diff --git a/ext/dash/gstmpdparser.c b/ext/dash/gstmpdparser.c
index ed539021df..7279d728f4 100644
--- a/ext/dash/gstmpdparser.c
+++ b/ext/dash/gstmpdparser.c
@@ -2968,16 +2968,19 @@ validate_format (const gchar * format)
     return FALSE;
   p++;
 
-  /* Following the % must be a 0, or any of d, x or u.
+  /* the spec mandates a format like %0[width]d
+     But we also accept %d, because it doesn't hurt us
+   */
+  /* Following the %, if we have a number, it must start with 0 */
+  if (g_ascii_isdigit (p[0]) && p[0] != '0')
+    return FALSE;
+
+  /* Following the % must be a number, or any of d, x or u.
    * x and u are not part of the spec, but don't hurt us
    */
-  if (p[0] == '0') {
+  while (g_ascii_isdigit (*p))
     p++;
 
-    while (g_ascii_isdigit (*p))
-      p++;
-  }
-
   /* After any 0 and alphanumeric values, there must be
    * an d, x or u.
    */
diff --git a/tests/check/elements/dash_mpd.c b/tests/check/elements/dash_mpd.c
index 2ca398b49b..ad6694cb3b 100644
--- a/tests/check/elements/dash_mpd.c
+++ b/tests/check/elements/dash_mpd.c
@@ -2488,10 +2488,13 @@ GST_START_TEST (dash_mpdparser_template_parsing)
     {"TestMedia$Bandwidth$$$test", "TestMedia2500$test"},       /* Bandwidth identifier */
     {"TestMedia$Time$", "TestMedia100"},        /* Time identifier */
     {"TestMedia$Time", NULL},   /* Identifier not finished with $ */
+    {"Time$Time%d$", "Time100"},        /* usage of %d (no width) */
     {"Time$Time%0d$", "Time100"},       /* usage of format smaller than number of digits */
     {"Time$Time%01d$", "Time100"},      /* usage of format smaller than number of digits */
     {"Time$Time%05d$", "Time00100"},    /* usage of format bigger than number of digits */
     {"Time$Time%05dtest$", "Time00100test"},    /* usage extra text in format */
+    {"Time$Time%3d$", NULL},    /* incorrect format: width does not start with 0 */
+    {"Time$Time%0-4d$", NULL},  /* incorrect format: width is not a number */
     {"Time$Time%0$", NULL},     /* incorrect format: no d, x or u */
     {"Time$Time1%01d$", NULL},  /* incorrect format: does not start with % after identifier */
     {"$Bandwidth%/init.mp4v", NULL},    /* incorrect identifier: not finished with $ */