diff --git a/src/fmt/fmt_test.go b/src/fmt/fmt_test.go
index 6a79862f28..3f82fb6814 100644
--- a/src/fmt/fmt_test.go
+++ b/src/fmt/fmt_test.go
@@ -304,8 +304,8 @@ var fmtTests = []struct {
 	{"%2s", []byte("\u263a"), " ☺"},
 	{"%-5s", "abc", "abc  "},
 	{"%-5s", []byte("abc"), "abc  "},
-	{"%05s", "abc", "00abc"},
-	{"%05s", []byte("abc"), "00abc"},
+	{"%05s", "abc", "  abc"},
+	{"%05s", []byte("abc"), "  abc"},
 	{"%5s", "abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz", "abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz"},
 	{"%5s", []byte("abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz"), "abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz"},
 	{"%.5s", "abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz", "abcde"},
diff --git a/src/fmt/print.go b/src/fmt/print.go
index cb393bd763..9596888854 100644
--- a/src/fmt/print.go
+++ b/src/fmt/print.go
@@ -703,6 +703,11 @@ func (p *pp) printArg(arg any, verb rune) {
 		return
 	}
 
+	// Bug fix: avoid padding strings with zeros. Issue 56486.
+	if verb == 's' {
+		p.fmt.zero = false
+	}
+
 	// Some types can be done without reflection.
 	switch f := arg.(type) {
 	case bool: