diff --git a/lib/symbols b/lib/symbols
index d8812d2ff9..a0b47d8763 100644
--- a/lib/symbols
+++ b/lib/symbols
@@ -679,6 +679,20 @@ RIGHTCIRCLE        wasy          72  0 x        x
 #LEFTcircle {\hbox to 0pt{\wasyfamily\char71\hss}\hbox{\wasyfamily\char35}}
 #RIGHTcircle{\hbox to 0pt{\wasyfamily\char72\hss}\hbox{\wasyfamily\char35}}
 
+# Defined by amsmath.sty
+
+varGamma           cmm         161  0  mathord  x  amsmath
+varDelta           cmm         162  0  mathord  x  amsmath
+varTheta           cmm         163  0  mathord  x  amsmath
+varLambda          cmm         164  0  mathord  x  amsmath
+varXi              cmm         165  0  mathord  x  amsmath
+varPi              cmm         166  0  mathord  x  amsmath
+varSigma           cmm         167  0  mathord  x  amsmath
+varUpsilon         cmm         168  0  mathord  x  amsmath
+varPhi             cmm         169  0  mathord  x  amsmath
+varPsi             cmm         170  0  mathord  x  amsmath
+varOmega           cmm         173  0  mathord  x  amsmath
+
 #
 # wasy astronomy
 #
diff --git a/src/mathed/InsetMathSymbol.cpp b/src/mathed/InsetMathSymbol.cpp
index b152388ee0..5d8b27f778 100644
--- a/src/mathed/InsetMathSymbol.cpp
+++ b/src/mathed/InsetMathSymbol.cpp
@@ -60,8 +60,12 @@ void InsetMathSymbol::metrics(MetricsInfo & mi, Dimension & dim) const
 	//	<< "' drawn as: '" << sym_->draw
 	//	<< "'" << endl;
 
+	bool const italic_upcase_greek = sym_->inset == "cmr" &&
+					 sym_->extra == "mathalpha" &&
+					 mi.base.fontname == "mathit";
+	docstring const font = italic_upcase_greek ? from_ascii("cmm") : sym_->inset;
 	int const em = mathed_char_width(mi.base.font, 'M');
-	FontSetChanger dummy(mi.base, sym_->inset);
+	FontSetChanger dummy(mi.base, font);
 	mathed_string_dim(mi.base.font, sym_->draw, dim);
 	docstring::const_reverse_iterator rit = sym_->draw.rbegin();
 	kerning_ = mathed_char_kerning(mi.base.font, *rit);
@@ -91,13 +95,18 @@ void InsetMathSymbol::draw(PainterInfo & pi, int x, int y) const
 	//	<< "' in font: '" << sym_->inset
 	//	<< "' drawn as: '" << sym_->draw
 	//	<< "'" << endl;
+
+	bool const italic_upcase_greek = sym_->inset == "cmr" &&
+					 sym_->extra == "mathalpha" &&
+					 pi.base.fontname == "mathit";
+	docstring const font = italic_upcase_greek ? from_ascii("cmm") : sym_->inset;
 	int const em = mathed_char_width(pi.base.font, 'M');
 	if (isRelOp())
 		x += static_cast<int>(0.25*em+0.5);
 	else
 		x += static_cast<int>(0.0833*em+0.5);
 
-	FontSetChanger dummy(pi.base, sym_->inset.c_str());
+	FontSetChanger dummy(pi.base, font);
 	pi.draw(x, y - h_, sym_->draw);
 }
 
diff --git a/status.16x b/status.16x
index fa0eb20d26..590d21e256 100644
--- a/status.16x
+++ b/status.16x
@@ -37,6 +37,9 @@ What's new
 
 - Allow Ctrl+Arrow to move between table cells (bug 1839).
 
+- Add support for showing on screen italic uppercase Greek letters,
+  either inserted in a \mathit inset or through AMS macros (bug 4606).
+
 
 * DOCUMENTATION AND LOCALIZATION