diff --git a/rest_framework_xml/parsers.py b/rest_framework_xml/parsers.py
index 5454356..48b54a5 100644
--- a/rest_framework_xml/parsers.py
+++ b/rest_framework_xml/parsers.py
@@ -72,6 +72,9 @@ def _type_convert(self, value):
         except ValueError:
             pass
 
+        if value.startswith('0'):
+            return value
+
         try:
             return int(value)
         except ValueError:
diff --git a/tests/test_parsers.py b/tests/test_parsers.py
index 38618a8..5100cc7 100644
--- a/tests/test_parsers.py
+++ b/tests/test_parsers.py
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 from __future__ import unicode_literals
 import datetime
 
-
+from decimal import Decimal
 from django.test import TestCase
 from django.test.utils import skipUnless
 from django.utils.six.moves import StringIO
@@ -19,13 +19,17 @@ def setUp(self):
             '<field_b>dasd</field_b>'
             '<field_c></field_c>'
             '<field_d>2011-12-25 12:45:00</field_d>'
+            '<field_e>121.1</field_e>'
+            '<field_f>0001</field_f>'
             '</root>'
         )
         self._data = {
             'field_a': 121,
             'field_b': 'dasd',
             'field_c': None,
-            'field_d': datetime.datetime(2011, 12, 25, 12, 45, 00)
+            'field_d': datetime.datetime(2011, 12, 25, 12, 45, 00),
+            'field_e': Decimal('121.1'),
+            'field_f': '0001',
         }
         self._complex_data_input = StringIO(
             '<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>'
diff --git a/tests/test_renderers.py b/tests/test_renderers.py
index 4168868..3111b7d 100644
--- a/tests/test_renderers.py
+++ b/tests/test_renderers.py
@@ -38,8 +38,9 @@ def test_render_string(self):
         Test XML rendering.
         """
         renderer = XMLRenderer()
-        content = renderer.render({'field': 'astring'}, 'application/xml')
+        content = renderer.render({'field': 'astring', 'field_b': '0001'}, 'application/xml')
         self.assertXMLContains(content, '<field>astring</field>')
+        self.assertXMLContains(content, '<field_b>0001</field_b>')
 
     def test_render_integer(self):
         """