diff --git a/calibre-plugin/plugin-defaults.ini b/calibre-plugin/plugin-defaults.ini
index 4dd27ce0..f64b8d2c 100644
--- a/calibre-plugin/plugin-defaults.ini
+++ b/calibre-plugin/plugin-defaults.ini
@@ -344,12 +344,21 @@ anthology_title_pattern:${title} Anthology
 ## any anthology tags.
 anthology_tags:Anthology
 
-## Reorder ships so b/a and c/b/a become a/b and a/b/c. Only separates
-## on '/', so use replace_metadata to change separator first if
-## needed. Something like: ships=>[ ]*(/|&|&)[ ]*=>/ You can use
-## ships_LIST to change the / back to something else if you want.
+## Reorder ships so b/a and c/b/a become a/b and a/b/c. '/' is no
+## longer hard coded and can be changed and added to with
+## sort_ships_splits.
 sort_ships:false
 
+## Each line indicates first a regex that should be used to split each
+## ships entry and then, after => the string to use to merge the parts
+## back together.  \s == blank space.
+## Each part will have replace_metadata with key ships_CHARS applied.
+## By default, sort_ships_splits:/=>/
+## Here's possible an example for AO3:
+#sort_ships_splits:
+# [ ]*/[ ]*=>/
+# [ ]*&[ ]*=>\s&\s
+
 ## join_string_<entry> options -- FanFicFare list entries are comma
 ## separated by default. You can use this to change that. For example,
 ## if you want authors separated with ' & ' instead, use
diff --git a/fanficfare/configurable.py b/fanficfare/configurable.py
index 14cbc099..71bf187f 100644
--- a/fanficfare/configurable.py
+++ b/fanficfare/configurable.py
@@ -302,6 +302,7 @@ def get_valid_keywords():
                  'replace_metadata',
                  'slow_down_sleep_time',
                  'sort_ships',
+                 'sort_ships_splits',
                  'strip_chapter_numbers',
                  'strip_chapter_numeral',
                  'strip_text_links',
diff --git a/fanficfare/defaults.ini b/fanficfare/defaults.ini
index 9e8c14b5..d09c672d 100644
--- a/fanficfare/defaults.ini
+++ b/fanficfare/defaults.ini
@@ -343,12 +343,21 @@ chapter_title_new_pattern:(new) ${title}
 ## (new) is just text and can be changed.
 chapter_title_addnew_pattern:${index}. (new) ${title}
 
-## Reorder ships so b/a and c/b/a become a/b and a/b/c. Only separates
-## on '/', so use replace_metadata to change separator first if
-## needed. Something like: ships=>[ ]*(/|&amp;|&)[ ]*=>/ You can use
-## ships_LIST to change the / back to something else if you want.
+## Reorder ships so b/a and c/b/a become a/b and a/b/c. '/' is no
+## longer hard coded and can be changed and added to with
+## sort_ships_splits.
 sort_ships:false
 
+## Each line indicates first a regex that should be used to split each
+## ships entry and then, after => the string to use to merge the parts
+## back together.  \s == blank space.
+## Each part will have replace_metadata with key ships_CHARS applied.
+## By default, sort_ships_splits:/=>/
+## Here's possible an example for AO3:
+#sort_ships_splits:
+# [ ]*/[ ]*=>/
+# [ ]*&amp;[ ]*=>\s&amp;\s
+
 ## join_string_<entry> options -- FanFicFare list entries are comma
 ## separated by default. You can use this to change that. For example,
 ## if you want authors separated with ' & ' instead, use
diff --git a/fanficfare/story.py b/fanficfare/story.py
index 6b45b096..761e782b 100644
--- a/fanficfare/story.py
+++ b/fanficfare/story.py
@@ -793,6 +793,33 @@ class Story(Configurable):
                 if retlist is None:
                     retlist = []
 
+        # reorder ships so b/a and c/b/a become a/b and a/b/c.  Only on '/',
+        # use replace_metadata to change separator first if needed.
+        # ships=>[ ]*(/|&amp;|&)[ ]*=>/
+        if listname == 'ships' and self.getConfig('sort_ships') and retlist:
+            # retlist = [ '/'.join(sorted(x.split('/'))) for x in retlist ]
+            ## empty default of /=>/
+            sort_ships_splits = self.getConfig('sort_ships_splits',"/=>/")
+
+            for line in sort_ships_splits.splitlines():
+                if line:
+                    logger.debug("sort_ships_splits:%s"%line)
+                    logger.debug(retlist)
+                    (splitre,splitmerge) = line.split("=>")
+                    splitmerge = splitmerge.replace(SPACE_REPLACE,' ')
+                    newretlist = []
+                    for x in retlist:
+                        curlist = []
+                        for y in re.split(splitre,x):
+                            ## for SPLIT_META(\,)
+                            if doreplacements:
+                                y = self.doReplacements(y,'ships_CHARS',return_list=True)
+                            curlist.extend(y)
+                        newretlist.append( splitmerge.join(sorted(curlist)) )
+        
+                    retlist = newretlist
+                    logger.debug(retlist)
+        
         if retlist:
             if doreplacements:
                 newretlist = []
@@ -812,12 +839,6 @@ class Story(Configurable):
                                                                                                         )) > 1:
             retlist.append(self.getConfig('add_genre_when_multi_category'))
 
-        # reorder ships so b/a and c/b/a become a/b and a/b/c.  Only on '/',
-        # use replace_metadata to change separator first if needed.
-        # ships=>[ ]*(/|&amp;|&)[ ]*=>/
-        if listname == 'ships' and self.getConfig('sort_ships') and retlist:
-            retlist = [ '/'.join(sorted(x.split('/'))) for x in retlist ]
-
         if retlist:
             if listname in ('author','authorUrl','authorId') or self.getConfig('keep_in_order_'+listname):
                 # need to retain order for author & authorUrl so the