diff --git a/remove-list-columns.py b/remove-list-columns.py
index 91888fc9d..d6422aeeb 100644
--- a/remove-list-columns.py
+++ b/remove-list-columns.py
@@ -32,32 +32,80 @@ def extract_table_blocks(lines):
    return blocks
 
 def split_table_row(row_lines):
-   """Splits a table row (beginning with '*') into a list of cells."""
-   cells = []
-   current_cell = []
-   for line in row_lines:
-       if re.match(r'^\s*\*\s+-', line):  # First cell in row
-           parts = re.split(r'\s*\*\s+-\s*', line, maxsplit=1)
-           current_cell = [parts[1]]
-       elif re.match(r'^\s*-\s+', line):  # New cell
-           cells.append(current_cell)
-           current_cell = [line.strip()[2:]]
-       else:
-           current_cell.append(line.strip())
-   cells.append(current_cell)
-   return cells
+    """Splits a table row (beginning with '*') into a list of cells, preserving original line spacing."""
+    import re
+    cells = []
+    current_cell = []
+    for line in row_lines:
+        if re.match(r'^\s*\*\s+-', line):  # First cell in row
+            # Keep only the cell content (text after "* - ")
+            parts = re.split(r'^\s*\*\s+-\s*', line, maxsplit=1)
+            current_cell = [parts[1]]
+        elif re.match(r'^\s*-\s+', line):  # New cell
+            # Finish previous cell and start a new one (text after "- ")
+            cells.append(current_cell)
+            parts = re.split(r'^\s*-\s+', line, maxsplit=1)
+            current_cell = [parts[1]]
+        else:
+            # Continuation line: keep exactly as-is (including leading spaces)
+            current_cell.append(line)
+    cells.append(current_cell)
+    return cells
 
 def join_cells(cells, base_indent):
-   """Reconstructs a list-table row from cell lists."""
-   line = f"{base_indent}* - " + cells[0][0]
-   lines = [line]
-   for line in cells[0][1:]:
-       lines.append(base_indent + "    " + line)
-   for cell in cells[1:]:
-       lines.append(base_indent + "  - " + cell[0])
-       for l in cell[1:]:
-           lines.append(base_indent + "    " + l)
-   return lines
+    """Reconstructs a list-table row from cell lists.
+
+    Continuation lines are aligned to the cell's content column (the column where the
+    first line's text starts), and any additional original indentation beyond that is preserved.
+    This also preserves the deeper indentation used by directive option lines.
+    """
+    # In a list-table, content starts 4 characters after the list marker for both
+    # the first cell ("* - ") and other cells ("  - ").
+    content_col_len = len(base_indent) + 4  # baseline spaces before content in any cell
+
+    def count_leading_spaces(s: str) -> int:
+        n = 0
+        for ch in s:
+            if ch == ' ':
+                n += 1
+            elif ch == '\t':
+                # tabs aren't expected in RST, but treat as 4 spaces if present
+                n += 4
+            else:
+                break
+        return n
+
+    out = []
+
+    # First cell
+    first_line_text = cells[0][0].rstrip('\n')
+    out.append(f"{base_indent}* - {first_line_text.rstrip()}")
+
+    for line in cells[0][1:]:
+        if line.strip() == "":
+            out.append("")  # preserve blank lines
+            continue
+        s = line.rstrip('\n')
+        lead = count_leading_spaces(s)
+        extra = max(0, lead - content_col_len)  # extra indent beyond the baseline content column
+        out.append((" " * content_col_len) + (" " * extra) + s.lstrip(' '))
+
+    # Remaining cells
+    for cell in cells[1:]:
+        first_line_text = cell[0].rstrip('\n')
+        out.append(f"{base_indent}  - {first_line_text.rstrip()}")
+        for line in cell[1:]:
+            if line.strip() == "":
+                out.append("")
+                continue
+            s = line.rstrip('\n')
+            lead = count_leading_spaces(s)
+            extra = max(0, lead - content_col_len)
+            out.append((" " * content_col_len) + (" " * extra) + s.lstrip(' '))
+
+    return out
+
+
 
 def process_table(table_lines, cols_to_remove_str, remove_empty_row=False):
    # Parse comma-separated column names