diff --git a/commonmark/src/main/java/org/commonmark/renderer/markdown/CoreMarkdownNodeRenderer.java b/commonmark/src/main/java/org/commonmark/renderer/markdown/CoreMarkdownNodeRenderer.java
index 8a9e5725..7042ad59 100644
--- a/commonmark/src/main/java/org/commonmark/renderer/markdown/CoreMarkdownNodeRenderer.java
+++ b/commonmark/src/main/java/org/commonmark/renderer/markdown/CoreMarkdownNodeRenderer.java
@@ -87,8 +87,12 @@ public void visit(Document document) {
 
     @Override
     public void visit(ThematicBreak thematicBreak) {
-        // Let's use ___ as it doesn't introduce ambiguity with * or - list item markers
-        writer.raw("___");
+        String literal = thematicBreak.getLiteral();
+        if (literal == null) {
+            // Let's use ___ as it doesn't introduce ambiguity with * or - list item markers
+            literal = "___";
+        }
+        writer.raw(literal);
         writer.block();
     }
 
diff --git a/commonmark/src/test/java/org/commonmark/renderer/markdown/MarkdownRendererTest.java b/commonmark/src/test/java/org/commonmark/renderer/markdown/MarkdownRendererTest.java
index 91af1bfe..9a849c58 100644
--- a/commonmark/src/test/java/org/commonmark/renderer/markdown/MarkdownRendererTest.java
+++ b/commonmark/src/test/java/org/commonmark/renderer/markdown/MarkdownRendererTest.java
@@ -19,6 +19,14 @@ public void testThematicBreaks() {
         // List item with hr -> hr needs to not use the same as the marker
         assertRoundTrip("* ___\n");
         assertRoundTrip("- ___\n");
+
+        // Preserve the literal
+        assertRoundTrip("----\n");
+        assertRoundTrip("*****\n");
+
+        // Apply fallback for null literal
+        ThematicBreak node = new ThematicBreak();
+        assertEquals("___", render(node));
     }
 
     @Test