diff --git a/esphome/components/template/cover/__init__.py b/esphome/components/template/cover/__init__.py
index 7a60096d85..607d9d0064 100644
--- a/esphome/components/template/cover/__init__.py
+++ b/esphome/components/template/cover/__init__.py
@@ -4,7 +4,8 @@ from esphome import automation
 from esphome.components import cover
 from esphome.const import CONF_ASSUMED_STATE, CONF_CLOSE_ACTION, CONF_CURRENT_OPERATION, CONF_ID, \
     CONF_LAMBDA, CONF_OPEN_ACTION, CONF_OPTIMISTIC, CONF_POSITION, CONF_RESTORE_MODE, \
-    CONF_STATE, CONF_STOP_ACTION, CONF_TILT, CONF_TILT_ACTION, CONF_TILT_LAMBDA
+    CONF_STATE, CONF_STOP_ACTION, CONF_TILT, CONF_TILT_ACTION, CONF_TILT_LAMBDA, \
+    CONF_POSITION_ACTION
 from .. import template_ns
 
 TemplateCover = template_ns.class_('TemplateCover', cover.Cover, cg.Component)
@@ -29,6 +30,7 @@ CONFIG_SCHEMA = cover.COVER_SCHEMA.extend({
     cv.Optional(CONF_STOP_ACTION): automation.validate_automation(single=True),
     cv.Optional(CONF_TILT_ACTION): automation.validate_automation(single=True),
     cv.Optional(CONF_TILT_LAMBDA): cv.returning_lambda,
+    cv.Optional(CONF_POSITION_ACTION): automation.validate_automation(single=True),
     cv.Optional(CONF_RESTORE_MODE, default='RESTORE'): cv.enum(RESTORE_MODES, upper=True),
 }).extend(cv.COMPONENT_SCHEMA)
 
@@ -55,11 +57,15 @@ def to_code(config):
         tilt_template_ = yield cg.process_lambda(config[CONF_TILT_LAMBDA], [],
                                                  return_type=cg.optional.template(float))
         cg.add(var.set_tilt_lambda(tilt_template_))
-
+    if CONF_POSITION_ACTION in config:
+        yield automation.build_automation(var.get_position_trigger(), [(float, 'pos')],
+                                          config[CONF_POSITION_ACTION])
+        cg.add(var.set_has_position(True))
+    else:
+        cg.add(var.set_has_position(config[CONF_HAS_POSITION]))
     cg.add(var.set_optimistic(config[CONF_OPTIMISTIC]))
     cg.add(var.set_assumed_state(config[CONF_ASSUMED_STATE]))
     cg.add(var.set_restore_mode(config[CONF_RESTORE_MODE]))
-    cg.add(var.set_has_position(config[CONF_HAS_POSITION]))
 
 
 @automation.register_action('cover.template.publish', cover.CoverPublishAction, cv.Schema({
diff --git a/esphome/components/template/cover/template_cover.cpp b/esphome/components/template/cover/template_cover.cpp
index 381e6dd6cd..887f282007 100644
--- a/esphome/components/template/cover/template_cover.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/template/cover/template_cover.cpp
@@ -86,10 +86,10 @@ void TemplateCover::control(const CoverCall &call) {
     } else if (pos == COVER_CLOSED) {
       this->close_trigger_->trigger();
       this->prev_command_trigger_ = this->close_trigger_;
+    } else {
+      this->position_trigger_->trigger(pos);
     }
 
-    this->position_trigger_->trigger(pos);
-
     if (this->optimistic_) {
       this->position = pos;
     }
diff --git a/esphome/const.py b/esphome/const.py
index 0655da8f5e..b604120318 100644
--- a/esphome/const.py
+++ b/esphome/const.py
@@ -331,6 +331,7 @@ CONF_PM_10_0 = 'pm_10_0'
 CONF_PM_2_5 = 'pm_2_5'
 CONF_PORT = 'port'
 CONF_POSITION = 'position'
+CONF_POSITION_ACTION = 'position_action'
 CONF_POWER = 'power'
 CONF_POWER_FACTOR = 'power_factor'
 CONF_POWER_ON_VALUE = 'power_on_value'
diff --git a/tests/test3.yaml b/tests/test3.yaml
index 6d70f60764..bbfcc72880 100644
--- a/tests/test3.yaml
+++ b/tests/test3.yaml
@@ -578,6 +578,10 @@ cover:
       - output.set_level:
           id: out
           level: !lambda "return tilt;"
+    position_action:
+      - output.set_level:
+          id: out
+          level: !lambda "return pos;"
 
 
 output: