` input, mimicking the option `org-list-allow-alphabetical` in
+Emacs. As in Org Mode, enabling this extension allows lowercase and uppercase
+alphabetical markers for ordered lists to be parsed in addition to arabic ones.
+Note that for Org, this does not include roman numerals or the `#` placeholder
+that are enabled by the extension in Pandoc's Markdown.
+
 #### Extension: `element_citations` ####
 
 In the `jats` output formats, this causes reference items to
diff --git a/src/Text/Pandoc/Extensions.hs b/src/Text/Pandoc/Extensions.hs
index 4da0df278..f82ac631b 100644
--- a/src/Text/Pandoc/Extensions.hs
+++ b/src/Text/Pandoc/Extensions.hs
@@ -536,6 +536,7 @@ getAllExtensions f = universalExtensions <> getAll f
     extensionsFromList
     [ Ext_citations
     , Ext_smart
+    , Ext_fancy_lists
     , Ext_task_lists
     ]
   getAll "html"            = autoIdExtensions <>
diff --git a/src/Text/Pandoc/Readers/Org/BlockStarts.hs b/src/Text/Pandoc/Readers/Org/BlockStarts.hs
index eee13834e..e5b2f7041 100644
--- a/src/Text/Pandoc/Readers/Org/BlockStarts.hs
+++ b/src/Text/Pandoc/Readers/Org/BlockStarts.hs
@@ -28,7 +28,8 @@ import Data.Text (Text)
 import Text.Pandoc.Readers.Org.Parsing
 import Text.Pandoc.Definition as Pandoc
 import Text.Pandoc.Shared (safeRead)
-import Data.Char (toLower)
+import Text.Pandoc.Parsing (lowerAlpha, upperAlpha)
+import Data.Functor (($>))
 
 -- | Horizontal Line (five -- dashes or more)
 hline :: Monad m => OrgParser m ()
@@ -65,13 +66,12 @@ latexEnvStart = try $
 listCounterCookie :: Monad m => OrgParser m Int
 listCounterCookie = try $
   string "[@"
-  *> ((many1Char digit >>= safeRead) <|> numFromAlph <$> oneOf asciiAlph)
+  *> parseNum
   <* char ']'
   <* (skipSpaces <|> lookAhead eol)
-  where
-    asciiAlph = ['a'..'z'] ++ ['A'..'Z']
-    -- The number makes sense because char is always in asciiAlph
-    numFromAlph c = fromEnum (toLower c) - fromEnum 'a' + 1
+  where parseNum = (safeRead =<< many1Char digit)
+                   <|> snd <$> lowerAlpha
+                   <|> snd <$> upperAlpha
 
 bulletListStart :: Monad m => OrgParser m Int
 bulletListStart = try $ do
@@ -88,12 +88,20 @@ eol = void (char '\n')
 orderedListStart :: Monad m => OrgParser m (Int, ListAttributes)
 orderedListStart = try $ do
   ind <- length <$> many spaceChar
-  orderedListMarker
+  style <- choice styles
+  delim <- choice delims
   skipSpaces1 <|> lookAhead eol
   start <- option 1 listCounterCookie
-  return (ind + 1, (start, DefaultStyle, DefaultDelim))
+  return (ind + 1, (start, style, delim))
   -- Ordered list markers allowed in org-mode
-  where orderedListMarker = many1Char digit *> oneOf ".)"
+  where
+    styles = [ many1Char digit $> Decimal
+             , fst <$> lowerAlpha
+             , fst <$> upperAlpha
+             ]
+    delims = [ char '.' $> Period
+             , char ')' $> OneParen
+             ]
 
 drawerStart :: Monad m => OrgParser m Text
 drawerStart = try $ skipSpaces *> drawerName <* skipSpaces <* newline
diff --git a/src/Text/Pandoc/Readers/Org/Blocks.hs b/src/Text/Pandoc/Readers/Org/Blocks.hs
index 957bf6f8d..6b759901a 100644
--- a/src/Text/Pandoc/Readers/Org/Blocks.hs
+++ b/src/Text/Pandoc/Readers/Org/Blocks.hs
@@ -835,8 +835,11 @@ indented indentedMarker minIndent = try $ do
 orderedList :: PandocMonad m => OrgParser m (F Blocks)
 orderedList = try $ do
   (indent, attr) <- lookAhead orderedListStart
-  fmap (B.orderedListWith attr . compactify) . sequence
+  attr' <- option (fst3 attr, DefaultStyle, DefaultDelim) $
+           guardEnabled Ext_fancy_lists $> attr
+  fmap (B.orderedListWith attr' . compactify) . sequence
     <$> many1 (listItem ((fst <$> orderedListStart) `indented` indent))
+  where fst3 (x,_,_) = x
 
