diff --git a/esphome/components/pulse_meter/automation.h b/esphome/components/pulse_meter/automation.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..3112ded680
--- /dev/null
+++ b/esphome/components/pulse_meter/automation.h
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+#pragma once
+
+#include "esphome/core/component.h"
+#include "esphome/core/automation.h"
+#include "esphome/components/pulse_meter/pulse_meter_sensor.h"
+
+namespace esphome {
+
+namespace pulse_meter {
+
+template<typename... Ts> class SetTotalPulsesAction : public Action<Ts...> {
+ public:
+  SetTotalPulsesAction(PulseMeterSensor *pulse_meter) : pulse_meter_(pulse_meter) {}
+
+  TEMPLATABLE_VALUE(uint32_t, total_pulses)
+
+  void play(Ts... x) override { this->pulse_meter_->set_total_pulses(this->total_pulses_.value(x...)); }
+
+ protected:
+  PulseMeterSensor *pulse_meter_;
+};
+
+}  // namespace pulse_meter
+}  // namespace esphome
diff --git a/esphome/components/pulse_meter/pulse_meter_sensor.cpp b/esphome/components/pulse_meter/pulse_meter_sensor.cpp
index 8cf341c8a1..7728930ec1 100644
--- a/esphome/components/pulse_meter/pulse_meter_sensor.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/pulse_meter/pulse_meter_sensor.cpp
@@ -48,6 +48,8 @@ void PulseMeterSensor::loop() {
   }
 }
 
+void PulseMeterSensor::set_total_pulses(uint32_t pulses) { this->total_pulses_ = pulses; }
+
 void PulseMeterSensor::dump_config() {
   LOG_SENSOR("", "Pulse Meter", this);
   LOG_PIN("  Pin: ", this->pin_);
diff --git a/esphome/components/pulse_meter/pulse_meter_sensor.h b/esphome/components/pulse_meter/pulse_meter_sensor.h
index 7d3adbbbcb..d02cff6123 100644
--- a/esphome/components/pulse_meter/pulse_meter_sensor.h
+++ b/esphome/components/pulse_meter/pulse_meter_sensor.h
@@ -15,6 +15,8 @@ class PulseMeterSensor : public sensor::Sensor, public Component {
   void set_timeout_us(uint32_t timeout) { this->timeout_us_ = timeout; }
   void set_total_sensor(sensor::Sensor *sensor) { this->total_sensor_ = sensor; }
 
+  void set_total_pulses(uint32_t pulses);
+
   void setup() override;
   void loop() override;
   float get_setup_priority() const override { return setup_priority::DATA; }
diff --git a/esphome/components/pulse_meter/sensor.py b/esphome/components/pulse_meter/sensor.py
index 37827b735d..c7256b2987 100644
--- a/esphome/components/pulse_meter/sensor.py
+++ b/esphome/components/pulse_meter/sensor.py
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import esphome.codegen as cg
 import esphome.config_validation as cv
-from esphome import pins
+from esphome import automation, pins
 from esphome.components import sensor
 from esphome.const import (
     CONF_ID,
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ from esphome.const import (
     CONF_NUMBER,
     CONF_TIMEOUT,
     CONF_TOTAL,
+    CONF_VALUE,
     ICON_PULSE,
     UNIT_PULSES,
     UNIT_PULSES_PER_MINUTE,
@@ -24,6 +25,8 @@ PulseMeterSensor = pulse_meter_ns.class_(
     "PulseMeterSensor", sensor.Sensor, cg.Component
 )
 
+SetTotalPulsesAction = pulse_meter_ns.class_("SetTotalPulsesAction", automation.Action)
+
 
 def validate_internal_filter(value):
     return cv.positive_time_period_microseconds(value)
@@ -73,3 +76,21 @@ def to_code(config):
     if CONF_TOTAL in config:
         sens = yield sensor.new_sensor(config[CONF_TOTAL])
         cg.add(var.set_total_sensor(sens))
+
+
+@automation.register_action(
+    "pulse_meter.set_total_pulses",
+    SetTotalPulsesAction,
+    cv.Schema(
+        {
+            cv.Required(CONF_ID): cv.use_id(PulseMeterSensor),
+            cv.Required(CONF_VALUE): cv.templatable(cv.uint32_t),
+        }
+    ),
+)
+def set_total_action_to_code(config, action_id, template_arg, args):
+    paren = yield cg.get_variable(config[CONF_ID])
+    var = cg.new_Pvariable(action_id, template_arg, paren)
+    template_ = yield cg.templatable(config[CONF_VALUE], args, int)
+    cg.add(var.set_total_pulses(template_))
+    yield var
diff --git a/tests/test1.yaml b/tests/test1.yaml
index 885495b949..5695183f74 100644
--- a/tests/test1.yaml
+++ b/tests/test1.yaml
@@ -247,10 +247,10 @@ ble_client:
     id: ble_blah
     on_connect:
       then:
-       - switch.turn_on: ble1_status
+        - switch.turn_on: ble1_status
     on_disconnect:
       then:
-       - switch.turn_on: ble1_status
+        - switch.turn_on: ble1_status
 mcp23s08:
   - id: 'mcp23s08_hub'
     cs_pin: GPIO12
@@ -264,7 +264,7 @@ mcp23s17:
 sensor:
   - platform: ble_client
     ble_client_id: ble_foo
-    name: "Green iTag btn"
+    name: 'Green iTag btn'
     service_uuid: 'ffe0'
     characteristic_uuid: 'ffe1'
     descriptor_uuid: 'ffe2'
@@ -658,9 +658,14 @@ sensor:
     update_interval: 15s
   - platform: pulse_meter
     name: 'Pulse Meter'
+    id: pulse_meter_sensor
     pin: GPIO12
     internal_filter: 100ms
     timeout: 2 min
+    on_value:
+      - pulse_meter.set_total_pulses:
+          id: pulse_meter_sensor
+          value: 12345
     total:
       name: 'Pulse Meter Total'
   - platform: rotary_encoder
@@ -2037,7 +2042,6 @@ tca9548a:
     multiplexer:
       id: multiplex0
       channel: 0
-    
 
 pcf8574:
   - id: 'pcf8574_hub'