diff --git a/lib/mini_defender/rules/integer.rb b/lib/mini_defender/rules/integer.rb
index cdafb72..a1ecc9e 100644
--- a/lib/mini_defender/rules/integer.rb
+++ b/lib/mini_defender/rules/integer.rb
@@ -54,9 +54,10 @@ def passes?(attribute, value, validator)
     end
 
     # Remove leading zero so Integer will not treat it as octal
+    # Handle leading zeros while preserving both + and - signs
     value = value
       .to_s
-      .gsub(/^0+/, '')
+      .gsub(/^([+-])?0+(?=\d)/, '\1')
 
     if @mode == 'relaxed'
       value = normalize_digits(value)
diff --git a/test/rules/integer_test.rb b/test/rules/integer_test.rb
index bd63eda..69dec60 100644
--- a/test/rules/integer_test.rb
+++ b/test/rules/integer_test.rb
@@ -62,4 +62,50 @@ def test_relaxed_passes_with_mixed_digits
   def test_passes_with_integer_with_leading_zero
     assert @rule_relax.passes?('amount', '08', nil)
   end
+
+  def test_passes_with_single_zero
+    assert @rule.passes?('amount', '0', nil)
+    assert_equal 0, @rule.coerce('0')
+  end
+
+  def test_passes_with_multiple_zeros
+    assert @rule.passes?('amount', '00', nil)
+    assert_equal 0, @rule.coerce('00')
+  end
+
+  # Test for leading zeros before other digits
+  def test_removes_leading_zeros_before_digits
+    assert @rule.passes?('amount', '01', nil)
+    assert_equal 1, @rule.coerce('01')
+
+    assert @rule.passes?('amount', '0123', nil)
+    assert_equal 123, @rule.coerce('0123')
+
+    assert @rule.passes?('amount', '00123', nil)
+    assert_equal 123, @rule.coerce('00123')
+  end
+
+  def test_handles_zeros_with_whitespace
+    assert @rule.passes?('amount', ' 0 ', nil)
+    assert_equal 0, @rule.coerce(' 0 ')
+
+    assert @rule.passes?('amount', ' 00 ', nil)
+    assert_equal 0, @rule.coerce(' 00 ')
+  end
+
+  def test_handles_negative_numbers_with_leading_zeros
+    assert @rule.passes?('amount', '-001', nil)
+    assert_equal(-1, @rule.coerce('-001'))
+
+    assert @rule.passes?('amount', '-00123', nil)
+    assert_equal(-123, @rule.coerce('-00123'))
+  end
+
+  def test_handles_positve_numbers_with_leading_zeros
+    assert @rule.passes?('amount', '+001', nil)
+    assert_equal(1, @rule.coerce('+001'))
+
+    assert @rule.passes?('amount', '+00123', nil)
+    assert_equal(123, @rule.coerce('+00123'))
+  end
 end