diff --git a/esphome/components/espnow/espnow.h b/esphome/components/espnow/espnow.h
index 49f12973e3..68a22ffb86 100644
--- a/esphome/components/espnow/espnow.h
+++ b/esphome/components/espnow/espnow.h
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ class ESPNowProtocol : public Parented<ESPNowComponent> {
 
   virtual uint32_t get_protocol_id() = 0;
   virtual std::string get_protocol_name() = 0;
-  uint8_t get_next_sequents() { this->get_next_sequents(0, 0); }
+  uint8_t get_next_sequents() { return this->get_next_sequents(0, 0); }
   virtual uint8_t get_next_sequents(uint64_t peer, uint32_t protocol) {
     if (this->next_sequents_ == 255) {
       this->next_sequents_ = 0;