diff --git a/after/plugin/indentLine.vim b/after/plugin/indentLine.vim
index 783cea2..614fd48 100644
--- a/after/plugin/indentLine.vim
+++ b/after/plugin/indentLine.vim
@@ -36,6 +36,10 @@ if !exists("g:indentLine_fileTypeExclude")
     let g:indentLine_fileTypeExclude = []
 endif
 
+if !exists("g:indentLine_showFirstIndentLevel")
+    let g:indentLine_showFirstIndentLevel = 0
+endif
+
 set conceallevel=1
 set concealcursor=inc
 
@@ -69,6 +73,11 @@ endfunction
 function! <SID>SetIndentLine()
     let b:indentLine_enabled = 1
     let space = &l:shiftwidth
+
+    if g:indentLine_showFirstIndentLevel
+        exec 'syn match IndentLine /^ / containedin=ALL conceal cchar=' . g:indentLine_char
+    endif
+
     for i in range(space+1, space * g:indentLine_indentLevel + 1, space)
         exec 'syn match IndentLine /\(^\s\+\)\@<=\%'.i.'v / containedin=ALL conceal cchar=' . g:indentLine_char
     endfor
diff --git a/doc/indentLine.txt b/doc/indentLine.txt
index 0be7b0a..aab8b9c 100644
--- a/doc/indentLine.txt
+++ b/doc/indentLine.txt
@@ -45,6 +45,12 @@ g:indentLine_indentLevel                        *g:indentLine_indentLevel*
                 10.
                 Default value is 10.
 
+g:indentLine_showFirstIndentLevel               *g:indentLine_showFirstIndentLevel*
+                Specify whether the first indent level should be shown.
+                This is useful if you use indentLine in comination with
+                |listchars| in order to show tabs.
+                Default value is 0.
+
 g:indentLine_enabled                            *g:indentLine_enabled*
                 Specify whether to enable indentLine plugin by default.
                 If value is not 0, the plugin is on by default, otherwise off.