diff --git a/django/forms/fields.py b/django/forms/fields.py
index 836cd5d33c..ccb54d8b32 100644
--- a/django/forms/fields.py
+++ b/django/forms/fields.py
@@ -254,12 +254,12 @@ class DecimalField(Field):
         decimals = abs(exponent)
         # digittuple doesn't include any leading zeros.
         digits = len(digittuple)
-        if decimals >= digits:
+        if decimals > digits:
             # We have leading zeros up to or past the decimal point.  Count
-            # everything past the decimal point as a digit.  We also add one
-            # for leading zeros before the decimal point (any number of leading
-            # whole zeros collapse to one digit).
-            digits = decimals + 1
+            # everything past the decimal point as a digit.  We do not count 
+            # 0 before the decimal point as a digit since that would mean 
+            # we would not allow max_digits = decimal_places.
+            digits = decimals
         whole_digits = digits - decimals
 
         if self.max_value is not None and value > self.max_value:
diff --git a/tests/regressiontests/forms/fields.py b/tests/regressiontests/forms/fields.py
index f31ea6fa20..1b5d7a3b68 100644
--- a/tests/regressiontests/forms/fields.py
+++ b/tests/regressiontests/forms/fields.py
@@ -366,7 +366,7 @@ True
 Traceback (most recent call last):
 ...
 ValidationError: [u'Ensure that there are no more than 2 decimal places.']
->>> f.clean('-000.1234')
+>>> f.clean('-000.12345')
 Traceback (most recent call last):
 ...
 ValidationError: [u'Ensure that there are no more than 4 digits in total.']
@@ -416,19 +416,20 @@ ValidationError: [u'Ensure that there are no more than 2 decimal places.']
 # Leading whole zeros "collapse" to one digit.
 >>> f.clean('0000000.10') == Decimal("0.1")
 True
->>> f.clean('0000000.100')
-Traceback (most recent call last):
-...
-ValidationError: [u'Ensure that there are no more than 3 digits in total.']
+
+# But a leading 0 before the . doesn't count towards max_digits
+>>> f.clean('0000000.100') == Decimal("0.100")
+True
 
 # Only leading whole zeros "collapse" to one digit.
 >>> f.clean('000000.02') == Decimal('0.02')
 True
->>> f.clean('000000.002')
+>>> f.clean('000000.0002')
 Traceback (most recent call last):
 ...
 ValidationError: [u'Ensure that there are no more than 3 digits in total.']
-
+>>> f.clean('.002') == Decimal("0.002")
+True
 
 # DateField ###################################################################