diff --git a/Michelf/Markdown.php b/Michelf/Markdown.php
index 094b0ee..1f5b223 100644
--- a/Michelf/Markdown.php
+++ b/Michelf/Markdown.php
@@ -851,16 +851,27 @@ class Markdown {
 		$marker_ul_re  = '[*+-]';
 		$marker_ol_re  = '\d+[\.]';
 		$marker_any_re = "(?:$marker_ul_re|$marker_ol_re)";
+		$marker_ol_start_re = '[0-9]+';
 		
 		$list = $matches[1];
 		$list_type = preg_match("/$marker_ul_re/", $matches[4]) ? "ul" : "ol";
 		
 		$marker_any_re = ( $list_type == "ul" ? $marker_ul_re : $marker_ol_re );
 		
+		# Get the start number for ordered list.
+		$ol_start = 1;
+		if ($list_type == 'ol') {
+			$ol_start_array = array();
+			$ol_start_check = preg_match("/$marker_ol_start_re/", $matches[4], $ol_start_array);
+			if ($ol_start_check){
+				$ol_start = $ol_start_array[0];
+			}
+		}
+
 		$list .= "\n";
 		$result = $this->processListItems($list, $marker_any_re);
 		
-		$result = $this->hashBlock("<$list_type>\n" . $result . "</$list_type>");
+		$result = $this->hashBlock("<$list_type start=\"$ol_start\">\n" . $result . "</$list_type>");
 		return "\n". $result ."\n\n";
 	}