diff --git a/toc-org-test.el b/toc-org-test.el
index e8cc80f..369e38c 100644
--- a/toc-org-test.el
+++ b/toc-org-test.el
@@ -288,5 +288,8 @@
   (let ((beg "# About\n:TOC:\n drawer\n:END:\n\ntoc-org is a utility to have an up-to-date table of contents in the\norg files without exporting (useful primarily for readme files on\nGitHub).\n\nIt is similar to the [[https://github.com/ardumont/markdown-toc][markdown-toc]] package, but works for org files.\n:TOC:\n  drawer\n:END:\n# Hello\n## Good-bye ##\n### Salut\n# Table of Contents                                                     "))
     (test-toc-org-insert-toc-gold-test-markdown
      (concat beg "<-- :TOC: -->")
-     "# About\n:TOC:\n drawer\n:END:\n\ntoc-org is a utility to have an up-to-date table of contents in the\norg files without exporting (useful primarily for readme files on\nGitHub).\n\nIt is similar to the [[https://github.com/ardumont/markdown-toc][markdown-toc]] package, but works for org files.\n:TOC:\n  drawer\n:END:\n# Hello\n## Good-bye ##\n### Salut\n# Table of Contents                                                     <-- :TOC: -->\n- [About](#about)\n- [Hello](#hello)\n  - [Good-bye](#good-bye)\n")
-    ))
+     "# About\n:TOC:\n drawer\n:END:\n\ntoc-org is a utility to have an up-to-date table of contents in the\norg files without exporting (useful primarily for readme files on\nGitHub).\n\nIt is similar to the [[https://github.com/ardumont/markdown-toc][markdown-toc]] package, but works for org files.\n:TOC:\n  drawer\n:END:\n# Hello\n## Good-bye ##\n### Salut\n# Table of Contents                                                     <-- :TOC: -->\n- [About](#about)\n- [Hello](#hello)\n  - [Good-bye](#good-bye)\n"))
+  (let ((beg "# About\n:TOC:\n drawer\n:END:\n\ntoc-org is a utility to have an up-to-date table of contents in the\norg files without exporting (useful primarily for readme files on\nGitHub).\n\n* This list shouldn't be part of the TOC\n** The sublist, too\n* Yes, it shouldn't \n*** I mean it!\n\nIt is similar to the [[https://github.com/ardumont/markdown-toc][markdown-toc]] package, but works for org files.\n:TOC:\n  drawer\n:END:\n# Hello\n## Good-bye ##\n### Salut\n# Table of Contents                                                     "))
+    (test-toc-org-insert-toc-gold-test-markdown
+     (concat beg "<-- :TOC: -->")
+     "# About\n:TOC:\n drawer\n:END:\n\ntoc-org is a utility to have an up-to-date table of contents in the\norg files without exporting (useful primarily for readme files on\nGitHub).\n\n* This list shouldn't be part of the TOC\n** The sublist, too\n* Yes, it shouldn't \n*** I mean it!\n\nIt is similar to the [[https://github.com/ardumont/markdown-toc][markdown-toc]] package, but works for org files.\n:TOC:\n  drawer\n:END:\n# Hello\n## Good-bye ##\n### Salut\n# Table of Contents                                                     <-- :TOC: -->\n- [About](#about)\n- [Hello](#hello)\n  - [Good-bye](#good-bye)\n")))
diff --git a/toc-org.el b/toc-org.el
index 3c9c201..10ab853 100644
--- a/toc-org.el
+++ b/toc-org.el
@@ -138,6 +138,9 @@ auxiliary text."
         (save-excursion
           (let ((case-fold-search t))
             (goto-char (point-min))
+            (while (re-search-forward "^\\*" nil t)
+              (replace-match "" nil nil))
+            (goto-char (point-min))
             (while (re-search-forward "^#+ " nil t)
               (replace-match (concat
                               (make-string (1- (length (match-string 0))) ?*)