diff --git a/esphome/components/light/addressable_light_effect.h b/esphome/components/light/addressable_light_effect.h
index 7c66358f2d..53206160c6 100644
--- a/esphome/components/light/addressable_light_effect.h
+++ b/esphome/components/light/addressable_light_effect.h
@@ -143,6 +143,7 @@ class AddressableScanEffect : public AddressableLightEffect {
  public:
   explicit AddressableScanEffect(const std::string &name) : AddressableLightEffect(name) {}
   void set_move_interval(uint32_t move_interval) { this->move_interval_ = move_interval; }
+  void set_scan_length(uint32_t scan_length) { this->scan_length_ = scan_length; }
   void apply(AddressableLight &it, const ESPColor &current_color) override {
     it.all() = ESPColor::BLACK;
 
@@ -168,7 +169,7 @@ class AddressableScanEffect : public AddressableLightEffect {
 
  protected:
   uint32_t move_interval_{};
-  uint32_t scan_length_{10};
+  uint32_t scan_length_{1};
   uint32_t last_move_{0};
   int at_led_{0};
   bool direction_{true};
diff --git a/esphome/components/light/effects.py b/esphome/components/light/effects.py
index a78165fb8a..62e1a87fc9 100644
--- a/esphome/components/light/effects.py
+++ b/esphome/components/light/effects.py
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ from .types import LambdaLightEffect, RandomLightEffect, StrobeLightEffect, \
 CONF_ADD_LED_INTERVAL = 'add_led_interval'
 CONF_REVERSE = 'reverse'
 CONF_MOVE_INTERVAL = 'move_interval'
+CONF_SCAN_LENGTH = 'scan_length'
 CONF_TWINKLE_PROBABILITY = 'twinkle_probability'
 CONF_PROGRESS_INTERVAL = 'progress_interval'
 CONF_SPARK_PROBABILITY = 'spark_probability'
@@ -179,10 +180,12 @@ def addressable_color_wipe_effect_to_code(config, effect_id):
 
 @register_effect('addressable_scan', AddressableScanEffect, "Scan", {
     cv.Optional(CONF_MOVE_INTERVAL, default='0.1s'): cv.positive_time_period_milliseconds,
+    cv.Optional(CONF_SCAN_LENGTH, default=1): cv.All(cv.uint32_t, cv.Range(min=1))
 })
 def addressable_scan_effect_to_code(config, effect_id):
     var = cg.new_Pvariable(effect_id, config[CONF_NAME])
     cg.add(var.set_move_interval(config[CONF_MOVE_INTERVAL]))
+    cg.add(var.set_scan_length(config[CONF_SCAN_LENGTH]))
     yield var