diff --git a/evennia/commands/default/building.py b/evennia/commands/default/building.py
index 2b0b14ffc3..5ce0f44d12 100644
--- a/evennia/commands/default/building.py
+++ b/evennia/commands/default/building.py
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@ __all__ = (
 
 # used by set
 from ast import literal_eval as _LITERAL_EVAL
+LIST_APPEND_CHAR = '+'
 
 # used by find
 CHAR_TYPECLASS = settings.BASE_CHARACTER_TYPECLASS
@@ -1648,7 +1649,9 @@ class CmdSetAttribute(ObjManipCommand):
             val = val.strip('[]')
             if val[0] in quotes:
                 return val.strip(quotes)
-
+            if val[0] == LIST_APPEND_CHAR:
+                # List insert/append syntax
+                return val
             try:
                 return int(val)
             except ValueError:
@@ -1720,7 +1723,7 @@ class CmdSetAttribute(ObjManipCommand):
                     # a key that starts with @ will insert a new item at that
                     # location, and move the other elements down.
                     # Just '@' will append to the list
-                    if isinstance(acc_key, str) and acc_key[0] == '@':
+                    if isinstance(acc_key, str) and acc_key[0] == LIST_APPEND_CHAR:
                         try:
                             if len(acc_key) > 1:
                                 where = int(acc_key[1:])
diff --git a/evennia/commands/default/tests.py b/evennia/commands/default/tests.py
index 7444ddb086..478633d8fe 100644
--- a/evennia/commands/default/tests.py
+++ b/evennia/commands/default/tests.py
@@ -553,9 +553,9 @@ class TestBuilding(CommandTest):
                   "Obj/test1[5] =", "Obj has no attribute 'test1[5]'.")
         # Append
         self.call(building.CmdSetAttribute(),
-                  "Obj/test1[@] = 42", "Modified attribute Obj/test1 = [2, 42]")
+                  "Obj/test1[+] = 42", "Modified attribute Obj/test1 = [2, 42]")
         self.call(building.CmdSetAttribute(),
-                  "Obj/test1[@0] = -1", "Modified attribute Obj/test1 = [-1, 2, 42]")
+                  "Obj/test1[+0] = -1", "Modified attribute Obj/test1 = [-1, 2, 42]")
 
         # dict - removing white space proves real parsing
         self.call(building.CmdSetAttribute(),
@@ -578,19 +578,19 @@ class TestBuilding(CommandTest):
         self.call(building.CmdSetAttribute(),
                   "Obj/test2['five'] =", "Obj has no attribute 'test2['five']'.")
         self.call(building.CmdSetAttribute(),
-                  "Obj/test2[@]=42", "Modified attribute Obj/test2 = {'one': 99, 'three': 3, '@': 42}")
+                  "Obj/test2[+]=42", "Modified attribute Obj/test2 = {'one': 99, 'three': 3, '+': 42}")
         self.call(building.CmdSetAttribute(),
-                  "Obj/test2[@1]=33",
-                  "Modified attribute Obj/test2 = {'one': 99, 'three': 3, '@': 42, '@1': 33}")
+                  "Obj/test2[+1]=33",
+                  "Modified attribute Obj/test2 = {'one': 99, 'three': 3, '+': 42, '+1': 33}")
 
         # tuple
         self.call(building.CmdSetAttribute(), "Obj/tup = (1,2)", "Created attribute Obj/tup = (1, 2)")
         self.call(building.CmdSetAttribute(),
                   "Obj/tup[1] = 99", "'tuple' object does not support item assignment - (1, 2)")
         self.call(building.CmdSetAttribute(),
-                  "Obj/tup[@] = 99", "'tuple' object does not support item assignment - (1, 2)")
+                  "Obj/tup[+] = 99", "'tuple' object does not support item assignment - (1, 2)")
         self.call(building.CmdSetAttribute(),
-                  "Obj/tup[@1] = 99", "'tuple' object does not support item assignment - (1, 2)")
+                  "Obj/tup[+1] = 99", "'tuple' object does not support item assignment - (1, 2)")
         self.call(building.CmdSetAttribute(),
                   # Special case for tuple, could have a better message
                   "Obj/tup[1] = ", "Obj has no attribute 'tup[1]'.")