diff --git a/esphome/components/pulse_counter/automation.h b/esphome/components/pulse_counter/automation.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..d749540a95
--- /dev/null
+++ b/esphome/components/pulse_counter/automation.h
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+#pragma once
+
+#include "esphome/core/component.h"
+#include "esphome/core/automation.h"
+#include "esphome/components/pulse_counter/pulse_counter_sensor.h"
+
+namespace esphome {
+
+namespace pulse_counter {
+
+template<typename... Ts> class SetTotalPulsesAction : public Action<Ts...> {
+ public:
+  SetTotalPulsesAction(PulseCounterSensor *pulse_counter) : pulse_counter_(pulse_counter) {}
+
+  TEMPLATABLE_VALUE(uint32_t, total_pulses)
+
+  void play(Ts... x) override { this->pulse_counter_->set_total_pulses(this->total_pulses_.value(x...)); }
+
+ protected:
+  PulseCounterSensor *pulse_counter_;
+};
+
+}  // namespace pulse_counter
+}  // namespace esphome
diff --git a/esphome/components/pulse_counter/pulse_counter_sensor.cpp b/esphome/components/pulse_counter/pulse_counter_sensor.cpp
index 5232ebc427..002f6dcac9 100644
--- a/esphome/components/pulse_counter/pulse_counter_sensor.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/pulse_counter/pulse_counter_sensor.cpp
@@ -144,6 +144,11 @@ void PulseCounterSensor::setup() {
   }
 }
 
+void PulseCounterSensor::set_total_pulses(uint32_t pulses) {
+  this->current_total_ = pulses;
+  this->total_sensor_->publish_state(pulses);
+}
+
 void PulseCounterSensor::dump_config() {
   LOG_SENSOR("", "Pulse Counter", this);
   LOG_PIN("  Pin: ", this->pin_);
diff --git a/esphome/components/pulse_counter/pulse_counter_sensor.h b/esphome/components/pulse_counter/pulse_counter_sensor.h
index 86c387d52a..f81d20a646 100644
--- a/esphome/components/pulse_counter/pulse_counter_sensor.h
+++ b/esphome/components/pulse_counter/pulse_counter_sensor.h
@@ -55,6 +55,8 @@ class PulseCounterSensor : public sensor::Sensor, public PollingComponent {
   void set_filter_us(uint32_t filter) { storage_.filter_us = filter; }
   void set_total_sensor(sensor::Sensor *total_sensor) { total_sensor_ = total_sensor; }
 
+  void set_total_pulses(uint32_t pulses);
+
   /// Unit of measurement is "pulses/min".
   void setup() override;
   void update() override;
diff --git a/esphome/components/pulse_counter/sensor.py b/esphome/components/pulse_counter/sensor.py
index 6dcb974a1f..88f53bdf77 100644
--- a/esphome/components/pulse_counter/sensor.py
+++ b/esphome/components/pulse_counter/sensor.py
@@ -1,15 +1,17 @@
 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_COUNT_MODE,
     CONF_FALLING_EDGE,
+    CONF_ID,
     CONF_INTERNAL_FILTER,
     CONF_PIN,
     CONF_RISING_EDGE,
     CONF_NUMBER,
     CONF_TOTAL,
+    CONF_VALUE,
     ICON_PULSE,
     STATE_CLASS_MEASUREMENT,
     STATE_CLASS_TOTAL_INCREASING,
@@ -32,6 +34,10 @@ PulseCounterSensor = pulse_counter_ns.class_(
     "PulseCounterSensor", sensor.Sensor, cg.PollingComponent
 )
 
+SetTotalPulsesAction = pulse_counter_ns.class_(
+    "SetTotalPulsesAction", automation.Action
+)
+
 
 def validate_internal_filter(value):
     value = cv.positive_time_period_microseconds(value)
@@ -116,3 +122,21 @@ async def to_code(config):
     if CONF_TOTAL in config:
         sens = await sensor.new_sensor(config[CONF_TOTAL])
         cg.add(var.set_total_sensor(sens))
+
+
+@automation.register_action(
+    "pulse_counter.set_total_pulses",
+    SetTotalPulsesAction,
+    cv.Schema(
+        {
+            cv.Required(CONF_ID): cv.use_id(PulseCounterSensor),
+            cv.Required(CONF_VALUE): cv.templatable(cv.uint32_t),
+        }
+    ),
+)
+async def set_total_action_to_code(config, action_id, template_arg, args):
+    paren = await cg.get_variable(config[CONF_ID])
+    var = cg.new_Pvariable(action_id, template_arg, paren)
+    template_ = await cg.templatable(config[CONF_VALUE], args, int)
+    cg.add(var.set_total_pulses(template_))
+    return var