diff --git a/lisp/org-indent.el b/lisp/org-indent.el
index 99a75841d..056c22b6b 100644
--- a/lisp/org-indent.el
+++ b/lisp/org-indent.el
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@
 (declare-function org-inlinetask-get-task-level "org-inlinetask" ())
 (declare-function org-inlinetask-in-task-p "org-inlinetask" ())
 (declare-function org-list-item-body-column "org-list" (item))
+(defvar org-inlinetask-show-first-star)
 
 (defgroup org-indent nil
   "Options concerning dynamic virtual outline indentation."
@@ -293,8 +294,10 @@ Assume point is at beginning of line."
 		(let ((stars (aref org-indent-stars
 				   (min l org-indent-max-levels))))
 		  (and stars
-		       (concat org-indent-inlinetask-first-star
-			       (substring stars 1)))))
+		       (if (org-bound-and-true-p org-inlinetask-show-first-star)
+			   (concat org-indent-inlinetask-first-star
+				   (substring stars 1))
+			 stars))))
 	       (h (aref org-indent-stars
 			(min l org-indent-max-levels)))
 	       (t (aref org-indent-strings
diff --git a/lisp/org-inlinetask.el b/lisp/org-inlinetask.el
index b8e84379d..7a4101728 100644
--- a/lisp/org-inlinetask.el
+++ b/lisp/org-inlinetask.el
@@ -102,6 +102,12 @@ the value of this variable."
 	  (const :tag "Off" nil)
 	  (integer)))
 
+(defcustom org-inlinetask-show-first-star nil
+  "Non-nil means display the first star of an inline task as additional marker.
+When nil, the first star is not shown."
+  :tag "Org Inline Tasks"
+  :group 'org-structure)
+
 (defcustom org-inlinetask-export t
   "Non-nil means export inline tasks.
 When nil, they will not be exported."
@@ -434,9 +440,12 @@ Either remove headline and meta data, or do special formatting."
 			 'org-hide
 		       'org-warning)))
     (while (re-search-forward re limit t)
-      (add-text-properties (match-beginning 1) (match-end 1)
-			   `(face ,start-face font-lock-fontified t))
-      (add-text-properties (match-beginning 2) (match-end 2)
+      (if org-inlinetask-show-first-star
+	  (add-text-properties (match-beginning 1) (match-end 1)
+			       `(face ,start-face font-lock-fontified t)))
+      (add-text-properties (match-beginning
+			    (if org-inlinetask-show-first-star 2 1))
+			   (match-end 2)
 			   '(face org-hide font-lock-fontified t))
       (add-text-properties (match-beginning 3) (match-end 3)
 			   '(face org-inlinetask font-lock-fontified t)))))