diff --git a/apps/portal/src/app/features/profile/components/AddressFormContent.tsx b/apps/portal/src/app/features/profile/components/AddressFormContent.tsx
index 46d73dd4e..bc2fbedb8 100644
--- a/apps/portal/src/app/features/profile/components/AddressFormContent.tsx
+++ b/apps/portal/src/app/features/profile/components/AddressFormContent.tsx
@@ -153,14 +153,16 @@ export function AddressFormContent({
           required
           readOnly
           value={watch('primaryPhoneNumber') || ''}
-          onChange={(val) => setValue('primaryPhoneNumber', val, { shouldValidate: true })}
+          onChange={(val) => setValue('primaryPhoneNumber', val, { shouldValidate: !!errors.primaryPhoneNumber })}
+          onBlur={() => trigger('primaryPhoneNumber')}
           error={errors.primaryPhoneNumber?.message}
         />
         <PhoneInput
           label={t('profileAddress.secondaryPhoneNumber')}
           placeholder={t('profileAddress.phonePlaceholder')}
           value={watch('secondaryPhoneNumber') || ''}
-          onChange={(val) => setValue('secondaryPhoneNumber', val, { shouldValidate: true })}
+          onChange={(val) => setValue('secondaryPhoneNumber', val, { shouldValidate: !!errors.secondaryPhoneNumber })}
+          onBlur={() => trigger('secondaryPhoneNumber')}
           error={errors.secondaryPhoneNumber?.message}
         />
         <TextInput
@@ -212,7 +214,8 @@ export function AddressFormContent({
           label={t('profileAddress.contactPhone')}
           placeholder={t('profileAddress.phonePlaceholder')}
           value={watch('emergencyContactPhone') || ''}
-          onChange={(val) => setValue('emergencyContactPhone', val, { shouldValidate: true })}
+          onChange={(val) => setValue('emergencyContactPhone', val, { shouldValidate: !!errors.emergencyContactPhone })}
+          onBlur={() => trigger('emergencyContactPhone')}
           error={errors.emergencyContactPhone?.message}
         />
         <TextInput
diff --git a/apps/portal/src/app/features/profile/pages/ProfilePage.tsx b/apps/portal/src/app/features/profile/pages/ProfilePage.tsx
index db3e8d9e4..ef0fe76e1 100644
--- a/apps/portal/src/app/features/profile/pages/ProfilePage.tsx
+++ b/apps/portal/src/app/features/profile/pages/ProfilePage.tsx
@@ -279,6 +279,7 @@ export function ProfilePage() {
     reset: resetPersonal,
     watch: watchPersonal,
     setValue: setValuePersonal,
+    trigger: triggerPersonal,
     formState: { errors: personalErrors },
   } = useForm<PersonalValues>({
     resolver: zodResolver(personalSchema),
@@ -673,7 +674,8 @@ export function ProfilePage() {
                     <PhoneInput
                       label={t('profile.fields.phone')}
                       value={watchPersonal('phoneNumber') || ''}
-                      onChange={(val) => setValuePersonal('phoneNumber', val, { shouldValidate: true })}
+                      onChange={(val) => setValuePersonal('phoneNumber', val, { shouldValidate: !!personalErrors.phoneNumber })}
+                      onBlur={() => triggerPersonal('phoneNumber')}
                       error={personalErrors.phoneNumber?.message}
                     />
                   </SimpleGrid>
diff --git a/libs/auth/src/lib/pages/SignupPage.tsx b/libs/auth/src/lib/pages/SignupPage.tsx
index a8e0e9a83..13b7bb132 100644
--- a/libs/auth/src/lib/pages/SignupPage.tsx
+++ b/libs/auth/src/lib/pages/SignupPage.tsx
@@ -111,6 +111,7 @@ export function SignupPage() {
     handleSubmit,
     watch,
     setValue,
+    trigger,
     formState: { errors },
   } = useForm<FormValues>({
     resolver: zodResolver(schema),
@@ -251,7 +252,8 @@ export function SignupPage() {
               label={t('signup.phoneLabel', 'Phone number')}
               placeholder={t('signup.phonePlaceholder', '9XX XXX XXX')}
               value={watch('phoneNumber') || ''}
-              onChange={(val) => setValue('phoneNumber', val, { shouldValidate: true })}
+              onChange={(val) => setValue('phoneNumber', val, { shouldValidate: !!errors.phoneNumber })}
+              onBlur={() => trigger('phoneNumber')}
               error={errors.phoneNumber?.message}
             />
 
