diff --git a/src/calibre/ebooks/docx/block_styles.py b/src/calibre/ebooks/docx/block_styles.py
index 5b1b5b2f61..fdd61add54 100644
--- a/src/calibre/ebooks/docx/block_styles.py
+++ b/src/calibre/ebooks/docx/block_styles.py
@@ -237,7 +237,7 @@ def read_shd(parent, dest, XPath, get):
 
 
 def read_numbering(parent, dest, XPath, get):
-    lvl = num_id = None
+    lvl = num_id = inherit
     for np in XPath('./w:numPr')(parent):
         for ilvl in XPath('./w:ilvl[@w:val]')(np):
             try:
@@ -246,8 +246,8 @@ def read_numbering(parent, dest, XPath, get):
                 pass
         for num in XPath('./w:numId[@w:val]')(np):
             num_id = get(num, 'w:val')
-    val = (num_id, lvl) if num_id is not None or lvl is not None else inherit
-    setattr(dest, 'numbering', val)
+    setattr(dest, 'numbering_id', num_id)
+    setattr(dest, 'numbering_level', lvl)
 
 
 class Frame(object):
@@ -355,7 +355,7 @@ class ParagraphStyle(object):
 
         # Misc.
         'text_indent', 'text_align', 'line_height', 'background_color',
-        'numbering', 'font_family', 'font_size', 'color', 'frame',
+        'numbering_id', 'numbering_level', 'font_family', 'font_size', 'color', 'frame',
         'cs_font_size', 'cs_font_family',
     )
 
diff --git a/src/calibre/ebooks/docx/styles.py b/src/calibre/ebooks/docx/styles.py
index 187c788fa0..bf2eb930f1 100644
--- a/src/calibre/ebooks/docx/styles.py
+++ b/src/calibre/ebooks/docx/styles.py
@@ -248,22 +248,24 @@ class Styles(object):
                 if default_para.character_style is not None:
                     self.para_char_cache[p] = default_para.character_style
 
-            is_numbering = direct_formatting.numbering is not inherit
+            def has_numbering(block_style):
+                num_id, lvl = getattr(block_style, 'numbering_id', inherit), getattr(block_style, 'numbering_level', inherit)
+                return num_id is not None and num_id is not inherit and lvl is not None and lvl is not inherit
+
+            is_numbering = has_numbering(direct_formatting)
             is_section_break = is_section_break and not self.namespace.XPath('./w:r')(p)
+
             if is_numbering and not is_section_break:
-                num_id, lvl = direct_formatting.numbering
-                if num_id is not None:
-                    p.set('calibre_num_id', '%s:%s' % (lvl, num_id))
-                if num_id is not None and lvl is not None:
-                    ps = self.numbering.get_para_style(num_id, lvl)
-                    if ps is not None:
-                        parent_styles.append(ps)
+                num_id, lvl = direct_formatting.numbering_id, direct_formatting.numbering_level
+                p.set('calibre_num_id', '%s:%s' % (lvl, num_id))
+                ps = self.numbering.get_para_style(num_id, lvl)
+                if ps is not None:
+                    parent_styles.append(ps)
             if (
-                    not is_numbering and not is_section_break and linked_style is not None and getattr(
-                        linked_style.paragraph_style, 'numbering', inherit) is not inherit):
-                num_id, lvl = linked_style.paragraph_style.numbering
-                if num_id is not None:
-                    p.set('calibre_num_id', '%s:%s' % (lvl, num_id))
+                not is_numbering and not is_section_break and linked_style is not None and has_numbering(linked_style.paragraph_style)
+            ):
+                num_id, lvl = linked_style.paragraph_style.numbering_id, linked_style.paragraph_style.numbering_level
+                p.set('calibre_num_id', '%s:%s' % (lvl, num_id))
                 is_numbering = True
                 ps = self.numbering.get_para_style(num_id, lvl)
                 if ps is not None:
@@ -395,12 +397,12 @@ class Styles(object):
         self.numbering = numbering
         for style in self:
             ps = style.paragraph_style
-            if ps is not None and ps.numbering is not inherit:
-                lvl = numbering.get_pstyle(ps.numbering[0], style.style_id)
+            if ps is not None and ps.numbering_id is not inherit:
+                lvl = numbering.get_pstyle(ps.numbering_id, style.style_id)
                 if lvl is None:
-                    ps.numbering = inherit
+                    ps.numbering_id = ps.numbering_level = inherit
                 else:
-                    ps.numbering = (ps.numbering[0], lvl)
+                    ps.numbering_level = lvl
 
     def apply_contextual_spacing(self, paras):
         last_para = None