diff --git a/esphome/components/light/addressable_light_effect.h b/esphome/components/light/addressable_light_effect.h
index 53206160c6..cfe6d59203 100644
--- a/esphome/components/light/addressable_light_effect.h
+++ b/esphome/components/light/addressable_light_effect.h
@@ -143,12 +143,11 @@ 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 set_scan_width(uint32_t scan_width) { this->scan_width_ = scan_width; }
   void apply(AddressableLight &it, const ESPColor &current_color) override {
     it.all() = ESPColor::BLACK;
 
-    const uint32_t scan_length_limited = (scan_length_ < it.size()) ? scan_length_ : it.size();
-    for (auto i = 0; i < scan_length_limited; i++) {
+    for (auto i = 0; i < this->scan_width_; i++) {
         it[this->at_led_ + i] = current_color;
     }
 
@@ -156,7 +155,7 @@ class AddressableScanEffect : public AddressableLightEffect {
     if (now - this->last_move_ > this->move_interval_) {
       if (direction_) {
         this->at_led_++;
-        if (this->at_led_ == it.size() - scan_length_limited)
+        if (this->at_led_ == it.size() - this->scan_width_)
           this->direction_ = false;
       } else {
         this->at_led_--;
@@ -169,7 +168,7 @@ class AddressableScanEffect : public AddressableLightEffect {
 
  protected:
   uint32_t move_interval_{};
-  uint32_t scan_length_{1};
+  uint32_t scan_width_{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 62e1a87fc9..eb4e196d4e 100644
--- a/esphome/components/light/effects.py
+++ b/esphome/components/light/effects.py
@@ -16,7 +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_SCAN_WIDTH = 'scan_width'
 CONF_TWINKLE_PROBABILITY = 'twinkle_probability'
 CONF_PROGRESS_INTERVAL = 'progress_interval'
 CONF_SPARK_PROBABILITY = 'spark_probability'
@@ -180,12 +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))
+    cv.Optional(CONF_SCAN_WIDTH, default=1): cv.int_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]))
+    cg.add(var.set_scan_width(config[CONF_SCAN_WIDTH]))
     yield var