 definitionListItem :: PandocMonad m
                    => OrgParser m Int
diff --git a/test/Tests/Readers/Org/Block/List.hs b/test/Tests/Readers/Org/Block/List.hs
index c5dba52f4..5708b25f5 100644
--- a/test/Tests/Readers/Org/Block/List.hs
+++ b/test/Tests/Readers/Org/Block/List.hs
@@ -12,12 +12,21 @@ Test parsing of org lists.
 -}
 module Tests.Readers.Org.Block.List (tests) where
 
+import Data.Text (Text)
 import Test.Tasty (TestTree)
-import Tests.Helpers ((=?>))
+import Tests.Helpers ((=?>), purely, test)
 import Tests.Readers.Org.Shared ((=:), spcSep)
+import Text.Pandoc (ReaderOptions (readerExtensions),
+                    Extension (Ext_fancy_lists), def, enableExtension,
+                    getDefaultExtensions, readOrg)
 import Text.Pandoc.Builder
 import qualified Data.Text as T
 
+orgFancyLists :: Text -> Pandoc
+orgFancyLists = purely $
+  let extensionsFancy = enableExtension Ext_fancy_lists (getDefaultExtensions "org")
+  in readOrg def{ readerExtensions = extensionsFancy }
+
 tests :: [TestTree]
 tests =
   [ "Simple Bullet Lists" =:
@@ -153,6 +162,21 @@ tests =
                          ]
                ]
 
+  , test orgFancyLists "Task with alphabetical markers and counter cookie" $
+    T.unlines [ "- [ ] nope"
+              , "- [@9] [X] yup"
+              , "- [@a][-] started"
+              , "  a) [@D][X] sure"
+              , "  b) [@8] [ ] nuh-uh"
+              ] =?>
+    bulletList [ plain "☐ nope", plain "☒ yup"
+               , mconcat [ plain "☐ started"
+                         , orderedListWith
+                           (4, LowerAlpha, OneParen)
+                           [plain "☒ sure", plain "☐ nuh-uh"]
+                         ]
+               ]
+
   , "Simple Ordered List" =:
       ("1. Item1\n" <>
        "2. Item2\n") =?>
@@ -162,6 +186,33 @@ tests =
                           ]
       in orderedListWith listStyle listStructure
 
+  , test orgFancyLists "Simple Ordered List with fancy lists extension" $
+      ("1. Item1\n" <>
+       "2. Item2\n") =?>
+      let listStyle = (1, Decimal, Period)
+          listStructure = [ plain "Item1"
+                          , plain "Item2"
+                          ]
+      in orderedListWith listStyle listStructure
+
+  , test orgFancyLists "Simple Ordered List with lower alpha marker" $
+      ("a) Item1\n" <>
+       "b) Item2\n") =?>
+      let listStyle = (1, LowerAlpha, OneParen)
+          listStructure = [ plain "Item1"
+                          , plain "Item2"
+                          ]
+      in orderedListWith listStyle listStructure
+
+  , test orgFancyLists "Simple Ordered List with upper and lower alpha markers" $
+      ("A. Item1\n" <>
+       "b) Item2\n") =?>
+      let listStyle = (1, UpperAlpha, Period)
+          listStructure = [ plain "Item1"
+                          , plain "Item2"
+                          ]
+      in orderedListWith listStyle listStructure
+
   , "Simple Ordered List with Counter Cookie" =:
       ("1. [@1234] Item1\n" <>
        "2. Item2\n") =?>
@@ -213,6 +264,12 @@ tests =
                 ] =?>
       orderedList [ plain "", plain "" ]
 
+  , test orgFancyLists "Empty ordered list item with fancy lists extension" $
+      T.unlines [ "a."
+                , "2. "
+                ] =?>
+      orderedListWith (1, LowerAlpha, Period) [ plain "", plain "" ]
+
   , "Empty ordered list item with counter cookie" =:
       T.unlines [ "1. [@5]"
                 , "3. [@e] "