diff --git a/libs/ui/src/lib/input/PhoneInput.tsx b/libs/ui/src/lib/input/PhoneInput.tsx
index fd0951221..0454f166d 100644
--- a/libs/ui/src/lib/input/PhoneInput.tsx
+++ b/libs/ui/src/lib/input/PhoneInput.tsx
@@ -46,6 +46,8 @@ export interface PhoneInputProps {
   /** E.164 (`+14155552671`), or '' when empty. */
   value: string;
   onChange: (value: string) => void;
+  /** Fired when the number box loses focus — wire to the form's `trigger`. */
+  onBlur?: () => void;
   label?: React.ReactNode;
   placeholder?: string;
   description?: React.ReactNode;
@@ -69,6 +71,7 @@ export interface PhoneInputProps {
 export function PhoneInput({
   value,
   onChange,
+  onBlur,
   label,
   placeholder,
   description,
@@ -119,8 +122,12 @@ export function PhoneInput({
   }
 
   function applyDigits(digits: string, forCountry: CountryCode) {
-    setNational(new AsYouType(forCountry).input(digits));
-    push(toE164(digits, forCountry));
+    // Once the digits parse, show the true national number: someone who
+    // types a trunk prefix (0911111111) or the country code (251911111111)
+    // shouldn't end up with it doubled beside the "+251" selector.
+    const parsed = parsePhoneNumberFromString(digits, forCountry);
+    setNational(new AsYouType(forCountry).input(parsed?.nationalNumber ?? digits));
+    push(parsed?.number ?? toE164(digits, forCountry));
   }
 
   function handleText(text: string) {
@@ -162,6 +169,7 @@ export function PhoneInput({
       placeholder={placeholder}
       value={national}
       onChange={(e) => handleText(e.currentTarget.value)}
+      onBlur={onBlur}
       leftSectionWidth={92}
       leftSectionPointerEvents={disabled || readOnly ? 'none' : 'all'}
       leftSection={
diff --git a/libs/ui/src/lib/input/phone.spec.ts b/libs/ui/src/lib/input/phone.spec.ts
index 6cbf30ff5..f46f39712 100644
--- a/libs/ui/src/lib/input/phone.spec.ts
+++ b/libs/ui/src/lib/input/phone.spec.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import { describe, expect, it } from 'vitest';
 import { nextNationalDigits, optionalPhoneNumber, phoneNumber, toE164, toNationalDigits } from './phone';
-import { AsYouType } from 'libphonenumber-js';
+import { AsYouType, parsePhoneNumberFromString } from 'libphonenumber-js';
 
 describe('phoneNumber', () => {
   it('normalizes a legacy Ethiopian national number to E.164', () => {
@@ -69,3 +69,25 @@ describe('typing helpers', () => {
     expect(toE164('', 'ET')).toBe('');
   });
 });
+
+describe('trunk prefix and country code entered into the number box', () => {
+  // The box holds the national part next to a "+251" selector, so a trunk 0
+  // or a typed country code must be absorbed, not shown (and doubled) there.
+  const cases: Array<[string, string]> = [
+    ['0911111111', '911111111'],
+    ['251911111111', '911111111'],
+    ['911111111', '911111111'],
+  ];
+  it.each(cases)('normalizes %s to the national number %s', (typed, national) => {
+    const parsed = parsePhoneNumberFromString(typed.replace(/\D/g, ''), 'ET');
+    expect(parsed?.nationalNumber).toBe(national);
+  });
+
+  it.each(cases)('yields a valid E.164 value for %s', (typed) => {
+    expect(phoneNumber.parse(typed)).toBe('+251911111111');
+  });
+
+  it('accepts a pasted +251 number', () => {
+    expect(phoneNumber.parse('+251911666666')).toBe('+251911666666');
+  });
+});