diff --git a/esphome/components/teleinfo/sensor/teleinfo_sensor.cpp b/esphome/components/teleinfo/sensor/teleinfo_sensor.cpp
index 443d4be8a10..6929f587d10 100644
--- a/esphome/components/teleinfo/sensor/teleinfo_sensor.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/teleinfo/sensor/teleinfo_sensor.cpp
@@ -6,8 +6,13 @@ namespace esphome::teleinfo {
 ESPHOME_LOG_TAG(TAG, "teleinfo_sensor");
 TeleInfoSensor::TeleInfoSensor(const char *tag) { this->tag = std::string(tag); }
 void TeleInfoSensor::publish_val(const std::string &val) {
-  auto newval = parse_number<float>(val).value_or(0.0f);
-  publish_state(newval);
+  auto newval = parse_number<float>(val);
+  if (!newval.has_value()) {
+    // Publishing 0 instead would look like a meter reset to total_increasing energy sensors
+    ESP_LOGW(TAG, "Value '%s' for tag %s is not a number", val.c_str(), this->tag.c_str());
+    return;
+  }
+  this->publish_state(*newval);
 }
 void TeleInfoSensor::dump_config() { LOG_SENSOR("  ", "Teleinfo Sensor", this); }
 }  // namespace esphome::teleinfo
diff --git a/tests/components/teleinfo/__init__.py b/tests/components/teleinfo/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..5f1db440600
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/components/teleinfo/__init__.py
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+from esphome.types import ConfigType
+from tests.testing_helpers import ComponentManifestOverride
+
+
+def override_manifest(manifest: ComponentManifestOverride) -> None:
+    # teleinfo.h includes uart.h; the hub's own to_code needs a configured UART bus.
+    async def to_code_testing(config: ConfigType) -> None:
+        pass
+
+    manifest.to_code = to_code_testing
+    manifest.dependencies = manifest.dependencies + ["uart"]
diff --git a/tests/components/teleinfo/sensor/__init__.py b/tests/components/teleinfo/sensor/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..cfaaf8d96bd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/components/teleinfo/sensor/__init__.py
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+from esphome.types import ConfigType
+from tests.testing_helpers import ComponentManifestOverride
+
+
+def override_manifest(manifest: ComponentManifestOverride) -> None:
+    # The platform's own to_code needs a configured hub; the sensor class is built directly.
+    async def to_code_testing(config: ConfigType) -> None:
+        pass
+
+    manifest.to_code = to_code_testing
diff --git a/tests/components/teleinfo/teleinfo_sensor_test.cpp b/tests/components/teleinfo/teleinfo_sensor_test.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..9b86fd61879
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/components/teleinfo/teleinfo_sensor_test.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+#include <gtest/gtest.h>
+
+#include <cmath>
+
+#include "esphome/components/teleinfo/sensor/teleinfo_sensor.h"
+
+namespace esphome::teleinfo::testing {
+
+namespace {
+class TeleInfoSensorTest : public ::testing::Test {
+ protected:
+  void SetUp() override {
+    this->sensor_.add_on_state_callback([this](float state) {
+      this->publishes_++;
+      this->last_ = state;
+    });
+  }
+
+  TeleInfoSensor sensor_{"EAST"};
+  int publishes_{0};
+  float last_{NAN};
+};
+}  // namespace
+
+TEST_F(TeleInfoSensorTest, PublishesZeroPaddedNumber) {
+  this->sensor_.publish_val("000012345");
+  EXPECT_EQ(this->publishes_, 1);
+  EXPECT_FLOAT_EQ(this->last_, 12345.0f);
+}
+
+TEST_F(TeleInfoSensorTest, PublishesRealZero) {
+  this->sensor_.publish_val("000000000");
+  EXPECT_EQ(this->publishes_, 1);
+  EXPECT_FLOAT_EQ(this->last_, 0.0f);
+}
+
+// A value that is not a number must be dropped: publishing 0 would look like a meter reset
+TEST_F(TeleInfoSensorTest, SkipsValueThatIsNotANumber) {
+  this->sensor_.publish_val("000012345");
+  this->sensor_.publish_val("0000l2345");
+  this->sensor_.publish_val("H081225223518");
+  EXPECT_EQ(this->publishes_, 1);
+  EXPECT_FLOAT_EQ(this->last_, 12345.0f);
+  EXPECT_FLOAT_EQ(this->sensor_.get_state(), 12345.0f);
+}
+
+}  // namespace esphome::teleinfo::testing