diff --git a/test/test_config_ip.py b/test/test_config_ip.py
index b7d3010..581cbd2 100644
--- a/test/test_config_ip.py
+++ b/test/test_config_ip.py
@@ -21,6 +21,11 @@ def test_ip():
     c.b = '0.0.0.0'
     raises(ValueError, "c.b = '255.255.255.0'")
 
+    raises(ValueError, "IPOption('a', 'ip', default='192.000.023.01')")
+    d = IPOption('a', 'ip', default='192.0.23.1')
+    od = OptionDescription('od', '', [d])
+    c = Config(od)
+    raises(ValueError, "c.a = '192.000.023.01'")
 
 def test_ip_default():
     a = IPOption('a', '', '88.88.88.88')
diff --git a/tiramisu/option.py b/tiramisu/option.py
index 88da41a..7cdf0a4 100644
--- a/tiramisu/option.py
+++ b/tiramisu/option.py
@@ -786,6 +786,12 @@ class IPOption(Option):
                                        warnings_only=warnings_only)
 
     def _validate(self, value):
+        # sometimes an ip term starts with a zero
+        # but this does not fit in some case, for example bind does not like it
+        for val in value.split('.'):
+            if val.startswith("0") and len(val)>1:
+                raise ValueError(_('invalid IP'))
+        # 'standard' validation
         try:
             IP('{0}/32'.format(value))
         except ValueError: