diff --git a/src/SignatureXAdES_B.cpp b/src/SignatureXAdES_B.cpp
index ace6ac43d..ca65b2fbe 100644
--- a/src/SignatureXAdES_B.cpp
+++ b/src/SignatureXAdES_B.cpp
@@ -154,10 +154,11 @@ int initXmlSecCallback()
                 return {};
             }
 
-            auto find = [name](auto files) -> const DataFile* {
+            string uriName = File::fromUriPath(name);
+            auto find = [&uriName](auto files) -> const DataFile* {
                 for(const DataFile *file: files)
                 {
-                    if(file->fileName() == name)
+                    if(file->fileName() == uriName)
                         return file;
                 }
                 return {};
@@ -506,10 +507,7 @@ void SignatureXAdES_B::validate(const string &policy) const
                 EXCEPTION_ADD(exception, "Reference '%.*s' ID  missing", int(uri.size()), uri.data());
             else
             {
-                string uriPath = File::fromUriPath(uri);
-                if(uriPath.front() == '/')
-                    uriPath.erase(0);
-                signatureref.emplace(uriPath, mimeinfo[string("#").append(ref["Id"])]);
+                signatureref.emplace(File::fromUriPath(uri), mimeinfo[string("#").append(ref["Id"])]);
             }
         }
         if(!signedInfoFound)
diff --git a/src/SignatureXAdES_LTA.cpp b/src/SignatureXAdES_LTA.cpp
index 33d341a8b..7c14acb48 100644
--- a/src/SignatureXAdES_LTA.cpp
+++ b/src/SignatureXAdES_LTA.cpp
@@ -54,9 +54,6 @@ void SignatureXAdES_LTA::calcArchiveDigest(const Digest &digest, string_view can
         }
 
         string uriPath = File::fromUriPath(uri);
-        if(uriPath.front() == '/')
-            uriPath.erase(0);
-
         auto files = bdoc->dataFiles();
         auto file = find_if(files.cbegin(), files.cend(), [&uriPath](DataFile *file) {
             return file->fileName() == uriPath;
diff --git a/src/util/File.cpp b/src/util/File.cpp
index 4f0f31a4b..0ea70c3cd 100644
--- a/src/util/File.cpp
+++ b/src/util/File.cpp
@@ -336,6 +336,8 @@ constexpr bool fromHexChar(auto pos, auto end, auto &value)
 
 string File::fromUriPath(string_view path)
 {
+    if(!path.empty() && path.front() == '/')
+        path.remove_prefix(1);
     string ret;
     ret.reserve(path.size());
     uint8_t value = 0;
diff --git a/test/data/test-leading-slash-uri.asice b/test/data/test-leading-slash-uri.asice
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..4a1286a7d
Binary files /dev/null and b/test/data/test-leading-slash-uri.asice differ
diff --git a/test/libdigidocpp_boost.cpp b/test/libdigidocpp_boost.cpp
index 9b0d9674a..84c756203 100644
--- a/test/libdigidocpp_boost.cpp
+++ b/test/libdigidocpp_boost.cpp
@@ -573,6 +573,18 @@ BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(manifest_data_file_dot_and_empty_paths_are_rejected)
     BOOST_CHECK_THROW(Container::openPtr("dot.asice"), Exception);
     BOOST_CHECK_THROW(Container::openPtr("pt-empty.asice"), Exception);
 }
+
+BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(LeadingSlashReferenceURI)
+{
+    // Container signed with URI="/test1.txt" (leading slash).
+    // Without the erase(0,1) fix the reference path is erased to "",
+    // failing to match the DataFile and throwing during validate().
+    auto d = Container::openPtr("test-leading-slash-uri.asice");
+    BOOST_REQUIRE_EQUAL(d->dataFiles().size(), 1U);
+    BOOST_REQUIRE_EQUAL(d->signatures().size(), 1U);
+    BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(d->dataFiles().front()->fileName(), "test1.txt");
+    BOOST_CHECK_NO_THROW(d->signatures().front()->validate());
+}
 BOOST_AUTO_TEST_SUITE_END()
 
 BOOST_AUTO_TEST_SUITE(ASiCSTestSuite)