diff --git a/lib/URI/_server.pm b/lib/URI/_server.pm
index b58bfc1..1056152 100644
--- a/lib/URI/_server.pm
+++ b/lib/URI/_server.pm
@@ -156,10 +156,14 @@ sub canonical
     my $uc_host = $host =~ /[A-Z]/;
     my $def_port = defined($port) && ($port eq "" ||
                                       $port == $self->default_port);
-    if ($uc_host || $def_port) {
+    # Normalize port by stripping leading zeros (but not if it's a default port that will be removed)
+    # Only normalize if port starts with 0 followed by another digit (e.g., 08080, 080, 00443)
+    my $norm_port = !$def_port && defined($port) && $port ne "" && $port =~ /^0\d/;
+    if ($uc_host || $def_port || $norm_port) {
 	$other = $other->clone if $other == $self;
 	$other->host(lc $host) if $uc_host;
 	$other->port(undef)    if $def_port;
+	$other->_port(int($port)) if $norm_port;
     }
     $other;
 }
diff --git a/t/port-leading-zeros.t b/t/port-leading-zeros.t
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b27fc01
--- /dev/null
+++ b/t/port-leading-zeros.t
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+use strict;
+use warnings;
+
+use Test::More tests => 15;
+
+use URI ();
+
+# Test leading zeros in non-default ports are stripped in canonical form
+my $u = URI->new('http://xyz:08080');
+is($u->canonical->port, 8080, 'Leading zero stripped from port 08080');
+is($u->canonical, 'http://xyz:8080/', 'Canonical URI has normalized port 8080');
+
+# Test leading zeros in default HTTP port (80)
+$u = URI->new('http://xyz:080');
+is($u->canonical->port, 80, 'Default port 080 normalized to 80');
+is($u->canonical, 'http://xyz/', 'Default port 80 removed from canonical URI');
+
+# Test leading zeros in default HTTPS port (443)
+$u = URI->new('https://xyz:0443');
+is($u->canonical->port, 443, 'Default port 0443 normalized to 443');
+is($u->canonical, 'https://xyz/', 'Default port 443 removed from canonical URI');
+
+# Test multiple leading zeros
+$u = URI->new('http://xyz:00443');
+is($u->canonical->port, 443, 'Multiple leading zeros stripped from port 00443');
+is($u->canonical, 'http://xyz:443/', 'Canonical URI has normalized port 443');
+
+# Test port with single leading zero
+$u = URI->new('http://xyz:01234');
+is($u->canonical->port, 1234, 'Single leading zero stripped from port 01234');
+is($u->canonical, 'http://xyz:1234/', 'Canonical URI has normalized port 1234');
+
+# Test that regular ports without leading zeros are unchanged
+$u = URI->new('http://xyz:8080');
+is($u->canonical->port, 8080, 'Port 8080 without leading zeros unchanged');
+is($u->canonical, 'http://xyz:8080/', 'Canonical URI with port 8080 unchanged');
+
+# Test port 0 (edge case)
+$u = URI->new('http://xyz:0');
+is($u->canonical->port, 0, 'Port 0 normalized correctly');
+
+# Test FTP with leading zeros on default port
+$u = URI->new('ftp://xyz:021');
+is($u->canonical->port, 21, 'FTP default port 021 normalized to 21');
+is($u->canonical, 'ftp://xyz', 'FTP default port 21 removed from canonical URI');