diff --git a/src/ansiblelint/yaml_utils.py b/src/ansiblelint/yaml_utils.py
index 6a479211bea..3fe5b8d58a6 100644
--- a/src/ansiblelint/yaml_utils.py
+++ b/src/ansiblelint/yaml_utils.py
@@ -642,14 +642,26 @@ def choose_scalar_style(self) -> Any:
             and self.event.value.startswith("0")
             and len(self.event.value) > 1
         ):
+            # We have an as-yet unquoted token that starts with "0" (but is not itself the digit 0).
+            # It could be:
+            # - hexadecimal like "0xF1" or ; comes tagged as int. Should continue unquoted to continue as an int.
+            # - octal like "0666" or "0o755"; comes tagged as str. **Should** be quoted to be cross-YAML compatible.
+            # - string like "0.0.0.0" and "00-header". Should not be quoted, unless it has a quote in it.
+
             if self.event.tag == "tag:yaml.org,2002:int" and self.event.implicit[0]:
                 if self.event.value.startswith("0x"):
+                    # hexadecimal
                     self.event.tag = "tag:yaml.org,2002:str"
                     return ""
-                # ensures that "0123" string does not lose its quoting
+            try:
+                int(self.event.value, 8)
+                # octal
                 self.event.tag = "tag:yaml.org,2002:str"
                 self.event.implicit = (True, True, True)
-            return '"'
+                return '"'
+            except ValueError:
+                pass
+                # fallthrough to string
         if style != "'":
             # block scalar, double quoted, etc.
             return style
diff --git a/test/fixtures/formatting-after/fmt-2.yml b/test/fixtures/formatting-after/fmt-2.yml
index a162721772b..3601acc225f 100644
--- a/test/fixtures/formatting-after/fmt-2.yml
+++ b/test/fixtures/formatting-after/fmt-2.yml
@@ -22,3 +22,10 @@
     - 10
     - 9999
   zero: 0 # Not an octal. See #2071
+
+- string:
+    - 0steps
+    - 9steps
+    - 0.0.0.0
+    - "0"
+    - "01234"
diff --git a/test/fixtures/formatting-before/fmt-2.yml b/test/fixtures/formatting-before/fmt-2.yml
index 294166327ca..dbfb7774139 100644
--- a/test/fixtures/formatting-before/fmt-2.yml
+++ b/test/fixtures/formatting-before/fmt-2.yml
@@ -22,3 +22,10 @@
     - 10
     - 9999
     zero: 0  # Not an octal. See #2071
+
+  - string:
+    - 0steps
+    - 9steps
+    - 0.0.0.0
+    - "0"
+    - "01234"
diff --git a/test/fixtures/formatting-prettier/fmt-2.yml b/test/fixtures/formatting-prettier/fmt-2.yml
index 90ac484e322..037c9dd73b8 100644
--- a/test/fixtures/formatting-prettier/fmt-2.yml
+++ b/test/fixtures/formatting-prettier/fmt-2.yml
@@ -22,3 +22,10 @@
     - 10
     - 9999
   zero: 0 # Not an octal. See #2071
+
+- string:
+    - 0steps
+    - 9steps
+    - 0.0.0.0
+    - "0"
+    - "01234"