diff --git a/README.rst b/README.rst
index 059a68f..0331660 100644
--- a/README.rst
+++ b/README.rst
@@ -84,6 +84,12 @@ strong_em_symbol
   *emphasized* texts. Either of these symbols can be chosen by the options
   ``ASTERISK`` (default) or ``UNDERSCORE`` respectively.
 
+strong_symbol
+  Like ``strong_em_symbol``, but only affects **strong** texts. Allows setting
+  a different symbol from ``em``. Can be chosen by the options ``ASTERISK``
+  or ``UNDERSCORE`` respectively, or ``None`` (default) to use
+  ``strong_em_symbol`` for both strong and emphasized texts.
+
 sub_symbol, sup_symbol
   Define the chars that surround ``<sub>`` and ``<sup>`` text. Defaults to an
   empty string, because this is non-standard behavior. Could be something like
diff --git a/markdownify/__init__.py b/markdownify/__init__.py
index 148d340..60f4524 100644
--- a/markdownify/__init__.py
+++ b/markdownify/__init__.py
@@ -192,6 +192,7 @@ class DefaultOptions:
         strip_document = STRIP
         strip_pre = STRIP
         strong_em_symbol = ASTERISK
+        strong_symbol = None
         sub_symbol = ''
         sup_symbol = ''
         table_infer_header = False
@@ -455,7 +456,7 @@ def convert_a(self, el, text, parent_tags):
         title_part = ' "%s"' % title.replace('"', r'\"') if title else ''
         return '%s[%s](%s%s)%s' % (prefix, text, href, title_part, suffix) if href else text
 
-    convert_b = abstract_inline_conversion(lambda self: 2 * self.options['strong_em_symbol'])
+    convert_b = abstract_inline_conversion(lambda self: 2 * (self.options['strong_symbol'] or self.options['strong_em_symbol']))
 
     def convert_blockquote(self, el, text, parent_tags):
         # handle some early-exit scenarios
diff --git a/markdownify/__init__.pyi b/markdownify/__init__.pyi
index 5f9b852..455b1d0 100644
--- a/markdownify/__init__.pyi
+++ b/markdownify/__init__.pyi
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ def markdownify(
     strip_document: Union[str, None] = ...,
     strip_pre: str = ...,
     strong_em_symbol: str = ...,
+    strong_symbol: str = ...,
     sub_symbol: str = ...,
     sup_symbol: str = ...,
     table_infer_header: bool = ...,
@@ -62,6 +63,7 @@ class MarkdownConverter:
         strip_document: Union[str, None] = ...,
         strip_pre: str = ...,
         strong_em_symbol: str = ...,
+        strong_symbol: str = ...,
         sub_symbol: str = ...,
         sup_symbol: str = ...,
         table_infer_header: bool = ...,
diff --git a/tests/test_conversions.py b/tests/test_conversions.py
index dd99dfb..850af3c 100644
--- a/tests/test_conversions.py
+++ b/tests/test_conversions.py
@@ -338,6 +338,7 @@ def test_strong_em_symbol():
     assert md('<b>Hello</b>', strong_em_symbol=UNDERSCORE) == '__Hello__'
     assert md('<em>Hello</em>', strong_em_symbol=UNDERSCORE) == '_Hello_'
     assert md('<i>Hello</i>', strong_em_symbol=UNDERSCORE) == '_Hello_'
+    assert md('<b>He</b><em>llo</em>', strong_em_symbol=UNDERSCORE, strong_symbol=ASTERISK) == '**He**_llo_'
 
 
 def test_sub():
diff --git a/tests/types.py b/tests/types.py
index 7424978..edde90c 100644
--- a/tests/types.py
+++ b/tests/types.py
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@
     strip_document=STRIP,
     strip_pre=STRIP,
     strong_em_symbol=ASTERISK,
+    strong_symbol=ASTERISK,
     sub_symbol='',
     sup_symbol='',
     table_infer_header=False,
@@ -50,6 +51,7 @@
     wrap=True,
     wrap_width=80,
     strong_em_symbol=UNDERSCORE,
+    strong_symbol=UNDERSCORE,
     code_language='python',
     code_language_callback=None
 ).convert("")